Minor Difficulty in France

[DavidofHook]

We are on our way home after 4 weeks in France only to find that we cannot raise the roof because the control button has failed. Fortunately the roof is closed and we are on our way home so we have had, or will have just 3 nights with the roof down, which is not too bad, but not too brilliant for Mrs DoH who has a bad back.
Although our van is 7 years old the roof control has hardly been used. We usually travel to a spot and stay for some time so, this year the roof has been raised while camping just 7 times, hardly heavy wear. Much the same in other years. Worse, 6 months after we bought it the roof button failed and was repaired under warranty. I buy a quality van and get failure so I am not too happy.
The instructions on what to do if this happens are extremely complicated, and, from what I have read of others on the Forum, totally impractical.
So, my choice on getting back to Hampshire is to speak to SMG about the cost of repair and also to see if the club know,of anyone who specialises in fixing the replacement knob that the club supply?
I would be grateful for any information to help. Apologies if this is in the wrong forum.

 

[Hotel California]

The button is a weak spot , it happens you hit your head against it while climbing front-back of the Cali it breaks . It does wear in time also.
Pushing it while turning can make it work for a second .
Some have taken the knob of in emergency to push with something else and try turning....
If your roof is down less worry but fridge and heater is controlled also by that button.
Guess you will need another replacement button.
It did not cost that much when i had mine repaired @CCN Amersfoort , think,it was 50€.

 

[CampervanBits]

Genuine VW California Replacement Central Control Panel Knob & Fascia Kit

Genuine VW California Replacement Central Control Panel Knob & Fascia Kit, included is a replacement knob and a replacement fascia.

vwcaliforniaclub.com

 

[DavidofHook]

The button is a weak spot , it happens you hit your head against it while climbing front-back of the Cali it breaks . It does wear in time also.
Pushing it while turning can make it work for a second .
Some have taken the knob of in emergency to push with something else and try turning....
If your roof is down less worry but fridge and heater is controlled also by that button.
Guess you will need another replacement button.
It did not cost that much when i had mine repaired @CCN Amersfoort , think,it was 50€.

Cheers for the info Wim. We are now home, driving 200 miles this morning in France (a luxury), not so on the M25 in England on this Friday afternoon!
The club shop have posted me re a new knob, can I just pull off the existing and push on the new or am i being too hopeful?

 

[WelshGas]

Cheers for the info Wim. We are now home, driving 200 miles this morning in France (a luxury), not so on the M25 in England on this Friday afternoon!
The club shop have posted me re a new knob, can I just pull off the existing and push on the new or am i being too hopeful?

Unfortunately No. there are Instructions with the item or in the Resources Section.

 

[Hotel California]

Don't think it's plug&play ....
Hopefully it comes with a manual , i think it's in the downloadsection also.

 

[DavidofHook]

Don't think it's plug&play ....
Hopefully it comes with a manual , i think it's in the downloadsection also.

Yep, Just had a look at the download.I see what you mean.
Definitely above my pay grade! I shall be looking for a professional fix for this.

 

[DavidofHook]

Unfortunately No. there are Instructions with the item or in the Resources Section.

Just had a look at the club er... knob and as i just said to Wim there is no way I'm doing that myself. I do find it surprising that VW can make a knob that operates the wing mirrors and is used virtually everyday without failing but cannot make a very similar item for the roof that is used just occasionally without it failing on a fairly regular basis. GRR!

 

[DavidofHook]

Genuine VW California Replacement Central Control Panel Knob & Fascia Kit

Genuine VW California Replacement Central Control Panel Knob & Fascia Kit, included is a replacement knob and a replacement fascia.

vwcaliforniaclub.com

Hi, Thanks for the info re the knob. However it is listed as out of stock but that notwithstanding I really need someone to fix it for me anyway. The download is very complicated, I have problems setting up my new GPS so this is way above me. Otherwise it is SMG

 

[Hotel California]

Just had a look at the club er... knob and as i just said to Wim there is no way I'm doing that myself. I do find it surprising that VW can make a knob that operates the wing mirrors and is used virtually everyday without failing but cannot make a very similar item for the roof that is used just occasionally without it failing on a fairly regular basis. GRR!

Probally becose the control panels are not made by VW but by another company for VW .

 

[WelshGas]

Just had a look at the club er... knob and as i just said to Wim there is no way I'm doing that myself. I do find it surprising that VW can make a knob that operates the wing mirrors and is used virtually everyday without failing but cannot make a very similar item for the roof that is used just occasionally without it failing on a fairly regular basis. GRR!

Different design and function. The Wing Mirror Switch is just that a switch. The Control Panel however is a rotary selector and a push switch.

 

[DavidofHook]

Yes, appreciate that but basically it is a duff design is't it? A series of switches (like the frig switch) with a screen would be better . Removes the problem item. Or even maybe just a touch screen?

 

[WelshGas]

Yes, appreciate that but basically it is a duff design is't it? A series of switches (like the frig switch) with a screen would be better . Removes the problem item. Or even maybe just a touch screen?

Apparantly updated for the upcoming T6.1.

 

[TripleBee]

You need to take out the complete unit. Break the warranty seal. Detach the front panel. Replace the knob, and if you have the complete VW set, you can choose to renew the front panel too.

 

[DavidofHook]

You need to take out the complete unit. Break the warranty seal. Detach the front panel. Replace the knob, and if you have the complete VW set, you can choose to renew the front panel too.

Thanks Triple Bee. the club sell a replacement button and provide a download by someone who has actually done the job. Even the instructions in The California handbook about just lowering a stuck up roof are slightly horrifying, to me anyway. So I need someone like Wim found in Belgium who replaced it for him. I will ring SMG on Monday and just take it from there, although I was hoping that there would be someone close by who could do a similar job to Wim's and then I could just buy the club button. Clearly though, there are some very talented people in the club able to do a job like this without having a nervous breakdown!

 

[TripleBee]

I would do it for you, but 393 km is a bit too far for me

 

[DavidofHook]

I would do it for you, but 393 km is a bit too far for me

I should have been a bit quicker, we are home in the uk now but we were at Calais on Friday morning!Thanks for the thought though

 

[soulstyledevon]

This is why i would like the option to have a manual roof on the Ocean.
A manual roof will never fail...

 

[DavidofHook]

Just had a talk with SMG. They can do the repair for £116 in VAT. It takes about an hour and we go over on Friday. Brilliant!

 

[TripleBee]

This is why i would like the option to have a manual roof on the Ocean.
A manual roof will never fail...

Hmm, change that never into "is likely to not going to".
There will be a whole of a lot less problems, but in my case (T5.1 Comfortline) I had no option. If I wanted a manual roof, I had to buy a beach.

 

[DavidofHook]

SMG replaced the button yesterday, took an hour and they looked at my blind at no charge. V. pleased with SMG , not so pleased with VW providing a rubbish product