Does your T6.1 double skinned Bellows leak?

[McGons]

I’ve tested mine today in the rain, it leaks at the bottom seal too. Build was May 23. Same numbers on the tag as previous ones.

Such a shame to hear this. Mine leaks like yours - mainly at the bottom seal.

 

[Miscellaneous Mart]

I took my new Cali out for its first outing last week in Snowdonia, we had quite heavy rain and wind through the night. The wind was mostly blowing into the right side but I had leaks through the half moon window on the front, through both the bottom left and bottom right corners at the end of the zip. My bellows didn’t have a label attached, the dealer must have removed it.

 

[OooOooTheMonkey]

I took my new Cali out for its first outing last week in Snowdonia, we had quite heavy rain and wind through the night. The wind was mostly blowing into the right side but I had leaks through the half moon window on the front, through both the bottom left and bottom right corners at the end of the zip. My bellows didn’t have a label attached, the dealer must have removed it.

That’s a shame, yet another case of leaking bellows. Do you know what your build date was?

 

[CaliforniaCylus]

Here's my tag.

03S
26 05 23

Serial no 11017

 

[Miscellaneous Mart]

That’s a shame, yet another case of leaking bellows. Do you know what your build date was?

Tell me about it, £60K+ for a leaky camper! It was built in July this year, it has the new style twin ply bellows.

 

[Kayleigh]

I took my new Cali out for its first outing last week in Snowdonia, we had quite heavy rain and wind through the night. The wind was mostly blowing into the right side but I had leaks through the half moon window on the front, through both the bottom left and bottom right corners at the end of the zip. My bellows didn’t have a label attached, the dealer must have removed it.

Exactly what happened during my repeatable tests at home. The corners leak first. It’s obviously a weak point. The seam at the bottom of the window is initially waterproof and water will bead off to the sides, hence the leaking corners. As the fabric becomes saturated, the corners will leak less and the seam will drip along its entirety. At that point even if the rain stops the seam will keep dripping for another 10 minutes or so.

That’s the unfortunate conclusion I have drawn from my tests.

 

[Betsycalifornia]

picked up my California 1st September. France followed soon after, first day of mild rain today. Mine leaks too.
dealer assured me it shouldn’t so return it if it does, as I’d mentioned The forum threads the day I collected the van. Tag of mine Below. Bottom right hand side had wet patches on the metal roof part.

 

[Littlesoldier]

My 2023 cali with double skin roof bellows leaks like a sieve in the rain. Ithe leaks shorted out the roof mounted control unit which meant i couldnt even close it.
The garage has another new 2023 model with the exact same issue. Been advised that the garage can't repair it as a new one would likely leak as well.. VW customer services said my options are live with it or Reject the vehicle. I like the van but I'm just asking them to fix the design issue in the bellows.
I've asked customer services to escalate to see if VW are planning on fixing. If not I'll have no choice but reject the vehicle as Not fit for purpose.. such a sad situation when you spend this sort of money and no real customer support from VW .!

 

[CaliforniaPhil]

My 2023 cali with double skin roof bellows leaks like a sieve in the rain. Ithe leaks shorted out the roof mounted control unit which meant i couldnt even close it.
The garage has another new 2023 model with the exact same issue. Been advised that the garage can't repair it as a new one would likely leak as well.. VW customer services said my options are live with it or Reject the vehicle. I like the van but I'm just asking them to fix the design issue in the bellows.
I've asked customer services to escalate to see if VW are planning on fixing. If not I'll have no choice but reject the vehicle as Not fit for purpose.. such a sad situation when you spend this sort of money and no real customer support from VW .!

Have you looked at the massive thread on this subject?

Thread 'Leaking pop tops on 2023 California Oceans' https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/leaking-pop-tops-on-2023-california-oceans.50545/

 

[RockinNRollin]

VW customer services said my options are live with it or Reject the vehicle. I like the van but I'm just asking them to fix the design issue in the bellows.

that is an unbelievable response! They are properly shooting themselves in the foot too. I genuinely hope VW come up with a fix or even just replace with the previous style of bellows (I like the current one, but I’d rather have it watertight!)

 

[California T2023]

Anyone tried this on the stitching?

https://www.fabsil.com/product-page/seam-sealer

 

[Corradobrit]

Anyone tried this on the stitching?

https://www.fabsil.com/product-page/seam-sealer

I don't think anyone here as tried sealant for fear of negating their warranty. It seams to work according some German owners but I can't imagine having to use a sealant over couple of years on all the seams. What a Pfaff.

 

[California T2023]

I don't think anyone here as tried sealant for fear of negating their warranty. It seams to work according some German owners but I can't imagine having to use a sealant over couple of years on all the seams. What a Pfaff.

Agreed not ideal but if It works it’s got be worth a try. Took my van into Dealer for another job to be done and mentioned that I had some slight leaking from seams under the windows. They said that they had had 10 vans rejected in last couple of months for same issue and that VW are working on a fix And it would be covered under warranty. In the meantime they sprayed the top with Fabsil as a temporary measure.
I love the van son won’t be rejecting as hoping VW come good on this eventually. To be honest if treating seams every few years did the job I could live with that.

 

[OooOooTheMonkey]

Agreed not ideal but if It works it’s got be worth a try. Took my van into Dealer for another job to be done and mentioned that I had some slight leaking from seams under the windows. They said that they had had 10 vans rejected in last couple of months for same issue and that VW are working on a fix And it would be covered under warranty. In the meantime they sprayed the top with Fabsil as a temporary measure.
I love the van son won’t be rejecting as hoping VW come good on this eventually. To be honest if treating seams every few years did the job I could live with that.

That’s a lot of rejected vans!

 

[Corradobrit]

10 vans rejected

Good for everyone . That should make VW sit up and take notice

 

[acer]

I feel really bad for you 6.1 guys, buying a shiny new vehicle and suffering such a basic problem.

(It reminds me of the corrosion problem 10 years ago on that bit above the windscreen. Did that get sorted?)

The advice seems to be to buy a topper and wait for Vw to recall with a fix. But doesn’t that prevent fitting the most popular (Roger) solar panel in the meantime? Or, do most people not fit solar panels until their warranty has expired anyway?

 

[Jimmylondon07]

I haven’t fitted them just in case I end up rejecting the vehicle, would worry that it gives the dealer a reason to argue if the vehicle’s been modified in any way.

 

[Julesverne2000]

Agreed not ideal but if It works it’s got be worth a try. Took my van into Dealer for another job to be done and mentioned that I had some slight leaking from seams under the windows. They said that they had had 10 vans rejected in last couple of months for same issue and that VW are working on a fix And it would be covered under warranty. In the meantime they sprayed the top with Fabsil as a temporary measure.
I love the van son won’t be rejecting as hoping VW come good on this eventually. To be honest if treating seams every few years did the job I could live with that.

I’m slightly amazed that a dealer sprayed a brand new California canvas with Fabsil. Would be interesting to see know if this was an approved action or just winging it.

 

[Kayleigh]

I’m slightly amazed that a dealer sprayed a brand new California canvas with Fabsil. Would be interesting to see know if this was an approved action or just winging it.

If it was an approved action, surely all the dealerships would be doing it…

 

[Julesverne2000]

If it was an approved action, surely all the dealerships would be doing it

 

[Julesverne2000]

Bunch of cowboys!

 

[Hawthorn37]

My 2023 cali with double skin roof bellows leaks like a sieve in the rain. Ithe leaks shorted out the roof mounted control unit which meant i couldnt even close it.
The garage has another new 2023 model with the exact same issue. Been advised that the garage can't repair it as a new one would likely leak as well.. VW customer services said my options are live with it or Reject the vehicle. I like the van but I'm just asking them to fix the design issue in the bellows.
I've asked customer services to escalate to see if VW are planning on fixing. If not I'll have no choice but reject the vehicle as Not fit for purpose.. such a sad situation when you spend this sort of money and no real customer support from VW .!

An incredibly poor, tone deaf response. VW need to take their heads out of the sand and properly own the issue. I’m surprised they don’t retrofit single skin bellows until they have a design fix on the ‘improved’ double skin model. Our MY22 van has had no leakage problems with the single skin bellows.

 

[Kayleigh]

An incredibly poor, tone deaf response. VW need to take their heads out of the sand and properly own the issue. I’m surprised they don’t retrofit single skin bellows until they have a design fix on the ‘improved’ double skin model. Our MY22 van has had no leakage problems with the single skin bellows.

Maybe the MY23 T6.1 is the testbed for future Californias so reverting to the single skin is not in their vision.

 

[Corradobrit]

Maybe the MY23 T6.1 is the testbed for future Californias so reverting to the single skin is not in their vision.

Yes, they tested the double skin bellows in the T6.1. it leaked so moved promptly to triple skinned for the MV Concept aka Sharavan.

 

[Hawthorn37]

Maybe the MY23 T6.1 is the testbed for future Californias so reverting to the single skin is not in their vision.

Just think that when an innovation patently doesn’t work it’s back to K.I.S.S.