Discussion regarding T6 ONLY roof corrosion

[TomC]

The roof cannot rust because it's aluminium, it can corrode which will leave a white deposit. Almost certainly it's rust from an exposed part of the metal insert in rubber seal, just needs the rust staining rubbed off the roof and a new rubber seal put on.

If it’s that simple I will be very happy indeed. Whatever happens I’m not overly stressed about it as know it will be sorted under warranty.


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[DOUG MILNE]

I can not believe we keep buying the bloody California Ocean. I just purchased my 2017 Cali. If I find any rust under the discussed area it will definitely go back. This is my second Cali. The first I had trouble with the electric sliding door. $ 5000.00 repair bill. Fortunately Giltrap NZ Repaired under warranty. Sold immediately. Thinking very seriously of selling now & going to GB & buying one of the more reputable manufacturers. I have also had previous problems with a VW Golf GTI. I had to contact Head Office Germany before they did stand behind their product. DEFECTIVE HARMONIC BALANCER AFTER 85,OOO MILES. SHAME ON YOU VOLKSWAGEN. Doug NEW ZEALAND.

 

[burnercan]

I also recently found a rust stain extending out from under the seal, 2 weeks after delivery.



Above the LH door looking aft. I haven't had time to pull the seal off yet, not sure I really want to see what's under it!

 

[Auberg-ine]

'18??
How many of these Cali forums are there in fact? Ours, the german, french, spanish... Any more?
How big percentage of all owners could we represent all together? 70%?
Are we not a big enough consumer-power (juridical?) to make Hannover come up with a solid long term guarantee proposal for this obvious production concept failure, purely for commercial reasons, while in the mean time they move towards a carbon solution (with indeed integrated solar panels please)?
Anyone of the site administration has direct contacts with decision makers at VW?
(Also I would like to take profit to add some simple and cheap design improvement proposals at that moment,;-)
Or do they just forget about the T-models, focussing on the xxl and e-bulli?

 

[Sonas]

It really is an absolute disgrace. A known fault for years and years, and yet reports of almost new california's with this problem.

 

[Sheffield10]

I may (or may not) have checked under my roof seal one year in to see what's going on in there. My van lives outside, front end downhill on a fairly steep drive. Having cleaned off the healthy layer of green algae here's what I (may have) found. Van was manufactured in Feb 2017 and will have been one of the early ones to get the plastic tape applied to the bottom edge of the roof.


Front offside corner, some staining on the plastic tape, signs water is getting under the tape. No tape on the front edge of the roof.


Front near side corner. Tape ends several cm short, some water getting under the seal. Enthusiastic cost control by the VW accountant, or the production worker stretched the tape as it was applied and it has shrunk back to its original length.



No evidence of goldfish yet, but plenty of moisture under the seal





Rear corners of the roof. Applying the tape here is less successful than on the straights, not very well adhered and plenty of bubbling.

In general the tape has not been very evenly applied - mostly it reaches further up the outside of the roof than it does on the underside.

No obvious signs of corrosion (yet). I may (or may not) have applied a generous quantity of electrically insulating silicone grease!

 

[Digger]

If it ever occurs on my Ocean it will be treated to a 20mm wide coating of load liner paint which is as tough as old boots and would prevent anything coming into contact with the aluminium. No metal to metal contact and no air or moisture penetration and much better than cheap tape.

 

[Loz]

.. the tape is not cheap, I can assure you!

 

[Toffeeman1]

I'm very late to this considerable thread and at the moment can't read through all of it but I get the gist certainly. Questions that spring to mind (apologies if covered in early thread) .... are T5/T6 conversions by 3rd parties effected? If not why not? If not why can't VW adopt a method of construction like them that works?

 

[Keith Smith]

I've just fitted the clear tape to my March 2016 T6 (just over 2 years old) and found the dreaded corrosion. I'll include the pictures here as well as this is the main corrosion thread. I didn't want to go down the ineffective repair route so I've fitted the tape under the seal. Not sure if I should inform VW as they seem to be in denial about the problem with the T6 and I've stuck tape all over the evidence.

 

[Loz]

The rust will be from the seal so at the very least it needs a new roof seal.

 

[TomC]

The rust will be from the seal so at the very least it needs a new roof seal.

That looks in need of more than a new roof seal to me.


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[Meoncoast]

It may be me but the rust on the T6 roof edge as shown in Kieth Smiths pictures caused by the steel in the rubber seal was something I do not recall seeing it as an issue with T5 corroding roofs. While the paint bubbles look the same.

 

[ArunAlec]

I'm very late to this considerable thread and at the moment can't read through all of it but I get the gist certainly. Questions that spring to mind (apologies if covered in early thread) .... are T5/T6 conversions by 3rd parties effected? If not why not? If not why can't VW adopt a method of construction like them that works?

Unlikely as the roof corrosion is on aluminium roofs. As far as I'm aware all conversions are using GRP.

 

[Toffeeman1]

Unlikely as the roof corrosion is on aluminium roofs. As far as I'm aware all conversions are using GRP.

So going via a conversion company the problem disappears?

 

[ArunAlec]

So going via a conversion company the problem disappears?

Yes, but then you won't be buying a California and you will probably have a whole different lot of problems.

 

[El Greco]

Perhaps companies like Reimo and SCA could make roofs suitable for Calis??

 

[Bellcrew]

So going via a conversion company the problem disappears?

Not necessarily, GRP can have its own problems such as UV bleaching/gelcoat cracking etc. There are plenty of 2004/5 California's still giving good service and selling for over £20000, the market still thinks they are the best thing you can buy.

 

[WelshGas]

So going via a conversion company the problem disappears?

That problem disappears but others take its place. GRP roofs have their own problems and only a 1 year warranty - I wonder why?

 

[jts46]

I have had 2 Bilbos (1 x hightop for 3yrs and 1 x low roof for 3yrs) before the Cali both carried a 2yrs warranty on the conversion.
The only problem i had was the roof discoloured on the low top, used t cut and it was fine

 

[California Dreamin]

This and the T5 threads are so long (a good thing) that it is difficult without reading every post to know the basics on where we stand as T6 owners on this issue. Please forgive me therefore if this has been made clear elsewhere.

1. Has anyone with a T6 (probably pre-tape) approached VWCS to ask for the same 'good will' extension for a further three years beyond the initial three year warranty period? - ie asking for it before it is needed rather than when a problem presents itself.
2. Is there an established repair process for T6s that have been found to have this problem and does it include tape application? Has anyone been through this yet? Same wait time as T5s?
3. Does anyone know if consumer law protects us from 3-6 years meaning that it is moot point whether or not they offer the good will warranty?

 

[Stoneybroke]

In reply to No.3 @California Dreamin, this is the situation under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 (quoted from Which? Website).

Given the history of the defect, it would be quite easy to prove (on the balance of probabilities) that there is an inherent design of manufaftumanu fault which leads to the paintwork bubbling on the aluminium roof section.

Six months or more
If a fault develops after the first six months, the burden is on you to prove that the product was faulty at the time you took ownership of it.

In practice, this may require some form of expert report, opinion or evidence of similar problems across the product range.

You have six years to take a claim to the small claims court for faulty goods in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and five years in Scotland.

This doesn't mean that a product has to last six years - just that you have this length of time in which to make a claim if a retailer refuses to repair or replace a faulty product.

 

[California Dreamin]

Thanks Stoneybroke on no. 3 That final sentence is a cause for concern - is there an expected time that a vehicle is expected to last then do you think?

Anyone able to chime in on no.s 1 & 2?

 

[Stoneybroke]

Thanks Stoneybroke on no. 3 That final sentence is a cause for concern - is there an expected time that a vehicle is expected to last then do you think?

Anyone able to chime in on no.s 1 & 2?

The advice is general, so would apply equally to, say, a new tyre.

The longevity of a vehicle and the expectation that it should be fit for purpose for a longer period would, I think, tend to increase the likelihood that a court would accept that certain parts of the vehicle should still be working properly after a quite a long time.

 

[WelshGas]

Thanks Stoneybroke on no. 3 That final sentence is a cause for concern - is there an expected time that a vehicle is expected to last then do you think?

Anyone able to chime in on no.s 1 & 2?

I believe the 3 yr Extension was in relation to the Front Panel over the Windscreen. Could be mistaken. Anyway, that problem was supposed to have been fixed in MY 2015 with a change in the alloy composition - apparently, hence the original repair being the replacement of that whole panel.