post accident electrical problems

[aileen]

Hello all. I’ve posted before about my decision to have my T5 2013 Cali repaired after I was rammed from the back. I got the VW back in March with many problems existing but everywhere closing down. Obviously the repair panel beaters etc disconnected everything including leisure batteries. I have a feeling that perhaps only one is now connected and the remaining one is now 0 despite hooking up several times. I turn it on daily too. Those batteries were expensive, one year old with a 10 year warranty. As in previous posts I mentioned that the control panel has many flashing icons and doesn’t respond when I try to get to the secret menu. Does anyone have any idea if I’ll have to get new batteries after we’re allowed to drive again? I suppose it’s useless to keep plugging it in? The garage told me that the battery under wardrobe had been taken out and filled after body work completed but I have watched it go down daily. Sorry I’m not knowledgeable and am alone. Thanks for reading long post. By the way the solar panel is also disconnected. Aileen

 

[westfalia]

Roughly... whereabouts are you based ?

Without getting some spanners out and disconnecting the batteries to test
if they are wired to the van, you're a bit stuck.

Maybe a good Vw dealer in your area or a Caravan-Motorhome workshop
could have a look for you.

 

[AlanC]

The battery under the wardrobe has a fuse on the positive terminal.

It is not uncommon for this fuse to blow (particularly if someone who doesn't know VW Californias has been re-fitting the battery) which means the rear battery is no longer getting a charge or supplying power. As a consequence, the remaining leisure battery under the passenger seat will be taking all the load and hence discharging quicker.

As the batteries are new, if you can get the electrics sorted, then they should survive well so not all is lost.

I suspect the Control panel issues are related to this as the damage was on the kitchen side of the van where all of the leisure electrics are located.

I would get your van back to the repair shop and insist they pass it on to the VW Dealership California specialist.
They should have a trained California Master Technician on site who will be able to diagnose and sort the problems for you. This should all come under the repair insurance claim at no cost to you.

Alternatively, you could book the van into the dealership yourself, but this would be at your cost and not be able to be claimed on the insurance.

Given the lockdown situation, contacting the repairers by email should mean that when they reopen your complaint is date registered and can still be dealt with.

Alan

 

[aileen]

Thanks so much for the replies. Really appreciate your taking the time. I’m in Ireland and during lockdown dealerships are closed. Alan that’s a cheery response about the fuse. As I said I suspect that the battery under seat may not even be connected. If I could only find an expert that is knowledgeable about Cali’s that would be terrific. I won’t get anything back from insurance as they wrote it off. VW was just too expensive at €25.000 and their repair people assumed it would go to salvage so they left it in a mess. I never got the Impression that there was any master technician around when I requested that the leisure batteries be maintained by charging regularly. They had no idea what I was talking about. Thanks again

 

[Paulro]

Aileen, I had a similar problem. Had a solar panel fitted (I did it) and replaced the leisure batteries too. The solar wouldn’t work for a good while and the fault was traced to the fuse on the positive terminal of the leisure battery in the rear compartment.
It’s a big fuse, white in colour and 50A if I remember.
Good luck