Roof sensor failure

[JohnH]

I had an intermittent fault whereto control panel was sometimes telling me the roof was still open when it wasn't. After much frustration with 2 VW van centres (why do they never listen to you?) I'm now told that my sensors have been crushed and need replacing only now the control panel is telling me all the time that the roof is open. I'm not confident that having the sensors replaced at a cost of £540 will sort it out plus we're about to set off on hols with the prospect of an alarm pinging overtime we drive off. Any thoughts or suggestions?

 

[WelshGas]

Sorry to hear of your problem. I would love to try and help BUT, without any information on the vehicle in question, age etc: or why you don't believe that replacing the sensors will sort the problem then I don't know where to start. Best of Luck.

 

[Hotel California]

If it was on my precious Cali , in at the dealer and sort it out , pay the costs...
Or still under warrenty?

Don't think it would be clever messing arround yourself on those...

Oh , and welcome on your first post afther three years reading , finally took the plunge

 

[Pineweasel]

Does the control panel diagnostic mode give any useful info?

The roof system isn't very complex. There are four sensors for the hydraulic pistons; an open and closed position sensor per side. Presumably both sides must report the same state for the roof to be considered closed. What I don't know is how you find out which of the four sensors has failed.

 

[Pineweasel]

Sorry to hear of your problem. I would love to try and help BUT, without any information on the vehicle in question, age etc: or why you don't believe that replacing the sensors will sort the problem then I don't know where to start. Best of Luck.

The vehicle age and model is irrelevant here; it's obviously a Cali with an electric roof

 

[2into1]

There is a company in Devon (Cornwall?) that fits roofs from crashed Cali's onto base vans. I suspect they will know more about Cali roofs than anyone outside of the factory, and certainly more than any UK main dealer. You'll find them on ebay with a good search for VW California.

 

[WelshGas]

The vehicle age and model is irrelevant here; it's obviously a Cali with an electric roof

Disagree. There are the T4 and T5 variants. I'm not being awkward but if someone asks a question regarding their vehicle then giving, as a minimum the year of manufacture or the engine or gearbox type if required, helps to get the correct answer or advice. Those who give advice do so in their own time so giving details of the vehicle or filling in the details under your Avatar makes life a lot easier. In your case I haven't got the foggiest what vehicle you have.

 

[Pineweasel]

The T4 Cali never had a powered roof so it has to be a T5.

 

[Hotel California]

@WelshGas , T4 got a manual roof
But do agree on showing verhicle details.

Edit : @Pineweasel beat me by a few sec.

 

[WelshGas]

Basic Diagram

 

[WelshGas]

The T4 Cali never had a powered roof so it has to be a T5.

Or Facelift. Or even a California roof system fitted to a conversion, even a T4. Who knows.

 

[Loz]

I think it is only polite to give as much information as possible when posting technical questions. As WG says members give their time and experience for free and nothing is more frustrating than to have information drip fed to you when you are trying to help.

 

[Pineweasel]

I think it is only polite to give as much information as possible when posting technical questions. As WG says members give their time and experience for free and nothing is more frustrating than to have information drip fed to you when you are trying to help.

Sure, but this is a query about the powered roof on a Cali, and there is only one type, whether fitted to a T5, a facelift or whatever. No further information was needed.

 

[WelshGas]

Sure, but this is a query about the powered roof on a Cali, and there is only one type, whether fitted to a T5, a facelift or whatever. No further information was needed.

Wish I hadn't bothered. Yes, there is only one powered roof on the California, BUT, components and part numbers might have changed from Model Year to Model Year. I have no way of knowing and I'm certainly not going to spend my time checking each Model Year for possible changes. Possibly you do have the time.
However I wouldn't want to mislead the OP if I possibly can.

 

[Loz]

Does the roof control module show up in a VCDS scan? If so it would most likely say which sensor was faulty.

 

[JohnH]

Sorry been away and only just picked up on the responses. I didn't mean to cause an argument! The van is an 2012 SE. Not certain what else would be relevant. Over the various trips the roof basically performed albeit with occasional alarm bongs from the control panel and numerous pressings of the button to lower the roof. I need to decide what to do. I agree it needs to be done properly and BTW the last VW van centre has been very gracious and keen to help. So I'll probably start there and see what happens. Stay tuned! or not!

 

[swigle]

Hi JohnH

What was your eventual resolution on this fault?

I'm suffering the same issue. Just back from 10 days away in my 2012 SE 140, where roof was up 100% of the time for the last 5 days. On lowering, noticed flashing 'roof up' symbol. Raising and lowering a couple of times cleared the fault. But after 4 hr
drive home, it was flashing again. That was Monday, not been able to clear fault since then.

As it happens, Cali was booked in for service today (72k, so getting cam belt and water pump done too) so asked them to look at this too.
Been advised control panel is faulty with replacement + £640. Waiting to hear if VW will contribute before committing to replacement.

Would be helpful to know what resolution you got, and at what cost.

Cheers
Steve

 

[JohnH]

Hi JohnH

What was your eventual resolution on this fault?

I'm suffering the same issue. Just back from 10 days away in my 2012 SE 140, where roof was up 100% of the time for the last 5 days. On lowering, noticed flashing 'roof up' symbol. Raising and lowering a couple of times cleared the fault. But after 4 hr
drive home, it was flashing again. That was Monday, not been able to clear fault since then.

As it happens, Cali was booked in for service today (72k, so getting cam belt and water pump done too) so asked them to look at this too.
Been advised control panel is faulty with replacement + £640. Waiting to hear if VW will contribute before committing to replacement.

Would be helpful to know what resolution you got, and at what cost.

Cheers
Steve

My guess is that VW won't contribute to a replacement control panel and any dealer will charges top whack. To be honest control panels are easy to replace and you can pretty easily get replacements which don't cost the earth. I would try to find someone who can try putting a different control panel (which your dealer can pull out of another California) to make sure that is the problem. If it is then it's an easy fix. In my case the dealer had to replace the entire electrical loom (as it's called) on one side of the roof because the original had a crushed sensor (don't how it happened). Typically VW - it was just a small sensor but you can only buy the full loom which also requires pulling the panels out etc, so best done by an experienced dealer. Since then it's been working fine. SEs are great when they're working but the electric roof and side door (which went wrong this year) are a bunch of electrical components waiting to go wrong. If I get another California it will have a manual roof and side door.

 

[swigle]

Interim (hopefully final) status update on my occurrence of this fault - may or may not benefit others ...

It was dealer who said, unprompted, they'd see if VW would contribute.
Anyway, when I went to collect my Cali after its service, dealer hadn't contacted VW - 'system down, so having to wait for it to come back up'. That was 2 days ago, and nothing back from him yet ...

So decided to have another look myself. Raised roof, cleaned all around, lowered roof. No joy - panel still flashing.
Searched forum for how to reset control panel (a suggestion I'd seen earlier in the week, just not got round to).
First step in reset is to power control panel down, wait a bit, power up, and continue with reset.
On power up, no more flashing!
Raised and lowered roof a couple of times - all appears normal.
I'm pretty sure this is the first time in 5 years of ownership that I've powered down the control panel.
Was it really as simple as 'switch it off and back on again'?!?!

I'll e keeping an eye on this; will report back if any reoccurrence, or extended period of being 'in the clear'

Cheers
Steve

 

[WelshGas]

Interim (hopefully final) status update on my occurrence of this fault - may or may not benefit others ...

It was dealer who said, unprompted, they'd see if VW would contribute.
Anyway, when I went to collect my Cali after its service, dealer hadn't contacted VW - 'system down, so having to wait for it to come back up'. That was 2 days ago, and nothing back from him yet ...

So decided to have another look myself. Raised roof, cleaned all around, lowered roof. No joy - panel still flashing.
Searched forum for how to reset control panel (a suggestion I'd seen earlier in the week, just not got round to).
First step in reset is to power control panel down, wait a bit, power up, and continue with reset.
On power up, no more flashing!
Raised and lowered roof a couple of times - all appears normal.
I'm pretty sure this is the first time in 5 years of ownership that I've powered down the control panel.
Was it really as simple as 'switch it off and back on again'?!?!

I'll e keeping an eye on this; will report back if any reoccurrence, or extended period of being 'in the clear'

Cheers
Steve

It could be. I would be very surprised if many Owners know that they can switch the Control Panel Off. Yet it is only a computer and what do they tell you to do when a Computer plays up. CTL-ALT-Delete and let it Restart.

 

[bh-15]

I have a 2011 SE Cali. Last year when in France in temps over 30 degrees when lowered roof the warning occurred saying roof wasn't closed. The display was fickering closed not closed. When returned home roof worked ok until this July in France with temps around 30 degrees same problem - roof not closed warning. As temps cooled down problem did not reoccur
I've done all the resets, turned unit off and on again with no change. Is it the control panel or the cylinder sensors? But does appear to be related to temperature. PS owned van from new and only first occurred last year in the high temps the van has ever experienced
H

 

[dfps]

Hi bh-15

I am currently in France .........and it is damned hot.

Exactly the same is happening to me.
Since being in hot temperatures the pop top roof is giving grief by showing on the display that it is not closed and giving occasional beeps and very occasional louder roof opening audible sounds.
I dont' have and have never had the roof straps that are supposed to come with the van . ( Mine was not bought from new ).
Mine is a 2007 SE.
I have been abroad in the van several times to France with similar temperatures and not had this problem before.
It's really unnerving to think that the roof looks full closed but may not be locked in place and is spoiling our enjoyment of driving it as we are constantly thinking what may happen if the roof flies open.
The only option I currently have is to throw a strong webbing 1 inch nylon strap across the top of the roof which I have secured to the drivers side and passenger side internal handles above the doors.
This gives a little more confidence when driving but does flap around a bit when driving.
It's really annoying to think that this fault can occur on such an expensive , supposedly well engineered vehicle. I have looked at the official straps that should have come with the vehicle and I think my strap is doing a better job apart from the occasional flapping noise.
You would have thought VW would have thought of this situation and produced something better with a definite " dead locking" mechanism that needed to be disengaged manually from inside the vehicle before using the electric roof.
I do have VCDS at home in the UK but am not sure it will be able to identify roof issues.
Does anyone know if VCDS will show up any fault codes. ?
The display unit diagnostics are showing " no error "........how can that be when it is beeping and flashing that the roof is not closed when driving ( Even though the roof is down fully and looking perfectly shut ? ).

Any advice would be gratefully received.

 

[dfps]

The increase in ambient temperatures seems to be significant as it seems to be a consistent factor throughout the postings made above.
Does anyone know why this may be the case ?
Is the roof shut properly but just giving a false reading on the control display or is the roof shut but not locked down ?
Anyone throw any light on this ?

 

[Hotel California]

@dfps , have you tried to reset the control panel ?

 

[dfps]

Hi Hotel C

Can you please run me through how to reset the control panel ?
I have switched it off and back on but dont think I have reset it.
My Cali is a 2007 SE with software level 8 if that helps .
Thanks