Removing chair storage

[icic]

I am having problems with the black fabric chair storage getting wet. It’s already had mould all over it, (see this post for more info https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/dealer-bodge-job.38302/) so at present I am drying it with a hair dryer every other day. However I think it’s still wet on the other side of the mounting board that faces into the tailgate body panel (so most likely mouldy) It was supposed to go to the dealer today but for various reasons it can’t, the next date is in a months time. So worried how mouldy it’s going to get on the board that is on the inside of the panel. I can’t get to that with bleach

So my question is does anyone know if you can remove the fabric for the chair storage and the board (MDF) behind it, without taking the whole back panel trim off ? Want to remove it and keep it dry and in the house until it can get to the dealer.

 

[GSX1300R]

I would think that if your van is still under warranty then it should be replaced with a new part..Something serious is obviously wrong as there is no way it should let water in and give you these problems. Even if it’s out of warranty by a small amount then because of the Covid effect with people not being able to take them in for repairs there should be some discretion.

 

[icic]

Yes it’s in warranty and the fact is getting so wet is the dealers fault due them messing up fixing a blind. The issue is I can’t get a slot with the dealer until after Xmas, so trying to stop any mould, which has already happened on the visible parts. Hence why I want to take out the fabric.

 

[Calivanfan]

you could put a bag of silica gel beads in it?

 

[WelshGas]

Yes it’s in warranty and the fact is getting so wet is the dealers fault due them messing up fixing a blind. The issue is I can’t get a slot with the dealer until after Xmas, so trying to stop any mould, which has already happened on the visible parts. Hence why I want to take out the fabric.

Personally I wouldn't bother. Let them replace the whole lot under Warranty. I don't believe all this is due to Condensation 2o to I'll fitting trim following a smelly tailgate blind replacement. More likely a leak from the tailgate brake light or I'll fitting tailgate glass.
I would get in contact with VW Customer Service. The Dealership due to their ineptitude, failing to diagnose the cause requiring a blind replacement, then botching the blind replacement, are causing more damage that has now resulted in All the trim + chair carrier etc requiring replacement.

 

[icic]

±

Personally I wouldn't bother. Let them replace the whole lot under Warranty. I don't believe all this is due to Condensation 2o to I'll fitting trim following a smelly tailgate blind replacement. More likely a leak from the tailgate brake light or I'll fitting tailgate glass.
I would get in contact with VW Customer Service. The Dealership due to their ineptitude, failing to diagnose the cause requiring a blind replacement, then botching the blind replacement, are causing more damage that has now resulted in All the trim + chair carrier etc requiring replacement.

With VW customer service, do they function as place to go to complain about a dealer, and will they intervene if the dealer won’t take responsibility for replacing all of it ? How much sway do they have over the dealers

 

[icic]

you could put a bag of silica gel beads in it?

So are you recommending it would it be better to go to VW direct even before I give the dealer a chance to fix this ? Will this put pressure on the dealer to sort it ?

 

[WelshGas]

±
With VW customer service, do they function as place to go to complain about a dealer, and will they intervene if the dealer won’t take responsibility for replacing all of it ? How much sway do they have over the dealers

Yes. VW UK will be picking up the bill for the Warranty Repair.
The Dealer could have sorted the leak in the first place. Now they have to sort the leak, possibly replace the trim if it can't be fixed correctly and the mouldy bag storage. Big Bill. Complain to VW.

 

[icic]

So having emailed the dealer with all the pictures, they already starting to make excises that the mould and water ingestion is not due to their bodge and might not replace. All the mouldy fabric I’m so furious, can you tell me more how I can escalate this with VW and any other strategies to get them to fix and replace what needs doing

 

[Lightning]

So having emailed the dealer with all the pictures, they already starting to make excises that the mould and water ingestion is not due to their bodge and might not replace. All the mouldy fabric I’m so furious, can you tell me more how I can escalate this with VW and any other strategies to get them to fix and replace what needs doing

Well, mine had the same issue without any bodge from a dealer, so they probably have a valid point.

 

[WelshGas]

So having emailed the dealer with all the pictures, they already starting to make excises that the mould and water ingestion is not due to their bodge and might not replace. All the mouldy fabric I’m so furious, can you tell me more how I can escalate this with VW and any other strategies to get them to fix and replace what needs doing

Phone and email VW Customer Services.
In the email document everything and then phone them referring to the email.

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www.volkswagen-vans.co.uk

 

[icic]

So this gets even worse. They are telling me that they will not replace any other fabrics that had mould on unless they can see the mould. The pictures I took are not acceptable. I said I have cleaned the mould off, as leaving it unchecked is going to trash the van Letting mould spores go everywhere and is unhealthy. They have to my utter amazement told me that in order to get that covered by the warranty I have to let the mould grown grow back suggesting allowing it to do so for 10 days or so. So it’s a catch 22 situation trash the van more to get it fixed.

 

[icic]

This was the suggestion of service manager

 

[AlisonF]

I’d be tempted to tell the manager you are now escalating to VW customer service. Then do what @WelshGas suggests above and document everything.
I’ve had to escalate twice and on both occasions the outcome was good.

 

[kurienp]

@icic , I know it is very frustrating. How about contacting a better workshop such as Breeze Poole to see if they can get this done for you without too much faff.

It will be a trek for you ... but maybe, make a trip out of it?

Sorry, cannot suggest anything other than what WG and Alison have already suggested.

 

[HectaTheSpecta]

My 6.1 went in for a rear tailgate mould problem although I had to clean a lot of it down before it went in. I showed them bits where it was beginning to reappear and also where the rubber bung had water underneath it

They completely dismantled the rear tailgate fittings and did a water test and immediately found the issue to do with the high brake light was letting in water and said the mould was really bad under all of the fittings so they’ve got parts on back order to refit in the not too distance future. As a priority it’s going back next week for a new high brake light to stop any further water getting in