Leaking pop tops on 2023 California Oceans

[Corradobrit]

Quality and many other claims are fully assured.

Please post a vid of you installing your's.

 

[Kayleigh]

Pop Top/Bellows Cover - Easy to fit and covers main problem areas ?

£4.99p

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CG5YK7FG/?tag=eliteelect-21

Good to see peeps on this thread haven’t lost their sense of humour after so long!

 

[stationmaster]

Good to see peeps on this thread haven’t lost their sense of humour after so long!

Sense of humour?

 

[Off and running]

executive.office@vwcv.co.uk
0800 783 4909

Thanks Mike,
I will give him a ring this week.

 

[Maidment_Ocean]

Victory! September 23 California first time in rain without a cover on.
10 minutes of light drizzle, no leaks, feeling blessed .

 

[Corradobrit]

10 minutes of light drizzle

Hardly a victory. Get it in some proper rain. Mine was water tight under those conditions.

 

[flying banana]

Hardly a victory. Get it in some proper rain. Mine was water tight under those conditions.

A crisp packet would be OK under those conditions

 

[Maidment_Ocean]

Hardly a victory. Get it in some proper rain. Mine was water tight under those conditions.

Humour guys…..

 

[Corradobrit]

Humour guys…..

Next time include a Avoids any confusion

 

[Maidment_Ocean]

Next time include a Avoids any confusion

You really think I needed a smiley face to confirm humour in a thread with thousands of nightmare posts about terrible leaks, oh dear…

 

[Corradobrit]

You really think I needed a smiley face to confirm humour in a thread with thousands of nightmare posts about terrible leaks, oh dear…

After 139 pages of woe and misery, its incumbent for the poster to highlight the humour.

 

[Gliderbee California 6.1]

I had several leaks when my Ocean was in heavy rain for a few days; see pictures.

The dealer in Belgium had to talk to the importer about it, and they threated it with Berner 455822 spray, twice with a full 24 hours drying in between ( https://www.amazon.nl/dp/B01BY82PUO?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details ).

I had it in light rains since for a few days (but not enough wind to really test it) and it stayed dry. It's up on my driveway; rain and heavy winds predicted for tomorrow and especially in the night from Monday to Tuesday. We'll see ...

Stefan.

 

[lohr500]

I had several leaks when my Ocean was in heavy rain for a few days; see pictures.

The dealer in Belgium had to talk to the importer about it, and they threated it with Berner 455822 spray, twice with a full 24 hours drying in between ( https://www.amazon.nl/dp/B01BY82PUO?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details ).

I had it in light rains since for a few days (but not enough wind to really test it) and it stayed dry. It's up on my driveway; rain and heavy winds predicted for tomorrow and especially in the night from Monday to Tuesday. We'll see ...

Stefan.

Thanks for the post.

Interesting that the Belgian dealer spoke to the importer and that the action was to treat it with the Berner 455822 spray.

Please let us know what happens with the rain and heavy winds over the next few days.

 

[Fish111111111.]

You must be the one other case he says he has for 04S

Could be useful to have a separate 04S leak thread if we could keep it sane.

My replacement 04s leaked on the first use in the rain less than 2 days picking it up from the dealer after it was replaced.

 

[ArunAlec]

I had several leaks when my Ocean was in heavy rain for a few days; see pictures.

The dealer in Belgium had to talk to the importer about it, and they threated it with Berner 455822 spray, twice with a full 24 hours drying in between ( https://www.amazon.nl/dp/B01BY82PUO?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details ).

I had it in light rains since for a few days (but not enough wind to really test it) and it stayed dry. It's up on my driveway; rain and heavy winds predicted for tomorrow and especially in the night from Monday to Tuesday. We'll see ...

Stefan.

View attachment 121988

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Just to clarify was the importer VW ?

 

[CaliforniaCylus]

You must be the one other case he says he has for 04S

Could be useful to have a separate 04S leak thread if we could keep it sane.

I don't think it makes sense for a new thread. The leaks are all similar or incremental or non existent and have been since the beginning of two layered bellows.

Just makes it harder if information is split across two threads.

We lost a lot of continuity when the first bellowsgate thread got closed down...

 

[stationmaster]

That is why I have suggested to Adrian that approval to use a waterproofing agent should be on a case by case basis after the customer provides photographic evidence that their bellows leak.

I am also hoping the VW will also grant approval retrospectively to the few of us who have applied Aqua Tex or Fabsil without authorisation. After all, through our efforts and willingness to take the risk, it is looking like an interim or perhaps even longer term solution has been found.

If as has been indicated, VW are now considering giving approval to go down the waterproofing route, then I would suggest that anyone thinking of trying it waits for a few days to see what decision VW make.

Did Adrian give you any timescales as to when VW will make a decision as to using AquaTex/Fabsil? Or have you heard back from him?

Be good to know if it is an option: To try a use a treatment whilst keeping the warranty in place for replacement at a later date, or if there was an issue with the treatment damaging the bellows in the longer term.

 

[lohr500]

Did Adrian give you any timescales as to when VW will make a decision as to using AquaTex/Fabsil? Or have you heard back from him?

Be good to know if it is an option: To try a use a treatment whilst keeping the warranty in place for replacement at a later date, or if there was an issue with the treatment damaging the bellows in the longer term.

Adrian is due to call me on Wednesday 17th April.

I'll be asking him if the Aqua Tex / Fabsil option has moved forward since our discussion last week.

With more and more reports of failed 04S bellows being reported on the forum, VW need to come up with an interim fix soon, until they can find a more permanent solution.

 

[stationmaster]

Adrian is due to call me on Wednesday 17th April.

I'll be asking him if the Aqua Tex / Fabsil option has moved forward since our discussion last week.

With more and more reports of failed 04S bellows being reported on the forum, VW need to come up with an interim fix soon, until they can find a more permanent solution.

Thanks for getting back to me.

 

[Fish111111111.]

Just an image or two to show the leak and the date on the bellows. The dealer was supposed to be replacing it again today but now say their not and these are not waterproof! Here we go on the merrygo round. Not a happy camper , Adian has been informed and we await his response.

 

[stationmaster]

View attachment 122009View attachment 122010
Just an image or two to show the leak and the date on the bellows. The dealer was supposed to be replacing it again today but now say their not and these are not waterproof! Here we go on the merrygo round. Not a happy camper , Adian has been informed and we await his response.

Thanks for the update on your van.

May i ask which dealership supplied?

 

[RockinNRollin]

The only reason a dealer would decline to change it would be if they didn't think they could reclaim the costs from VW themselves. This suggests that VW have put the brakes on, unless the dealer is misinformed? In which case, perhaps that indicates an acceptance of an issue with the 04S if they are reluctant to change like for like and possibly an imminent interim process (waterproofer) ahead of yet another redesign (or a change of approach to suggest periodic waterproofing).

 

[Andy C Berks.]

View attachment 122009View attachment 122010
Just an image or two to show the leak and the date on the bellows. The dealer was supposed to be replacing it again today but now say their not and these are not waterproof! Here we go on the merrygo round. Not a happy camper , Adian has been informed and we await his response.

Same date as mine, as well as the same Pers no. My serial number is 8 later than yours, and where yours says “3” mine says “10” - not sure what that no. relates to. But mine havent leaked [yet] having been out in two moderate to heavy soakings.
Maybe mine will leak soon, but just adds to the lack of consistency here - along with the fact that we seem to be getting more examples of leaks along the horizontal seams again, when a week or so ago it seemed like they had maybe been cured those with the black insert and that it was now the vertical seams that were failing.

 

[Fish111111111.]

Thanks for the update on your van.

May i ask which dealership supplied?

Marshalls of Reading.

 

[Fish111111111.]

The only reason a dealer would decline to change it would be if they didn't think they could reclaim the costs from VW themselves. This suggests that VW have put the brakes on, unless the dealer is misinformed? In which case, perhaps that indicates an acceptance of an issue with the 04S if they are reluctant to change like for like and possibly an imminent interim process (waterproofer) ahead of yet another redesign (or a change of approach to suggest periodic waterproofing).

Who Knows, the young lady on the service desk has apparently left so not sure whats going on. Suffice to say i wish VW would make a statment to all dealers as to how this issue should be handled, so everyone gets the exact same treatment!