Buy all your VW California Accessories at the Club Shop Visit Shop

Kitchen Tap / Water Pump not working.

T

T2KF4

Messages
8
Hi there.

This weekend we took the Cali out for the first trip of the year and had an issue with fresh the water pump.

To summarise I rinsed out the tank. Filled it up again tested the tap and ran some water through it. All working fine. When we camped up that night the tap was working for first couple of kettle fills. Then my wife went to use it again and no water came out. The pump is pumping (you can hear it) so no fuse/power issue. I can here a sort of splashing sound when the pump is running. I am thinking that the pump might have just given up (and hoping that the pipe hasnt split and that the pump isnt pumping water all over the bottom of the cupboard unit)

Has anyone else experienced anything similar? Anyone had to replace the pump, and any idea how difficult it is? Anyone got any ideas before i end up getting the dealer to look into it.

Cheers,
Tim
 
I think if you look in the bottom of your wardrobe you can access the opening for cleaning the water tank etc. Have a look in there and see if the pump is doing anything when the tap is operated.

Maybe it's airlocked?
 
Silly question but is there water in the tank ? Try filling it again.
 
Hi All,

The drain tap was closed and there was water in the tank. :sad

I have attempted to get into the tank through the bottom of the wardrobe but have been completely unable to budge the screw top lid for the tank! It is fully stuck fast. Any tips on getting into the tank. I will search other posts to see if i can find any other tips.

Cheers,
Tim
 
Hello, had a similar issue after laying up then our first trip of the year. I checked all the obvious, even the wiring. I had to go into the tank through the large service access screw lid, yes very tight and had to fabricate a tool. Once open you can pull out the pump - found the impeller stuck, once rotated by hand it operated via the tap micro switch in the tap now all OK. This was the last resort and one thing I did try prior to this which may release the impeller was to open the tap put my mouth over it and blow back to check things, if you have water in the tank and someone else listens at the tank you can hear the bubbles, not to hygenic but it is my Cali!
 
We had this problem a year ago - no water coming out of the tap, yet we could hear the pump working and the water sloshing around in the tank. Turned out that the pump had become dislodged from its seating inside the tank, and because the pump was moving around in the water when being used, the exit pipe from the pump had eventually slipped off the exit connector inside the tank, so the water was just circulating around inside the tank.
Access the tank through the "wardrobe", lift the circular cover, unscrew the inspection lid and disconnect the power lead. It's a good idea to open the boot as this will trigger the boot light which is next to the tank and illuminate it for you. The bottom of the pump should be sited in a shallow cup on the base of the tank, to the right of centre looking down into the tank. You need to feel for this as it is not obvious when looking in. A pipe from the pump should be pushed onto the exit connector in the top of the tank to the right of the inspection access. Initially we had problems of the hose coming off again until we discovered that the pump needed to sit in the cup. Additionally we also decided to try to make a better job of keeping the hose on the exit connector. A metal jubilee clip that might rust was not a good idea and we ended up using a plastic gardening tie that could be tightened one-handedly. A year on and no further problems. We do take care filling the tank - pushing in a hosepipe probably caused the pump to become dislodged in the first place.
 
Great post Ron :thumb excellent information thanks :thumb
 
really useful info there.

I think there's a lot to be said for regularly running the various habitation bits as well as the AC in the "off season"
 
Hi All,

Ron - that is really really helpful info and its sounds exactly like our issue because the pump is working and water is moving, just not up the fresh water pipe. Unfortunately i have been really busy with work and have not got round to looking into this issue further. (I am also still not sure how i am going to get the lid unscrewed) However i will report back once i have further info.

Thanks,
Tim
 
Had the same problem, although the pump was stuck and making no noise when the tap turned on, tried and tried. Went back next day still no water. Tried in vain to get the fresh water tank access lid off. Just too tight, was sure I was going to break something with the force required, so gave up.

Cali went in for service last week and I asked them to look into it. They said the pump needed replacing, cost 144 +vat, but would have to be ordered so could I book it in the following week.

Spare hour or two today, so thought I would have a go at the sucking method. Couldn't really get my mouth around the tap so out with the pots and shelves underneath. Removed the jubilee clip holding the pipe on to the tap, the connection between the pipe and tap looks to be nylon and very flexible so decided to cut the pipe rather than risk damaging the tap. Came off easily enough.

There is not much spare pipe so had to get my head right in the cupboard under the sink. Suck and blow. A little resistance initially but managed to suck water through fairly easily. Climb out, switch on tap... nothing, switch on again... nothing. Leave tap switched on, climb back under sink...

As I write this it seems fairly obvious what was going to happen next, but at the time it looked like the sensible thing to do.

Head jammed under the sink, one suck, two sucks, three sucks,... and then, in kicks the pump. Water everywhere. face, ears, hair, etc.

Pump works fine now. :thumb
 
On the plus side you may have saved yourself £144+VAT & Labour charges :laugh2
 
Just had similar issue to our calli, investigated through rear wardrobe access hole after almost dislocating most of my digits trying to open the water tank cover and discovered the pump hose to tap line had become disattatched. After initial panic issue is resolved but seems strange there's not some sort of jubilee attachment or something holding it in place. Ended up putting a tiny dab of superglue onto the top of the pipe to make sure, probably not advised but I don't want to constantly be unpacking and accessing the tight little cubbyhole to get in and about. Thanks to those who've previously threaded to help sort out this problem
 
I have a similar problem. No water coming out. Fuzes ok. Am about to try to access the water reservoir. Hope I can do this but rather concerned after reading all your experiences... watch this space.
 
Can anyone help. I need a new water pump for the kitchen. The current one blows the fuzes.
Will any submersible pump do or do I need to have a VW one?
Any advice welcomed.....
 
problem solved. removed the pump. unstuck the turning thingy and presto we have water.

By the way any submersible pump will do according to VW Kettering
 
debarros said:
problem solved. removed the pump. unstuck the turning thingy and presto we have water.

By the way any submersible pump will do according to VW Kettering
Exactly the same problem yesterday hell of a job to get the top off the water tank but once open I pulled out the pump flicked the impeller with my finger and hey presto water :thumb
 
is this another Cali design fault !!!!???!!!! Mine went in for this when it was just 2 weeks old. Am I starting to see a pattern here with Cali faults?
 
phil the power said:
is this another Cali design fault !!!!???!!!! Mine went in for this when it was just 2 weeks old. Am I starting to see a pattern here with Cali faults?
They don't seem to like getting dry ;)
 
How did you guys get the inspection cover off? Did you use any tools or just brute finger force?

I haven't been able to move mine at all. Even swearing at it didn't work.
 
Hi I tapped minor round with a piece of wood and rubber mallet from inside the gas bottle cupboard
 
Oh what fun. :lol:

Pump wasn't running after a couple of weeks of not using it and treating the tank with some cleaner.

Checked wiring with multimeter. 12v is getting to pump.

Tried opening the inspection hatch but can't budge it. Make a version 1 tool. Still can't shift it.

Decide to try sucking and blowing on the tap. Can blow bubbles in the tank. Can suck water through the tap when it is on but pump still doesn't move.

Try V1 tool again and break it. Dispondency sets in. Flip tap on. It works :thumb

I think the sucking had got fresh water into the impler and cleaned out the crud.

Beware of using tank cleaner. Make sure you rince it well.

One day I will have to face getting the inspection hatch off.

Thanks for all the thoughts here. I'd never have thought of sucking it like that - no matter how much I love my cali!
 
Once you get the lid off it is very easy to lift the pump out to check the impeller. I replaced my pump in the end with a submersible caravan one £11 off ebay :thumb
 

Similar threads

Pure Worktop Protection
Replies
8
Views
2K
Paddy GC680
P
Azteccamper
Replies
7
Views
2K
Janno
Janno
Juzza
Replies
5
Views
736
Juzza
Juzza
Back
Top