Grand Cali Fridge

[Shaun Clark]

Does anyone have a fridge that works as described in the user manual ie the temperature setting does anything other than freezes the contents unless you constantly have it set to night mode??

 

[Mr T]

Does anyone have a fridge that works as described in the user manual ie the temperature setting does anything other than freezes the contents unless you constantly have it set to night mode??

Without wishing to tempt fate, mine seems to behave. Have you checked the plastic tray under the freezer (top of fridge), make sure that is pushed all the way back. If this is pulled a little forward it can cause freezing issues.
Otherwise you may have a faulty fridge which others have experienced and had the fridge replaced under warranty.

 

[Shaun Clark]

Thanks for the feedback Mr T and I will check the tray. We are now on our 3rd new fridge and it's still misbehaving so you'd kind of hope the dealer would have tested it. That said you might be right on the tray based on my experience with VW technical. I'll let you know.

 

[Mr T]

Thanks for the feedback Mr T and I will check the tray. We are now on our 3rd new fridge and it's still misbehaving so you'd kind of hope the dealer would have tested it. That said you might be right on the tray based on my experience with VW technical. I'll let you know.

Oh that sounds a nightmare.
My fridge was usually on 2 during the summer and now only set to 1. If there isn’t much in it then it gets colder, I have a digital thermometer inside and when on 1 recently with very little in it the temp dropped to 2 degrees. As soon as it is reasonably loaded with beer and a little food it typically sits around 6 degrees measured on the front of the basket.

 

[Shaun Clark]

We have the same type of thermometer setup but unfortunately even when full and set to one light it still freezes the contents hence the reason we keep setting it to night mode. I just wanted to know if they were all the same ie a design fault or if we have just been the lucky ones. We did have to purchase a 12V cool box as a backup and the dealer did cover the cost so they are as confused as we are!

 

[andyinluton]

Ours is fine but never set to higher than 1 & don't use night mode. We keep most stuff thats in the fridge in a stack of clear plastic boxes not that it should make any difference.

 

[Hammer]

I had issue of freezing sometimes until heard about pushing tray fully back. Since doing this use it on setting 2 with no issues.

 

[Shaun Clark]

Thanks all, the tray seems a possible cause and worth a go. The van is back at the dealer later this month for the skylight replacement recall issued by VW and to repair/replace our 3rd faulty Thule step so will have a play with the tray as the fridge currently has no VW resolution pending.

 

[The Yorkshireman]

Hi we leave the setting on 1 or 2 we do get cans icing on the top shelve but it’s usually tonic for the gin!
We stopped using the night setting as it seemed to overcompensate when it switched back to normal mode.
There is a sensor at the back of freezer compartment on the left hand side covered with what looks like putty, might be worth checking it’s in place.
Good luck

 

[DrivesOnArctic]

Does anyone have a fridge that works as described in the user manual ie the temperature setting does anything other than freezes the contents unless you constantly have it set to night mode??

Our fridge was at the beginning behaving oddly. It didnt really matter what settings it was; it was constanly running full throttle, everything froze. At lowest the coldbox was -26c and main compartment -5c. Fridge killed the leisure battery - it lasted only 10-12hours on final stage. Then the battery and lastly fridge was replaced under warranty. Now it works.

 

[Kelleckdaoufrancis]

Does anyone have a fridge that works as described in the user manual ie the temperature setting does anything other than freezes the contents unless you constantly have it set to night mode??

Hello,

I bought (and payed) a GC 600 the September 1st, had to wait till November 17 to ride a whole day because of a huge amount of problems, see this forum, I had them all.
And, …tomorrow back to the garage because of a yellow light(motor failed).

But I have an answer for your fridge.
I had minus 2 degrees. There is a technical follow up from the Belgian importer.
Under the freezer you’ll find a plastic plate which is used to receive melted ice. This must be pushed firmly to the bottom of the fridge. I went from -2 degrees to +4. I know it's borderline, but it's already better.

Good luck

 

[Kelleckdaoufrancis]

Hello,

I bought (and payed) a GC 600 the September 1st, had to wait till November 17 because of a huge amount of problems, see this forum, I had them all.
And, …tomorrow back to the garage because of a yellow light(motor failed).
But I have an answer for your fridge.

I had minus 2 degrees. There is a technical follow up from the Belgian importer.

Under the freezer you’ll find a plastic plate which is used to receive melted ice. This must be pushed firmly to the bottom of the fridge. I went from -2 degrees to +4. I know it's borderline, but it's already better.

Good luck

 

[Shaun Clark]

Hi,

Thanks for the response and sorry to hear you've joined the Grand California unhappy owners club. I'm sorry to say we have had ours just over 2 years now and it still spends as much time with VW Commercial (Listers Group) in Coventry as it does with us. Its next 2 week visit is on the 4th January when they will attempt to address both the fridge issue, ie still no temperature control on the 4th unit installed and the Thule step which has stopped working again, after already previously fitting 3 new units. I think the step is more to do with the control unit and is the result of making it all too complicated when a simple in/out switch would have sufficed.

I have a real concern that as we are now into our final year of the manufacturers warranty we seem to be a longways from resolving the initial recurring faults regardless of any new ones the might crop up.

Maybe a co-ordinated GC customer lobby group needs to be created as they seem to respond to each customer/dealer issue as if its a one off never before experience and consequently with no resolution pre-planning.

I hope you get your issues sorted so you can enjoy your van in the way in which it was intended.

 

[DrivesOnArctic]

Does anyone have a fridge that works as described in the user manual ie the temperature setting does anything other than freezes the contents unless you constantly have it set to night mode??

Our fridge was running on full power no matter what setting was used. It was replaced on new unit. And now it seems that its also broken.

 

[MoulinexCHZijie]

We have the same type of thermometer setup but unfortunately even when full and set to one light it still freezes the contents hence the reason we keep setting it to night mode. I just wanted to know if they were all the same ie a design fault or if we have just been the lucky ones. We did have to purchase a 12V cool box as a backup and the dealer did cover the cost so they are as confused as we are!

Hello

We purchased a GC 600 3 months ago

Left for a trip to Italy for 1 week at Xmas, the fridge is waaaay too cold even with temp set to 1

It seems we're not the only ones ?

 

[MoulinexCHZijie]

Hello,

I bought (and payed) a GC 600 the September 1st, had to wait till November 17 because of a huge amount of problems, see this forum, I had them all.
And, …tomorrow back to the garage because of a yellow light(motor failed).
But I have an answer for your fridge.

I had minus 2 degrees. There is a technical follow up from the Belgian importer.

Under the freezer you’ll find a plastic plate which is used to receive melted ice. This must be pushed firmly to the bottom of the fridge. I went from -2 degrees to +4. I know it's borderline, but it's already better.

Good luck

Is that supposed to be something not to be done ?

 

[Parapalkocamper]

Hello,

After less than a year of age and 7 trips, the bottom of the refrigerator drawer cracked. It is so poorly designed that there was no point in calling the service. Anyway, they would have said that I put too much weight inside and even if they changed it, it would still be as weak.
Thus, I dismantled the drawer and at a workshop they processed a new polyethylene piece for me. It is durable, fits perfectly and cost 30 euros.
If someone else has the same problem, this is how it can be solved.