Locking your T6.1 California Ocean at night

[Campervanpup21]

Hi, just had quite a clear explanation from a VW employee about locking your T6.1 Ocean at night. I have listed below. Hope it helps a few people.
“Hi If you’re using the central locking button on the drivers door (pic attached) then the auto lock should not work assuming you locked the vehicle using this button in the first place. At night lock the vehicle using the button then you can open the side door using the normal handle. The door will then stay unlocked until you re lock it. The only doors unlocked will be the ones you open, so for example the drivers door will be locked from the outside. Also best to have the vehicle in camping mode.(Activate Camping mode will turn blue in the control panel when activated - tick box on which lights you want activated on door opening)
So you will need to re lock once back in the van”

 

[Hawthorn37]

That’s worth knowing. When on sites we’ve not been locking up, with concern of not being able to exit quickly if we need to. We also have paranoia about being locked out!

 

[GrumpyGranddad]

To add to the above, using that button to lock the van when you are inside, disables the internal movement sensors. (Nobody wants alarms on a campsite at night)

On a related theme, if you are locking your van on I.e. a ferry, to avoid the alarm constantly going off you need to push the lock button on your keyfob twice in quick succession. This also disables the movement detectors.

 

[Hawthorn37]

To add to the above, using that button to lock the van when you are inside, disables the internal movement sensors. (Nobody wants alarms on a campsite at night)

On a related theme, if you are locking your van on I.e. a ferry, to avoid the alarm constantly going off you need to push the lock button on your keyfob twice in quick succession. This also disables the movement detectors.

Agree with camping locking.

Regarding ferry transport, there’s another thread on this where locking and unarming of the various alarm sensors have been tested. Summary is - internal movement alarms are unarmed by doing as you say, press the fob lock twice. The anti-tow (tilt) alarm, detecting movement of the van, is disarmed by locking the van with the key, again with 2 locking actions, to fully disable the SAFELOCK system. The key lock on UK vans is on the passenger door.

See posts 111 and 112.

Disabling the alarm on the Cali for ferry crossing

Read our 2022 T6.1 manual in both English and German! Totally unclear in both. We turned off the volumetric in the media unit, but soon after leaving harbour our Cali joined the unholy chorus of car alarms . Fortunately I can see it from one deck above and that deck is locked during the...

vwcaliforniaclub.com

 

[Iron Van]

Does this mean that when I press it once to lock it, then press again to fold the mirrors up, I have disabled the interior alarm and anti tow alarm?

 

[GrumpyGranddad]

OK, 1 press locks the van a second press disables the movement sensors.

Regarding the mirrors folding - that’s a different topic.

By default they do not fold with a single click of the lock button on the fob. To fold them it’s a long press of the lock button. You can change it to get them to fold with a single click, but you’ll need to buy a Carista dongle to do that. Worth getting one I think because there are other settings you can change. You also get diagnostics and some service functions I.e. you can ‘force’ a DPF regeneration.

 

[Stu@rt]

Does this mean that when I press it once to lock it, then press again to fold the mirrors up, I have disabled the interior alarm and anti tow alarm?

No need to press it a 2nd time. Just one long press will lock and fold.

 

[Iron Van]

OK, 1 press locks the van a second press disables the movement sensors.

Regarding the mirrors folding - that’s a different topic.

By default they do not fold with a single click of the lock button on the fob. To fold them it’s a long press of the lock button. You can change it to get them to fold with a single click, but you’ll need to buy a Carista dongle to do that. Worth getting one I think because there are other settings you can change. You also get diagnostics and some service functions I.e. you can ‘force’ a DPF regeneration.

Absolutely, and understood, thank you.

My question was, if I did do the second press (to fold the mirrors) am I inadvertently disabling the interior and anti tow features?

 

[Iron Van]

No need to press it a 2nd time. Just one long press will lock and fold.

Many thanks! Yes, most of the time I do this, but sometimes I forget and then do a second press. I think I will change it via Carista anyway.

 

[WelshGas]

Absolutely, and understood, thank you.

My question was, if I did do the second press (to fold the mirrors) am I inadvertently disabling the interior and anti tow features?

I very much doubt it. The on board electronics will differentiate between 2 short presses of the remote and 1 short and 1 long press, otherwise what would be the point of disabling the alarms everytime you fold the mirrors.

 

[Hawthorn37]

Absolutely, and understood, thank you.

My question was, if I did do the second press (to fold the mirrors) am I inadvertently disabling the interior and anti tow features?

No. And to be clear the anti tow alarm disarming is only done by turning the key in the lock twice.

 

[Iron Van]

No. And to be clear the anti tow alarm disarming is only done by turning the key in the lock twice.

Thank you!

 

[Celia Vanchez]

Hi, just had quite a clear explanation from a VW employee about locking your T6.1 Ocean at night. I have listed below. Hope it helps a few people.
“Hi If you’re using the central locking button on the drivers door (pic attached) then the auto lock should not work assuming you locked the vehicle using this button in the first place. At night lock the vehicle using the button then you can open the side door using the normal handle. The door will then stay unlocked until you re lock it. The only doors unlocked will be the ones you open, so for example the drivers door will be locked from the outside. Also best to have the vehicle in camping mode.(Activate Camping mode will turn blue in the control panel when activated - tick box on which lights you want activated on door opening)
So you will need to re lock once back in the van”

View attachment 111815

Great advice. We learnt this through bitter experience as it was not clearly explained by our salesman or very clear in the manual. If I recall I picked up the tip on videos by California Chris who I think is in a dealership in Liverpool. He does do a few useful video’s especially good for new users as we were last year

 

[BaTmobile Ocean]

Useful information but so many options VW making it hard to remember!

To disable the internal alarm we turn it off using the button on the B pillar (behind the drivers door). For a reason I cannot figure, this button only works when the van is unlocked and the front door open (the manual states 'open any door' but no Mr VW opening the sliding door only does not allow button to function??).

Sequence is; open front door, press button until it turns orange, close door; press lock button on key fob