Leaking pop tops on 2023 California Oceans

[1954BD]

Picked mine up last week and it has a 03S label and has an "A" sticker not had chance to test mine yet

 

[Nick from Bath]

More like no one with 04S wants to get it wet until they can be sure of drying it completely.

And a lot of replacements have been put off till the new year, partly due to replacement parts availability according to VWCV

 

[Capt_Stanley]

My new vehicle is confirmed as build week 3 and I’m hope it’s fitted with the latest 04S bellows. We’re also hoping by the time we collect in late February early March that the leaking bellows is all sorted, if not we will reject it.

 

[myvanrodney]

I assume from how quiet it is in here that bellowsgate is now over and I can look forward to a trouble free collection of a new van in March

Im not sweating over it.

Until Im camping in the rain and the bellows properly leak (and i mean leak, not just sweat or bead from condensation - its just a tent after all), Im gonna enjoy my shiny new purchase

If it does leak, then I will hold my salesman to his word and expect full support from the dealership and manufacturer to sort the problem under warranty with the minimum of stress for me.

Life's too short...

 

[Corradobrit]

Im not sweating over it.

Until Im camping in the rain and the bellows properly leak (and i mean leak, not just sweat or bead from condensation - its just a tent after all), Im gonna enjoy my shiny new purchase

If it does leak, then I will hold my salesman to his word and expect full support from the dealership and manufacturer to sort the problem under warranty with the minimum of stress for me.

Life's too short...

Just be prepared. If it rains heavily during the night when you're asleep you may not be able to apply towels etc. Once the bellows start leaking there have been cases of catastrophic infiltration with water possibly affecting the electrical system and soaking the cabin area and seats. Just be prepared if you are not sure how your bellows might perform when stress tested.

 

[Andy C Berks.]

Had my weekly call from Adrian at VWCS on Tuesday, whilst I await the arrival of a set of 04S - I suspect he is still touching the proverbial bit of wood, but as each week goes by he is definitely sounding more confident ! But as others have said it’s that time of year where you can’t imagine too many roofs are getting popped.

 

[Corradobrit]

Had my weekly call from Adrian at VWCS on Tuesday, whilst I await the arrival of a set of 04S - I suspect he is still touching the proverbial bit of wood, but as each week goes by he is definitely sounding more confident ! But as others have said it’s that time of year where you can’t imagine too many roofs are getting popped.

And with the moisture wicking characteristics of the outer fabric its even harder to dry unless there is direct sun, compared to the single layer 02S.

 

[myvanrodney]

Just be prepared. If it rains heavily during the night when you're asleep you may not be able to apply towels etc. Once the bellows start leaking there have been cases of catastrophic infiltration with water possibly affecting the electrical system and soaking the cabin area and seats. Just be prepared if you are not sure how your bellows might perform when stress tested.

have your bellows leaked ?

 

[Fish111111111.]

Had my weekly call from Adrian at VWCS on Tuesday, whilst I await the arrival of a set of 04S - I suspect he is still touching the proverbial bit of wood, but as each week goes by he is definitely sounding more confident ! But as others have said it’s that time of year where you can’t imagine too many roofs are getting popped.

Hi Andy are you using Marshalls of Reading, if so when is your van due in for its replacement?

 

[Corradobrit]

have your bellows leaked ?

Yes. And dumped water on the front seats for good measure when I closed the poptop after this short video clip. Dripping at the zipper seam started within a few mins of the rain.
https://youtu.be/EIJNU-jCO3o

 

[myvanrodney]

Yes. And dumped water on the front seats for good measure when I closed the poptop after this short video clip. Dripping at the zipper seam started within a few mins of the rain.
https://youtu.be/EIJNU-jCO3o

Oh no, that must have been heartbreaking. I hope you get it sorted soon. ..Silently my fingers are crossed when we first pitch up in the rain, ..otherwise I just love my van

 

[Andy C Berks.]

Hi Andy are you using Marshalls of Reading, if so when is your van due in for its replacement?

Yes I am using Marshalls - they replaced my 03S with another set of 03S a few weeks ago, despite me communicating with them beforehand and receiving confirmation they would definitely be 04S (even on the day I took van in they said it was 04S they had received). So wasn’t best pleased when I collected that evening to see an 03S label on the bellows - further compounded by a big chip in the paintwork on the driver’s door ! Now awaiting arrival of new bellows and paintwork repair. On the plus side they did give me the van back the same day it went in.

Comms good, execution poor is my only experience of them so far - just check and triple check they have 04S would be my advice, as only double checking didn’t do me any good.

 

[Andy C Berks.]

Yes. And dumped water on the front seats for good measure when I closed the poptop after this short video clip. Dripping at the zipper seam started within a few mins of the rain.
https://youtu.be/EIJNU-jCO3o

Agreed, once they start leaking it can be catastrophic. Was amazed how much water we had come in the left hand side window seam the first time ours leaked. It was as if someone had thrown a couple of cups of water over the kitchen units and also in the rear cupboard. Luckily we didn’t suffer any staining to the roof lining, mattress, or any noticeable damage to electrics - reckon we caught it within about an hour of it starting to leak though, wouldn’t have enjoyed seeing what might have happened after a whole night of it.

 

[CaliforniaCylus]

Just remember the most important aspect.

Manufacture date 9/11/2023 and later will incorporate all modifications.

And the 04S etc is second place to the date.

 

[finchy168]

I tested my April 2023 Ocean on Boxing day and it leaks, I took video of it and sent it to VW Worcester, I also added a lot of information from this forum in case the try to give me the runaround, thanks to all who have posted on this sorry subject.

 

[bullibuskombi]

I’m not sure what the January release is. I was told by Adrian at VWCC that these bellows released since 9/11/23 are the new ones and there won’t be any others.

Yes, I was told its a Jan release for the new bellows.
Mines booked in for Jan 23rd replacement.

 

[Betsycalifornia]

I tested my April 2023 Ocean on Boxing day and it leaks, I took video of it and sent it to VW Worcester, I also added a lot of information from this forum in case the try to give me the runaround, thanks to all who have posted on this sorry subject.

View attachment 117600

If they do try Listers Droitwich. they’ve been brilliant with me and replaced mine.

 

[finchy168]

If they do try Listers Droitwich. they’ve been brilliant with me and replaced mine.

That's great news as I meant Listers at Droitwich not Worcester, at least they're already aware of the issue

 

[derek_j_buchanan]

Looking for other peoples' experiences with the new double lined pop top roof (the one that is grey outside / cream inside), and any potential solutions to the problem of leaking though the seams and fabric.

In the last week we've had complaints from customers on all four of our March 2023 Oceans that the new style pop tops have leaked, mostly though the seams in heavy rain or constant drizzle. Each of them has the new double lined lined pop top roof (grey outside / cream inside). It's not a problem that we had with our "old style" 2022 vehicles (the ones with the single grey pop top fabric) - I think it might be an issue with the new design.

I've read on the forums that putting the pop tops through a few wet / dry cycles will sort the issue as the fibres tighten up - has anyone experienced this with the new style pop top?

If not, has anyone tried something like a Nikwax application to improve waterproofness?

I wouldn’t use Nikwax. There are much better products out there more suitable for the canvas. But even then I’d try the wet and dry approach first.

 

[derek_j_buchanan]

Our new Ocean, collected in June 2023 and ordered 3 months previously, has the new twin layer bellows. We haven’t yet used the elevated roof in the rain, but spending our first night in it, the light passing through through the weave of the material is very evident. It is opaque but with very noticeable pinpricks of bright light.
Are the bellows described as being waterproof or water resistant? These terms are often interchanged, but they’re not synonyms.

Pretty normal even on the old roofs yet they stayed dry.

 

[derek_j_buchanan]

You have to wonder why they changed the material from the earlier models. We had an 07 and a 14. No issues with the canvas leaking. We always parked stern to the wind (obviously not perfectly) but if I knew there was really heavy rain fcast I would put the topper on. The canvas had the little pin holes people refer to in the new double skin ones but they never leaked. Strange.

 

[Califan61]

Warranty replacement is the only route to persue. Why they changed could be many reasons but my money is on its the forerunner to the T7 cali roof so trying to find a workable solution that isn't the same is the aftermarket conversions available. Backfired a bit, but a good field test of the bellows on the T6.1 will hopefully resolve.

 

[Corradobrit]

Warranty replacement is the only route to persue. Why they changed could be many reasons but my money is on its the forerunner to the T7 cali roof so trying to find a workable solution that isn't the same is the aftermarket conversions available. Backfired a bit, but a good field test of the bellows on the T6.1 will hopefully resolve.

The bellows on the new MV California is a 3 layer fabric vs the 2 layer on the T6.1. No word yet if there will ever be a T7 Cali based on the Ford chassis, but rumours suggest it's not looking good.

 

[derek_j_buchanan]

The bellows on the new MV California is a 3 layer fabric vs the 2 layer on the T6.1. No word yet if there will ever be a T7 Cali based on the Ford chassis, but rumours suggest it's not looking good.

3 layers? Isn’t that the problem? One layer gets wet, you dry it and it shrinks to become tighter and “waterproof”. 3 layers how do the middle layer and the inside one ever get wet and dried the same way? The concept is old school from the days of canvas tents.

 

[derek_j_buchanan]

Just seen a picture on another post. Obviously the problem is that horizontal seam. What is it doing there? Funnily enough it traps water which eventually trickles through. The old ones don’t have that seem!