Kitchen Table Leg

[Simspurejuice]

Whilst on the North Yorkshire Moors yesterday i pulled out the kitchen table and extendended the leg...the extension came out and the red button popped out springs disappearing into the moors.. this now renders the table useless....I rang York VW van centre and explained what had happened and asked if, as the van is still under warranty, if i could call in and collect a new extention as it appears that the tiny springs had failed. i was then informed i would have to book the van in and the whole table would have to be replaced!!. Has anyone else had this issue? i find it beyond belief that due to a few tiny springs failing in the table leg extension, that the cost of repair will now ( i have been informed will go into hundreds of pounds) i know i am covered by the warranty however should this happen again..i will be more than vexed as the extension looks to only to cost a few quid and just slides in, a 30 second fix.

 

[DM]

Its frustrating and ultimately we all pay for the cost of such replacements. However I suspect that VW has done its sums and concluded that the cost of maintaining a spares inventory for thousands of individual componants outweighs the cost of replacing whole assemblies. VW will buy in many of the assemblies from third parties so won't even have components for these in their factories.

Definitely not very green though

 

[DM]

Your other option is to 'bodge' a repair using generic parts that will certainly be available on ebay. But why should you when you have a warranty. That option is for when the warranty has expired.

 

[Simspurejuice]

Thanks for your quick replies, totally agree, hardly a green approach, but i believe i would have to become creative rather than pay silly money, i believed the premium we pay for such a vehicle would negate such things...silly me.

 

[Swissian]

The technical drawings may be available somewhere online, and then the specifications of the springs could be discovered and bought separately.

 

[SusiBus]

We’ve had it happened several times when you keep your finger on the release button too long, I would be surprised if it hasn't happened to the majority of Cali owners at one time. We've always been lucky and not lost the spring.

Firstly what a p---- poor piece of design that this should happen, then to have to replace the complete table when all that is required is a spring costing pence is in my books, beyond belief, be it under warranty or not.

I presume that this design fault will be on our new T6. Having read your post about losing the spring, I think one the first things I'm going to do is take it out and source replacement spring to keep with me, because you could all too easily loose the use of your table in the middle of a holiday. ------ Perhaps an idea for a stock item for the club shop!

Whilst on the North Yorkshire Moors yesterday i pulled out the kitchen table and extendended the leg...the extension came out and the red button popped out springs disappearing into the moors.. this now renders the table useless....I rang York VW van centre and explained what had happened and asked if, as the van is still under warranty, if i could call in and collect a new extention as it appears that the tiny springs had failed. i was then informed i would have to book the van in and the whole table would have to be replaced!!. Has anyone else had this issue? i find it beyond belief that due to a few tiny springs failing in the table leg extension, that the cost of repair will now ( i have been informed will go into hundreds of pounds) i know i am covered by the warranty however should this happen again..i will be more than vexed as the extension looks to only to cost a few quid and just slides in, a 30 second fix.

 

[Simspurejuice]

Top idea to carry replacement springs!...i have now sourced some small compression springs from a local hardware shop 10p each, and replaced them in the leg extension, work better than the originals and cancelled the replacement table and wasted day for 20p worth of springs..a full 20 second repair! shame on you VW..again.I will carry spares in the future if only to prevent the inner table from being made useless over the loss of a tiny spring.Thank you all for your replies .

 

[snowy55]

Top idea to carry replacement springs!...i have now sourced some small compression springs from a local hardware shop 10p each, and replaced them in the leg extension, work better than the originals and cancelled the replacement table and wasted day for 20p worth of springs..a full 20 second repair! shame on you VW..again.I will carry spares in the future if only to prevent the inner table from being made useless over the loss of a tiny spring.Thank you all for your replies .

Can you share details of what you purchased please.

 

[T6 CFO]

Well done indeed. You will now be the oracle on table leg springs


Mike

 

[Loz]

Well done indeed. You will now be the oracle on table leg springs

Is there a badge/trophy for that?

 

[T6 CFO]

Mike

 

[Simspurejuice]

I just took the spring into the shop and asked if they had any the same?...the woman said ahhh a compression spring, and then brought a selection out and matched up a dozen springs then hit me with the bill! £1.20 CASH!
thanks again for everyone's contribution...i will cherish the image of the spring award and pass the image onto future generations of table leg engineers.

 

[Geezso]

I don't know if I would go as far to call it a design fault. Seems to be a lot of complaints recently. I would chalk it up to a part fail and ingenious bodge fix. Job done.

 

[California Dreamin]

Please forgive the numpty question, but is this the same as the table in the Beach (i.e. the one that is stored in the door)? If so what do I need to avoid doing so as not to knacker it?

 

[Geezso]

Its not the picnic table it's the one attached to the sink unit

 

[Mickm]

I had the same problem. I believe it was due to the failure of the small pin that stops the extension coming all the way out. When that failed it allowed the extension to come right out, letting the spring to jump away to who knows where. I did a temporary repair using a pice of rubber cut from a pencil eraser. It worked until I had it repaired under warranty. I think they only replaced the leg, not the table top.

 

[DavidT]

We have lost the spring as well and I read these posts with disbelief that the loss of a tiny spring could necessitate £421 replacement of the table!!!
Thank you @Mickm for inspiration from your post above. I used a screwdriver to stuff a rubber band behind the red button and the extension now slides up and down and locks into place in the raised and lowered positions. Table feels completely solid when up, so seems to have done the trick. I will pop a couple of spare rubber bands in the van though!

 

[secret lemonade drinker]

Screwfix sell a spring kit for £10 ish, a useful addition to a toolbox, I have a garage spring kit, bought it over 25 years ago and use items from it regularly

 

[Meoncoast]

Used on our 1st van a biro spring.cheapest repair to date.