Roof repair quote sense check

[etcdaman]

Hi All,
New to the forum.
I have a T5 2012 California. Had the van 3 years, done some epic trips in it and its functioned without fault. Its now got 50k on the clock.
A month ago the roof started playing up, only opening intermittently, and then stopped working all together (fault 1000 that would not reset). I took it into my local VW dealer in Dartford for a diagnosis. The result was that the control panel and wiring loom to the motor needed replacing, as well as potentially the sensors and hydraulics (in event the electric fixes don't resolve it).
The quote for the whole lot was £3700 which well ... is a really big number!! The hydraulics might not need doing which apparently is about £1000 of the quote.
I need it fixed and am not up for doing it myself.
Before I commit to the dealer, to keep me sane, I wanted a sense check on the price of the fixes.
Have others paid similar from main dealers? Any feedback or advice appreciated.
Cheers, Emile

 

[Monty-Wilf bus]

Hi All,
New to the forum.
I have a T5 2012 California. Had the van 3 years, done some epic trips in it and its functioned without fault. Its now got 50k on the clock.
A month ago the roof started playing up, only opening intermittently, and then stopped working all together (fault 1000 that would not reset). I took it into my local VW dealer in Dartford for a diagnosis. The result was that the control panel and wiring loom to the motor needed replacing, as well as potentially the sensors and hydraulics (in event the electric fixes don't resolve it).
The quote for the whole lot was £3700 which well ... is a really big number!! The hydraulics might not need doing which apparently is about £1000 of the quote.
I need it fixed and am not up for doing it myself.
Before I commit to the dealer, to keep me sane, I wanted a sense check on the price of the fixes.
Have others paid similar from main dealers? Any feedback or advice appreciated.
Cheers, Emile

Hi Emile, myself and a few others have had fault code 1000 resolved with replacing the roof sensors. A relatively cheap fix using a vw wiring loom and swapping the wiring sensors from the new loom. i think some dealers do this simple ‘hack’, others may not. It avoids affecting the seals where the wiring loom comes through the roof panel and also avoids taking all the roof lining out. Try searching roof code 1000. Hope you get it sorted.

 

[Hotel California]

Looks like the go for a total replacement of the whole system .
I would go for a second opinion , it might just be a minor problem that needs sorted out.
If all that needs changed on mine i would go for a makeover to a manual roof .

 

[2into1]

To help judge their skill level, can I ask was the control panel faulty ? (Button loose, screen illegible etc). Unless you are confident that they have a very accurate diagnosis of the fault, I’d assume they haven’t a clue what they are doing and be very wary. It’s sounds like trial and error with expensive parts. Other than those known faults, I’m not aware of control panels failing in the sense that they cause your symptoms.

The only folk who have real knowledge of the roof system (in the uk) are the ones who fit Cali roofs to non Cali vans. There’s a good one in Cornwall but there will be others.

 

[Ch1pbutty]

Hi All,
New to the forum.
I have a T5 2012 California. Had the van 3 years, done some epic trips in it and its functioned without fault. Its now got 50k on the clock.
A month ago the roof started playing up, only opening intermittently, and then stopped working all together (fault 1000 that would not reset). I took it into my local VW dealer in Dartford for a diagnosis. The result was that the control panel and wiring loom to the motor needed replacing, as well as potentially the sensors and hydraulics (in event the electric fixes don't resolve it).
The quote for the whole lot was £3700 which well ... is a really big number!! The hydraulics might not need doing which apparently is about £1000 of the quote.
I need it fixed and am not up for doing it myself.
Before I commit to the dealer, to keep me sane, I wanted a sense check on the price of the fixes.
Have others paid similar from main dealers? Any feedback or advice appreciated.
Cheers, Emile

Ouch!..If carried out how long would the work be warrantied for?

 

[soulstyledevon]

To help judge their skill level, can I ask was the control panel faulty ? (Button loose, screen illegible etc). Unless you are confident that they have a very accurate diagnosis of the fault, I’d assume they haven’t a clue what they are doing and be very wary. It’s sounds like trial and error with expensive parts. Other than those known faults, I’m not aware of control panels failing in the sense that they cause your symptoms.

The only folk who have real knowledge of the roof system (in the uk) are the ones who fit Cali roofs to non Cali vans. There’s a good one in Cornwall but there will be others.

I can only think of these guys.

Volkswagen Transporter Armrests | Kernow Transporters Ltd | England

Kernow Transporters Ltd No1 used Volkswagen Transporter spares, parts & replacements. Seats, Armrests, Lights, Panels, Fixings and more. Volkswagen T6/T5 Armrests, Volkswagen Transporter seats, Volkswagen California, Volkswagen T6/T5 Passenger Seat. Based in Newbridge, Penzance, Cornwall, UK

www.kernowtransporters.co.uk

Not used myself, but they have been installing Cali roofs for sometime, so must know them pretty well by now.
Would be a good idea to have some resources for out of warranty roof repairers...?
Lets face it. Your local dealership won't have a scooby...

 

[WelshGas]

Ouch!..If carried out how long would the work be warrantied for?

If carried out by VW should be 2 yrs parts and labour, so I believe.

 

[TripleBee]

Check the connection of the cables to the sensors on the left and right ram. Mine came loose after too much fiddling with the rams.

 

[etcdaman]

Thank you all so much for the advice. I have collected the van from the dealer in Dartford without getting the work done. I found another local VW dealer that has a California specialist - its going into them. Let see how it goes.
Thanks again all.

 

[DebsWhite]

Thank you all so much for the advice. I have collected the van from the dealer in Dartford without getting the work done. I found another local VW dealer that has a California specialist - its going into them. Let see how it goes.
Thanks again all.

how did you get on? got roof issues myself at the moment.

 

[KGCali]

If I were you I would buy two replacement roof sensors from BMW for £20-30 delivered and get them fitted and waterproofed by any auto electrician in about an hour. VW only sell the whole loom for around £400 plus fitting. If it doesn't work then you've not spent much and replaced the original roof sensors that would fail eventually anyway.
See more details here ...
Thread 'Elevating roof issues, updates' https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/elevating-roof-issues-updates.38481/

 

[flying banana]

It's annoying when you never find out the end of the story

 

[Ch1pbutty]

It's annoying when you never find out the end of the story

We all enjoy a happy ending!

 

[Lee damian]

Who is the California specialist ?? Mines going to lister in Coventry even though they are not my local dealer as I “think” they have experience with the Cali

 

[etcdaman]

Hey All.
So I collected the van from Beadles Dartford and it went into SMG Croydon. SMG do the repairs for campervan tastic who have a fleet of California's that they buy from SMG and then hire. There is chap there (maybe Ray - cant quite remember) that does all the California work so knows the vans inside out. I spoke to him on the phone first. He diagnosed as faulty and replaced the control panel, loom to the motors, and one of the motors. So in short ... ouch it was a big bill I am afraid (just north of £3.5k). Very frustrating and pretty rubbish that an 8 year old van should need that scale of work. That said we love the van and it gets used allot so I took it on the chin.
The difficulty for me on personal note is that I am crazy busy with working from home through lockdown (both me and the wife), home schooling kids etc. Just too much going on to even go near trying to fix it myself - so what to do.
So a mixed ending, happy because the van is fixed. Not so happy because I had to write a big cheque!

 

[2into1]

Yikes. I'm not pouring scorn on the OP as he's too busy to fix it independently, but this doesn't feel right at all (unless someone can piece together a coherent story).

If it goes from working to not working, how can it be the fault of 1) the control panel 2) the loom (and sensors I assume) and 3) a motor.... all deciding to fail at exactly the same time???

I think it's a classic case of keep changing parts until a fix is found, and charge the customer for all the work....and that is a classic VW dealer tactic who don't understand the product they sell.

 

[2into1]

Surely a 'proper' approach would be to...
Change the panel.... Is the fault still there?

Yes = put the old panel back in and save the customer £800+vat. Move onto next component.
No = stop there, you've fixed it. Charge the customer £800+vat and hope they don't realise that the panels can be fixed / exchanged for a fraction of that cost.

Mine isn't going anywhere near a VW dealer for 'camper side' work. Even if I have to drive it Cornwall.

Some dealers may be more 'California specialists' than others, but I think the term should still be taken with a pinch of salt. For starters, I'd expect a Cali specialist to have access to a working spare control panel that they could use to establish whether the original is faulty or not.

 

[westfalia]

I take it you mean the hydraulic ram, of which there is one on either side?

The new loom has been mentioned and replaced a few times on here but
a very good chap on here found that the same sensors can be had from BMW
for 15 quid each, apparently they use the same on some cabrios.

I once had a 600€ bill for a new ram and roof diagnose, and i still
don't think it needs it. I found 6 months later that it was a bit low on oil so
i got some and filled it up correctly, its been fine since.

I hope they can give you some kind of guarantee for the amount spent.

 

[etcdaman]

So I was told the problem was addressed in a sequential manner. Sub old control panel with new, test. Put old panel in another van, test. etc. Yes all the work is guaranteed. 24 months I recall.
Agreed it does feel like I have been done over (which this thread isn't making me feel much better about!!). No one sets out to be done over.
I cant imagine I am the only person that doesn't have the time or energy to sort something like this independently. So that being the case for a specialist piece of kit like a California I am subject to the smoke and mirrors game of VW dealers.
Anyways. What's done is done. The van is fixed and I can enjoy it with my family (pretty soon by all accounts).
No amount of banter on here gets me my money back.

 

[Dr-Snickers]

So I was told the problem was addressed in a sequential manner. Sub old control panel with new, test. Put old panel in another van, test. etc. Yes all the work is guaranteed. 24 months I recall.
Agreed it does feel like I have been done over (which this thread isn't making me feel much better about!!). No one sets out to be done over.
I cant imagine I am the only person that doesn't have the time or energy to sort something like this independently. So that being the case for a specialist piece of kit like a California I am subject to the smoke and mirrors game of VW dealers.
Anyways. What's done is done. The van is fixed and I can enjoy it with my family (pretty soon by all accounts).
No amount of banter on here gets me my money back.

You're definitely not the only person! Sometimes you just need to pay the money and get on with enjoying life; nothing to apologise for or feel bad about. Just be glad you've got your van working again ahead of next month...bet you are counting down the days, I know I am!

 

[2into1]

No amount of banter on here gets me my money back.

I agree and hope you don't think that's what I meant to do. I understand if you have a proper job and responsibilities then you have to pay up. But that shouldn't stop us learning from your difficult experience (we share the good and bad and hopefully all learn in the process).

 

[soulstyledevon]

I think I would have searched for someone to convert the roof to a manual version.
Put this hideous electric roof system to bed, once and for all...

 

[Kernowboy]

I don’t see the electric/hydraulic roof as hideous tbh, it’s the main dealer prices (and practices) that are hideous imho; the roof is actually a really simple system that in the majority of cases causes no issues at all for many years. It’s classic that a few faults are reported on a forum whereas many have no issue. That said, I would prefer a manual system if it was available with 4Mo and loadsa power and would have specced a Coast rather than another Ocean had that been the case; for me, the benefits of pressing a button vs a bit of manual lifting are marginal. But I don’t have any issues with the Ocean roof and will gladly take it and enjoy.
I do absolutely sympathise with the OP; I don’t own a Cali to waste precious time worrying about issues, running around trying to find a non franchised expert or sweating over finding the right person to convert the roof into a manual; I can only imagine how much hassle that would be. It’s there too be enjoyed. Get it fixed, move on; but you really should be able to trust a main dealer to do that without taking the mickey.

 

[flying banana]

i also have to question the 'master techs' regarding this fault. i do not belive they tried your control panel in another van. taking out all the head lining etc to see if it worked in another van ? . they talk sh1t. they are sh1t. and between them they couldn't put a jigsaw together. glad your roof is fixed but for 3.5 k i wouls be asking more questions. it's not good enoiugh to say 'oh i haven't got time because i'm busy; . what if the bill was 5k or 6k ? where do you draw the line ? i'd be looking at that bill very very closely and asking some more questions. master techs my arse

 

[Lambeth Cali]

I have just had error 1000 after the leisure battery went flat. I still haven’t read anything that officially confirms what error 1000 is.
Charged it up and reset panel, all now ok.
Tbh I’ve had “roof open” gfx flashing a few times. I’ve heard the locks go into place, I feel I know what that sounds like so I ignore the sensor. Sometimes I’ve probably ignored it for 2 weeks on holiday. Leaves touching the sensor I imagine. I drove my van for 2 yrs with the engine light on because my garage told me it was the DPF sensor. Van ran perfect. Changed and adapted a new sensor last September. Fixed.
Campervantastic told me they use Alan Day. I rang them after I was desperate to find an ok dealer after a one quoted me £1000 to change the sink water pump. An £18 part. That dealer? SMG Croydon. Alan Day charged me £600 to fit the £18 water pump. When I got home I could hear it moving around in the water tank. They hadn’t pushed it into the clips in the corner. So I did it myself.
I don’t trust any dealer at all. I would love a recommendation for one in London. Certainly never going to SMG. My van is serviced by Peter Norris, a VW specialist in Brixton. I’ve been going there for 8 yrs.