Leaking pop tops on 2023 California Oceans

[Snoopy23]

L

Yes let’s hope they don’t leak too….!

Not had any issues with mine yet!

 

[OooOooTheMonkey]

Great. Hopefully all sorted now then and no 07S!

 

[acer]

Bellows #5 installed last week, its a 06S this time - Service Manager said he ordered 4 sets for my van in the hope of emptying the parts warehouse of 05S and getting his hands on the 06S variant. He'll be sending 3 sets of 05S back to the warehouse this week, so watch out anyone who is waiting for their dealer to obtain some blue bellows!

Will test them this week and post an update.

Is 5 sets of bellows the record?

 

[Corradobrit]

Is 5 sets of bellows the record?

Someone in Germany hit 5 a year ago.

 

[acer]

Someone in Germany hit 5 a year ago.

Good news! Still scope for Sheffield10 to set a new European record!

 

[CaliforniaPhil]

Any tests of the 06S bellows yet?

I tested my 05S bellows today and they are leaking in a totally different place to my 03 and 04 bellows. Both sides are leaking down the vertical corner seem, this looks like the one that has the sealing tape added on the 06S'. Oddly, the zip on the left is leaking as well. I have not looked at the zip in detail yet.

 

[Nimrod]

Any tests of the 06S bellows yet?

I tested my 05S bellows today and they are leaking in a totally different place to my 03 and 04 bellows. Both sides are leaking down the vertical corner seem, this looks like the one that has the sealing tape added on the 06S'. Oddly, the zip on the left is leaking as well. I have not looked at the zip in detail yet.

So, it looks as though both of our newly fitted 05S bellows, (which, to recap, are dated just 5 and 6 days prior to the manufacture of the 06S bellows fitted to @Snoopy23), LEAK!

I sent an email to Rhiannon at the EO a week ago expressing my frustrations at their lack of internal communication regarding how, as a company, they are dealing with this issue.

Specifically, how can it possibly be that they recommended we have a second, new, 05S fitted at a time when there was already an updated replacement version, 06S, available, that they didn't even know about!

To date, I've had no reply!

Beyond disappointed.

 

[RockinNRollin]

I really don't think the dealers can be blamed. From what I understand, they can only order "the part" and the version isn't a variable in that ordering process. They get sent what they get sent. To reject what they've been sent would require something concrete from a higher authority, that's where the problem is (and that higher authority would also presumably, or should, be filtering out the older versions from the warehouse too). Absolutely right though, it's communication that's the problem here.

 

[Snoopy23]

I dont blame dealer, but its a good revenue stream for them!

 

[Nimrod]

I really don't think the dealers can be blamed. From what I understand, they can only order "the part" and the version isn't a variable in that ordering process. They get sent what they get sent. To reject what they've been sent would require something concrete from a higher authority, that's where the problem is (and that higher authority would also presumably, or should, be filtering out the older versions from the warehouse too). Absolutely right though, it's communication that's the problem here.

I'm not blaming the dealer.

I'm 100% blaming VW.

The dealer is not VW.

 

[ParachuteMan]

Any tests of the 06S bellows yet?

I tested my 05S bellows today and they are leaking in a totally different place to my 03 and 04 bellows. Both sides are leaking down the vertical corner seem, this looks like the one that has the sealing tape added on the 06S'. Oddly, the zip on the left is leaking as well. I have not looked at the zip in detail yet.

I had an 05S to replace my 03S (though for a different reason than the minor leaks it had). Reading about the vertical front seams, I sprayed both liberally with Aquatex. Still waiting a proper test, but up in Scotland about to start the NC500 so I’m sure this will happen.

 

[babble]

well, my van is in for the second time to address the leaks. Still on the original set of leaky bellows. the first time they spent a week breaking, then replacing one side internal gutters, even though anyone in the rest of the universe could have told them that wasn't in any way the cause of the leak (nor were they blocked). god knows what will happen this time. They seemed utterly clueless when i talked about bellows replacement numbers etc. The service here in Brussels is astonishingly bad. At least this time i sent them video of the bellows leaking like a sieve all over the place in the rain. now they are going to test them themselves. I can't see how they can do anything other than contact VW now. I also can't believe i am the first person to come to them with this issue, but they act like i am.

 

[Sheffield10]

Any tests of the 06S bellows yet?

I tested my 05S bellows today and they are leaking in a totally different place to my 03 and 04 bellows. Both sides are leaking down the vertical corner seem, this looks like the one that has the sealing tape added on the 06S'. Oddly, the zip on the left is leaking as well. I have not looked at the zip in detail yet.

My van was returned on Thursday last week with newly fitted 06S bellows. We had some light to moderate showers here on Sunday, so I left the roof up all day and periodically checked the bellows. There wasn’t a lot of rain but there were a few fairly heavy showers and the bellows stayed dry on the inside. Yesterday morning, I tried the same sprinkler test I have used previously and again the bellows have stayed dry inside. Flow rate on the sprinkler was half a gallon per minute, on a fine spray. I ran the sprinkler for 20 minutes continuously, spraying down onto the front of the bellows. Neither test replicated a full night of rain, but all the previous bellows have leaked with this much provocation, so I am encouraged that I might finally have a weather resistant bellows, and its only taken a year (virtually to the day) of battling VW to get here.

QC tag date on the 06S bellows is 01/07/24. Only obvious difference from 05S is the inclusion of a clear seam tape on the inside of the vertical corner seams.

 

[OooOooTheMonkey]

My van was returned on Thursday last week with newly fitted 06S bellows. We had some light to moderate showers here on Sunday, so I left the roof up all day and periodically checked the bellows. There wasn’t a lot of rain but there were a few fairly heavy showers and the bellows stayed dry on the inside. Yesterday morning, I tried the same sprinkler test I have used previously and again the bellows have stayed dry inside. Flow rate on the sprinkler was half a gallon per minute, on a fine spray. I ran the sprinkler for 20 minutes continuously, spraying down onto the front of the bellows. Neither test replicated a full night of rain, but all the previous bellows have leaked with this much provocation, so I am encouraged that I might finally have a weather resistant bellows, and its only taken a year (virtually to the day) of battling VW to get here.

QC tag date on the 06S bellows is 01/07/24. Only obvious difference from 05S is the inclusion of a clear seam tape on the inside of the vertical corner seams.

View attachment 129129

Amazing, maybe we’re finally there!

 

[Corradobrit]

well, my van is in for the second time to address the leaks. Still on the original set of leaky bellows. the first time they spent a week breaking, then replacing one side internal gutters, even though anyone in the rest of the universe could have told them that wasn't in any way the cause of the leak (nor were they blocked). god knows what will happen this time. They seemed utterly clueless when i talked about bellows replacement numbers etc. The service here in Brussels is astonishingly bad. At least this time i sent them video of the bellows leaking like a sieve all over the place in the rain. now they are going to test them themselves. I can't see how they can do anything other than contact VW now. I also can't believe i am the first person to come to them with this issue, but they act like i am.

I'm getting the same feeling here in Hannover of all places. Birthplace of the sieve.
Took my Cali in yesterday for a bunch of issues, the major one being the 03S sieve. First response was we don't deal with the poptop and this is from a VW Commercial dealer. Eventually they logged it it, but I'm not getting the warm and fuzzies. Sent video which I hope will help.

 

[finchy168]

Picked the van up from Listers, Droitwich yesterday after having the bellows replaced again.
Thankfully they are the 06S version.

 

[harryredchow]

Hi all,

Hoping for some help. I picked up a 73 plate California with 1k miles on the clock last week. Just back from a trip to Frome and the bellows arev leaking badly. Front corners below the vertical seams and around the lower seam, front and sides.

My plan is to start a warrenty claim. My question is this. Is it a hard job? I am in North London. The van came from Citigate Colindale. Do I trust them with the repair or is there a dealer near me that you guys know have experience with bellows. St Albans, Loughton etc.

Thanks

 

[CaliforniaCylus]

I've just re-read your post. IMO I would take it back to the dealer you bought it from because you have better consumer rights plus the right to reject the vehicle within 28 days if they refuse to fix such an issue.

There is a new version of the bellows "06S" which looks to have about nailed this long lasting problem so they need to install those.

You aren't really starting a warranty claim. You are returning a faulty vehicle to the dealer for it to be rectified. It's the dealer who needs to either fix it at their own cost or, presumably claim the repairs back from VW.

 

[Snoopy23]

Shouldn't be an issue regards warranty.

You could ask each dealer how many they have replaced and if it isn't a lot, go elsewhere.

Obvious choice would be Breeze Poole. They appear to understand the Cali and I'm certain they are experts at replacing bellows.

.

Hi all,

Hoping for some help. I picked up a 73 plate California with 1k miles on the clock last week. Just back from a trip to Frome and the bellows arev leaking badly. Front corners below the vertical seams and around the lower seam, front and sides.

My plan is to start a warrenty claim. My question is this. Is it a hard job? I am in North London. The van came from Citigate Colindale. Do I trust them with the repair or is there a dealer near me that you guys know have experience with bellows. St Albans, Loughton etc.

Thanks

most dealers will have replaced dozens by now, and have got it down to a fine art!

 

[CaliforniaCylus]

.

most dealers will have replaced dozens by now, and have got it down to a fine art!

Not at all. I think many of the smaller dealers haven't replaced any!

But agree most should have done!

 

[Doric_loon]

So my Aug 2024 Cali with 05S bellows are leaking, first time we've had it out in the rain and I wanted to test in sideways rain which we currently have

My local dealer is John Clark Aberdeen, just wondering if anyone has had any dealings with them with regards to replacement bellows?

Hawco Inverness is my next nearest

 

[harryredchow]

No experience, but the positive side of this is that the area that leaks is fully taped on the 06S bellows.
I booked my van into Breeze in Poole. It is 3 hours from me, but the service department filled me with confidence.

 

[ParachuteMan]

I had an 05S to replace my 03S (though for a different reason than the minor leaks it had). Reading about the vertical front seams, I sprayed both liberally with Aquatex. Still waiting a proper test, but up in Scotland about to start the NC500 so I’m sure this will happen.

Last night in Dunnet Bay was heavy rain over several hours and very windy (up at 0330 to wind the shortened awning in). Heavy rain again in the morning. 05S plus Aquatex on all seams and zips seems to have done the job. Not a drip. Further field trials to follow

 

[Sheffield10]

Yep, that's where my 05S bellows leaked. 06S has clear tape on these seams, which from the testing I've done so far, stops water coming in. So, if you're going to get the bellows replaced, demand that the replacement is 06S (there are still 05S bellows in the supply chain which VW seem to be doing nothing to remove). Or, if you don't want the hassle, spend £10 on a can of Aquatex, spray the seams, tell no-one you've done it, and test it thoroughly before your warranty expires. If your local dealer doesn't sound on the ball, contact VW Executive Office and the very helpful Rhiannon Owens will coordinate getting your bellows remedied.

 

[lohr500]

Last night in Dunnet Bay was heavy rain over several hours and very windy (up at 0330 to wind the shortened awning in). Heavy rain again in the morning. 05S plus Aquatex on all seams and zips seems to have done the job. Not a drip. Further field trials to follow

Good to hear that the Aquatex is working well on your latest bellows.

In the long term I suspect Aquatex might work better than the taped seam on the 06S version once they have been subjected to a season or two of temperature fluctuations and numerous opening and closings!!!