Leaking pop tops on 2023 California Oceans

[stationmaster]

Collection early March. Reckon mine came off the production line much the same time as yours, got an earlier ship for whatever reason.

Like you, i'm monitoring things!

The main thing from my perspective, is that i do not want to run headlong into a load of hassle - looking to keep things simple where possible

...maybe 10 days on average from UK port to dealership. Sometimes much less.

 

[Capt_Stanley]

brand new cali, build week 1 collected on 30th Jan.
First time camping in rain last night….not heavy rain…just general persistant British drizzle
04S bellows with the A sticker and it still leaked in . Will be phoning the dealership tomorrow…

Just when I thought things were looking up!
Our California was build week 3 and we’re due to collect on 01 Mar. We’ve already returned a vehicle because the bellows leaked, I can’t believe it, did you manage to get any photos of your leaking bellows?

 

[stationmaster]

Just when I thought things were looking up!
Our California was build week 3 and we’re due to collect on 01 Mar. We’ve already returned a vehicle because the bellows leaked, I can’t believe it, did you manage to get any photos of your leaking bellows?

I guess you are considering all options?
Did you feel you had the full support/understanding of the supplying dealership with your rejection of the first order?

 

[Capt_Stanley]

I guess you are considering all options?
Did you feel you had the full support/understanding of the supplying dealership with your rejection of the first order?

Yes Breeze at Poole were excellent, they took my vehicle back and I immediately ordered a replacement in the hope the bellows issue was resolved.
We really don’t want any hassle trying to sort out further bellows problems. I’m confident the my dealer will be supportive however it’s all the hassle in between? We just want to get on and enjoy our California.

 

[markbrown83]

Yes Breeze at Poole were excellent, they took my vehicle back and I immediately ordered a replacement in the hope the bellows issue was resolved.
We really don’t want any hassle trying to sort out further bellows problems. I’m confident the my dealer will be supportive however it’s all the hassle in between? We just want to get on and enjoy our California.

That's the problem, we all just want to be able to go out and use the van. It's not much use if it leaks when there is a bit of drizzle outside.

For us, most of our use will be off grid, so we are reluctant to spend near £1300 on getting solar fitted if the roof isn't up to scratch / questionable. Also, for the most part, I want to be able to be a digital nomad and work inside my van while travelling so I'll have expensive equipment in the van that I do not want to get wet!

I'll be sending an email to my dealer today explaining my worries and I'll see what they come back with. It's all good and well saying they'll support us if there is an issue, but that's a good 1 - 2 month messing around, testing the bellows, getting them replaced and testing them again when you should be able to use them with no problems from day 1.

At the end of the day, our config is costing (after discounts) over £80k. We had a camper from a well known converter five years ago and we used the poptop in a storm and it was water tight. That van was half the cost. That being said, due to other issues we wouldn't go back to them and hence why we opted for a California. It's made in factory by Volkswagen and has a warranty (in our case 5 years). It should be relatively worry free apart from the odd warning light on the dash appearing as you drive it and go on long trips.

 

[stationmaster]

Yes Breeze at Poole were excellent, they took my vehicle back and I immediately ordered a replacement in the hope the bellows issue was resolved.
We really don’t want any hassle trying to sort out further bellows problems. I’m confident the my dealer will be supportive however it’s all the hassle in between? We just want to get on and enjoy our California.

I agree. Key to a contented life is avoiding hassle where possible. Whole point behind the van for most of us?

 

[stationmaster]

That's the problem, we all just want to be able to go out and use the van. It's not much use if it leaks when there is a bit of drizzle outside.

For us, most of our use will be off grid, so we are reluctant to spend near £1300 on getting solar fitted if the roof isn't up to scratch / questionable. Also, for the most part, I want to be able to be a digital nomad and work inside my van while travelling so I'll have expensive equipment in the van that I do not want to get wet!

I'll be sending an email to my dealer today explaining my worries and I'll see what they come back with. It's all good and well saying they'll support us if there is an issue, but that's a good 1 - 2 month messing around, testing the bellows, getting them replaced and testing them again when you should be able to use them with no problems from day 1.

At the end of the day, our config is costing (after discounts) over £80k. We had a camper from a well known converter five years ago and we used the poptop in a storm and it was water tight. That van was half the cost. That being said, due to other issues we wouldn't go back to them and hence why we opted for a California. It's made in factory by Volkswagen and has a warranty (in our case 5 years). It should be relatively worry free apart from the odd warning light on the dash appearing as you drive it and go on long trips.

I get you.
A question mark over the roof is a real problem.

 

[Ged1625]

I asked Jamie at Breeze in Poole if the leaking issue had been sorted prior to me collecting 1st week in March. He emailed me saying that it has been resolved. I will confirm if the 4s is fitted but has this version also had issues?

 

[markbrown83]

I asked Jamie at Breeze in Poole if the leaking issue had been sorted prior to me collecting 1st week in March. He emailed me saying that it has been resolved. I will confirm if the 4s is fitted but has this version also had issues?

Yup. There are people reporting the 04S and 04S with the A sticker leaking.

If you go back a page or two in this thread you’ll see the reports.

Here is one https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/thread...3-california-oceans.50545/page-82#post-685981

 

[Kenisted]

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?

Third set of bellows fitted two weeks ago, assured by the dealer these were the updated ones, first shower ( not rain ) and leaked, getting seriously p——-ed off now.

 

[markbrown83]

I asked Jamie at Breeze in Poole if the leaking issue had been sorted prior to me collecting 1st week in March. He emailed me saying that it has been resolved. I will confirm if the 4s is fitted but has this version also had issues?

How can he be so sure though?

 

[Ged1625]

How can he be so sure though?

Quite a few have had them replaced in Poole and reported no more issues, confirmed by reading previous threads

 

[stationmaster]

I asked Jamie at Breeze in Poole if the leaking issue had been sorted prior to me collecting 1st week in March. He emailed me saying that it has been resolved. I will confirm if the 4s is fitted but has this version also had issues?

This is an unfolding situation. We are all hopeful that the 04S with an A sticker has the issue sorted. Including the dealerships.

However, last few days have seen reports that these latest bellows are still leaking.
As some have said: maybe VW are working on an 05S revision?

Are we indirect VW employees/field testers?

 

[markbrown83]

Third set of bellows fitted two weeks ago, assured by the dealer these were the updated ones, first shower ( not rain ) and leaked, getting seriously p——-ed off now.

What version / date was it replaced with?

 

[stationmaster]

Third set of bellows fitted two weeks ago, assured by the dealer these were the updated ones, first shower ( not rain ) and leaked, getting seriously p——-ed off now.

Third set? Wow.

You are one patient guy.

 

[lohr500]

This is getting crazy
So now we have reports of the very latest, latest, latest versions leaking.

For my education as a newbie to all this, please wind the clock back a few months or years.

Was there always a problem with leaks but folks just put up with them, or has there been a significant increase with later generations of bellows?

If the latter, why don't VW just move back to the previous design if it proved so reliable? How hard can it be? Am I missing something?

 

[markbrown83]

This is getting crazy
So now we have reports of the very latest, latest, latest versions leaking.

For my education as a newbie to all this, please wind the clock back a few months or years.

Was there always a problem with leaks but folks just put up with them, or has there been a significant increase with later generations of bellows?

If the latter, why don't VW just move back to the previous design if it proved so reliable? How hard can it be? Am I missing something?

I was wondering the same thing over the last hour and came across this post https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/bellows-leaking-in-heavy-rain.1567/#post-13494

 

[stationmaster]

I was wondering the same thing over the last hour and came across this post https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/bellows-leaking-in-heavy-rain.1567/#post-13494

...anecdotal i know, but i have had Californias since 2013 (single layer bellows), no issues with leaking.

I think it has been a thing, where a couple of wet/dry cycles may have improved the odd leak through the stitching holes. Not sure how widespread this was, but i think it was just the odd few.

The new multi layer bellows have created problems where there were no problems previously - i think this is fact.

 

[stationmaster]

...anecdotal i know, but i have had Californias since 2013 (single layer bellows), no issues with leaking.

I think it has been a thing, where a couple of wet/dry cycles may have improved the odd leak through the stitching holes. Not sure how widespread this was, but i think it was just the odd few.

The new multi layer bellows have created problems where there were no problems previously - i think this is fact.

...if it was not an issue, VW would not have replaced so many of them, revised them a number? of times, and owners would have been more robustly challenged when they rejected in the first 30 days of their ownership.

VW changed the bellows design from single to multi-layer - this has not gone to plan and they have leaked. Fact.

 

[Kenisted]

What version / date was it replaced with?

Fitted 15 January with another version and was told they were updated even though the version letter wasn’t updated
Something smells

 

[markbrown83]

Fitted 15 January with another version and was told they were updated even though the version letter wasn’t updated
Something smells

Do you not have the tag attached to the bellows inside at the front?

 

[stationmaster]

Fitted 15 January with another version and was told they were updated even though the version letter wasn’t updated
Something smells

Fitted 15 January with another version and was told they were updated even though the version letter wasn’t updated
Something smells

Maybe VW are doing a kind of reality tv/soap opera type thing...and we have all somehow stepped into their wonderful world of fiction?

 

[gear box oil]

Maybe VW are doing a kind of reality tv/soap opera type thing...and we have all somehow stepped into their wonderful world of fiction?

Yes you are correct its a soap opera remake called.

Extracting The Yellow stuff and getting away with it.

They had a very successful run with the T5 roof corrosion issues. now on NETFLIX.

 

[stationmaster]

Yes you are correct its a soap opera remake called.

Extracting The Yellow stuff and getting away with it.

They had a very successful run with the T5 roof corrosion issues. now on NETFLIX.

Oh yes...remake of an old classic.

 

[Kenisted]

Do you not have the tag attached to the bellows inside at the front?

Yes