Fridge top glass shattered

[Vincent Mercer]

Just gently closed the fridge lid after putting small amount of food in it from weekly shop and pow! a weird sound then the whole thing distintegrated in thousand of pieces. No undue pressure, nothing falling on it, just gently closed via the alu extrusion. I've looked at other threads and read about the general concerns around the robustness of all three glass tops on a VW Ocean and can't help but conclude that the glass surfaces are really not fit for purpose. Also mindful of previous comments about if this had happened with kids/grand kids in the van the galss shards would just be at eye height for the small rear seat passengers. Clearly I wish now that I'd fitted the precise cut plastic overlays which whilst not preventing the breakage would at least limit the spread of glass across the inside of the van. Now expect a costly bill from VW to supply and refit the glass section. Anyone else had any experience of this?

 

[Vincent Mercer]

So after speaking to VW it transpires that the replacment glass is about £220. However after chaecking my reg they said the fridge lid should have a gas support strut... due to previous concersn about weak hinges. Does anyone have this modification?

 

[Sad]

Hi Vincent,
Your vehicle details don't show to me. What year Ocean do you have?

 

[WelshGas]

So after speaking to VW it transpires that the replacment glass is about £220. However after chaecking my reg they said the fridge lid should have a gas support strut... due to previous concersn about weak hinges. Does anyone have this modification?

As far as I can see there has always been a gas strut on the Fridge glass cover .

 

[Trudi]

As far as I can see there has always been a gas strut on the Fridge glass cover .

Mine is a 2021 coast and has no visible gas strut arm. They did away with it, I thought, with the 3 split glass tops. I'd be interested if it should have 1 though

 

[Sad]

Mine is a 2021 coast and has no visible gas strut arm. They did away with it, I thought, with the 3 split glass tops. I'd be interested if it should have 1 though

That's my understanding too Trudi, and given the colour of the wardrobe door I suspect it is a relatively new Ocean.

 

[WelshGas]

Mine is a 2021 coast and has no visible gas strut arm. They did away with it, I thought, with the 3 split glass tops. I'd be interested if it should have 1 though

Still there on the 2019 Model Year, on both the fridge and gas hob covers.
Maybe removed on the Coast or later 2020/21/22 models.

 

[Sad]

View attachment 20230315_104836.jpg
No gas strut here, just seems to be held on friction at the hinges.

 

[calibusje]

Wow. While I don't think the glass tops are unfit for purpose, I am aware that the bad luck you had can happen to anyone. Me too. So this afternoon I'm going to get a self-adhesive foil to stick over the three glass parts. Just imagine this happening during a trip. If it happens, I'd rather have the shattered glass hanging at the adhesive foil than all over our van. There are indeed other people who have experienced this and I always think: I'll look for such a foil, but now I'll get it and stick it. M
Thanks for posting this and bringing this to my attention again.

 

[Vincent Mercer]

Mine is a 2017 VW Cali Ocean. And the guy from VW parts was quite clear that according to his info there should be a gas strut. There isn't on my van and thats an issue I'll take up with the VW dealers. It clearly relies upon the hinges to provide resistance to the fridge top closing under its own weight. In fact both of these hinges appear to have 'frozen' and as the glass is only supported and braced laterally, by the alum former near the window and serving as the larch at the front, there is no cross lateral bracing. This places undue strain on the glass if the hinges malfunction. I feel that is what has happened here. Incidently VW confirmed that the hinges cost £50 each! This confirms my point that they are not simple hinges but have some function of resistance. (either that or they are solid silver!).
So my dilemma is do I replace the glass top at some considerable cost knowing that the desighn is flawed and liable to failure or do I replace the glass with a more suitable material? something like Corian. Has anyone else done this/considered this?

 

[WelshGas]

Mine is a 2017 VW Cali Ocean. And the guy from VW parts was quite clear that according to his info there should be a gas strut. There isn't on my van and thats an issue I'll take up with the VW dealers. It clearly relies upon the hinges to provide resistance to the fridge top closing under its own weight. In fact both of these hinges appear to have 'frozen' and as the glass is only supported and braced laterally, by the alum former near the window and serving as the larch at the front, there is no cross lateral bracing. This places undue strain on the glass if the hinges malfunction. I feel that is what has happened here. Incidently VW confirmed that the hinges cost £50 each! This confirms my point that they are not simple hinges but have some function of resistance. (either that or they are solid silver!).
So my dilemma is do I replace the glass top at some considerable cost knowing that the desighn is flawed and liable to failure or do I replace the glass with a more suitable material? something like Corian. Has anyone else done this/considered this?

This is the Parts Catalogue for a 2017 Ocean kitchen

Google

 

[andyinluton]

For info , the May 2016 T6 brochure shows a strut along with the one piece glass over the sink.

The MY2018 T6 dated August 2017 shows no strut & a 2 piece glass top over the sink.

Based on that I am guessing the strut went at the same time as the split top was introduced which would make sense as thats when the hinge design changed.

 

[andyinluton]

This is the Parts Catalogue for a 2017 Ocean kitchen

Google

That appears to show hinges etc being different pre 05-2017 and post 05-2017 which would tie in with the MY2018 change

The part number for the hinge pre 05-2017 is the same for an early van ie. 2009 and the part number for post 05-2017 is still current.

So pre MY2018 no spring in the hinge & a strut is used, post MY2018 its a sprung hinge with no strut,

 

[WelshGas]

That appears to show hinges etc being different pre 05-2017 and post 05-2017 which would tie in with the MY2018 change

Have you got the parts catalogue for say 2016 and 2018?

Select year and then Access,Infotainment,Miscellaneous section.

Google

 

[Doorbundle]

Our 2018 Ocean has 3 piece top glasses, no gas strut.

 

[Vincent Mercer]

This is the Parts Catalogue for a 2017 Ocean kitchen

Google

This parts catalogue is very interesting in that it shows a gas strut for both the fridge and cooker sections and none for the sink section. So the dropping of the gas struts has no clear realtionship with adoption of the three part work surface. It also shows a single hing on each section as opposed to the double hing with no strut on my 2017 Ocean. ive checked the 'frozen' hinges from my fridge top and they are marke 'Southco' 220 25April2017. Claerly they are not 'simple' hinges but when working have a built in resistence to enable soft closure of the lids. It is this element which has failed.

 

[Vincent Mercer]

That appears to show hinges etc being different pre 05-2017 and post 05-2017 which would tie in with the MY2018 change

The part number for the hinge pre 05-2017 is the same for an early van ie. 2009 and the part number for post 05-2017 is still current.

So pre MY2018 no spring in the hinge & a strut is used, post MY2018 its a sprung hinge with no strut,

so my 2017 Ocean has no gas struts but the 'new' hinges stamped 'South co' 220- 25April17' and there are two per section not one as in the parts catalogue. The 'new' hinge with resistence (a spring) is the part that has failed. What is interesting that both hinges have independant failed... I worry about the condition of the two other pairs on the cooker section and the sink section.

 

[Vincent Mercer]

Hi Vincent,
Your vehicle details don't show to me. What year Ocean do you have?

ita a 2017 Ocean

 

[andyinluton]

This parts catalogue is very interesting in that it shows a gas strut for both the fridge and cooker sections and none for the sink section. So the dropping of the gas struts has no clear realtionship with adoption of the three part work surface.

The parts diagram is misleading as it shows all possible parts whether they were fitted to your van or not & 2017 was a crossover year between the 3 piece & 2 piece tops. If you look at it there are 2 struts shown but 3 worktop pieces.

If you move onto the 2019 diagram it just lists the later hinges & no struts.

 

[yossarian]

Check the 10th digit of your VIN.
H= MY 2017
J= MY 2018

 

[Vincent Mercer]

For info , the May 2016 T6 brochure shows a strut along with the one piece glass over the sink.

The MY2018 T6 dated August 2017 shows no strut & a 2 piece glass top over the sink.

Based on that I am guessing the strut went at the same time as the split top was introduced which would make sense as thats when the hinge design changed.

Check the 10th digit of your VIN.
H= MY 2017
J= MY 2018

Thanks, the 10th digit is J so therefore it is a 2018 model

 

[Pure Worktop Protection]

We manufacture these ABS Carbon Fibre effect worktop protectors that simply stick on top. It won’t stop random failures such as you have experienced, but will offer a degree of protection in general use.
We also produce an aluminum option too.
All available direct from the manufacturer.

 

[Viktorgeorge]

We manufacture these ABS Carbon Fibre effect worktop protectors that simply stick on top. It won’t stop random failures such as you have experienced, but will offer a degree of protection in general use.
We also produce an aluminum option too.
All available direct from the manufacturer.

View attachment 106068

View attachment 106069

View attachment 106070

Those look smart. How easy are they to replace - i.e. is the adhesive permanent?

 

[Pure Worktop Protection]

Hi - they are stuck on with 4 x 20mm VHB stickers, very simple to remove.

 

[Vincent Mercer]

They look great but I’m looking for an alternative to the glass element which in inherently unsuitable for the purpose used in the Cali. Especially when the glass is only laterally braced by the aluminium extrusions but not cross laterally braced: so when placed under pressure in the situation of a frozen hinge it shatters. Looking to use Corian or similar product. Does anyone have any experience of replacing the glass element on the fridge unit with a more durable and suitable substitute?