Sagging roof issues 2022 Ocean

[GranddadBeattie]

I know this had been widley discussed however,
After 2 years of faultless service our roof (2022 California Ocean) started to sag on the drivers (RHS) side. Like others, the sag has slowly increased such that the drop is visable after only about 30 minutes, the Upper Bed lights go out and the Hydralic Pump raises the roof again every 5 hours. Liverpool Van Centre have bled the hydralics and diagnosed the fault as a passing NRV on the pump. Howver the drop is less than 20cm the problem isnt covered by our warranty. This view has been confirmed by VW Customer Care.
We sleep in the van about 50 nights a year and its done 40,000 milees so lack of use isn't the issue.
My question is - has anyone actually had the sagging roof problem fixed under warranty? and if so would they be willing to share details with me so that I have some evidence to take back to VW?.

 

[Hawthorn37]

I’m thinking that there won’t be many what with the ridiculous 20cm-or-more tolerance VW put on this fault before warranty is activated. At a recent service I noted that the roof sags (so lights go out etc) after 24 hours. It’s probably 5cm. The response when I picked it up was “no abnormal with the operation of the roof found”. And “come back when it drops 20cm or more”. Very annoying!

I’ve just seen a new thread, with a repairer recommendation. Maybe not convenient for you in Cumbria, but here it is…

Roof issues

Just a recommendation for Mark volksvans from Matlock for replacing the sensors on a T5 van with extreme professionalism & quality workmanship. Plus offering many other good tips as well.

vwcaliforniaclub.com

 

[CaliforniaCylus]

You need to look at this thread. It's pretty much impossible to satisfy the VW criteria...

https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/thread...ng-bellows-roof-poptop-tpi.56210/#post-731078

 

[The Little Red Cali]

I had the roof sagging problem which started last summer. Nothing major but enough to knock out the upper lights. Made a conscious effort to raise and lower the roof weekly and to my amazement it’s seemed to have solved the problem with no further issues reported when camping for more than a couple of days. Also do the same with the diesel heater, fire it up on full blast weekly and it has worked flawlessly.

 

[Hawthorn37]

So you do this throughout the year, camping or not?

 

[The Little Red Cali]

So you do this throughout the year, camping or not?

Yes. I know it sounds like a big effort but my van is a daily driver so it’s not that difficult.

 

[Hawthorn37]

Yes. I know it sounds like a big effort but my van is a daily driver so it’s not that difficult.

Okay I’ll take the advice. Got to be better than sagging in less than a day.

 

[WelshGas]

Okay I’ll take the advice. Got to be better than sagging in less than a day.

Have you tried raising and lowering the roof x 5 time in quick succession?
This has been mentioned before and was a recommendation from VW. Worked in a number of cases on the Forum.

 

[CaliforniaCylus]

Have you tried raising and lowering the roof x 5 time in quick succession?
This has been mentioned before and was a recommendation from VW. Worked in a number of cases on the Forum.

Didn't make any difference to ours. We paid to have ours bled but won't know if successful because it's much more profound during hot days.

 

[Mansfieldman750]

Didn't make any difference to ours. We paid to have ours bled but won't know if successful because it's much more profound during hot days.

There is no bleed valve, they probably just did the 5 times up and down procedure.

 

[CaliforniaCylus]

There is no bleed valve, they probably just did the 5 times up and down procedure.

 

[CaliforniaCylus]

On the T6.1 there's a TPA detailing how to bleed the system using the emergency release valve.

I know our dealer did this because they left their Snap-on tools in the vehicle and also replaced one of the control panel plates underneath wrong way round.

One of the few things I'm confident various VW dealers have done!!!

 

[Mansfieldman750]

On the T6.1 there's a TPA detailing how to bleed the system using the emergency release valve.

I know our dealer did this because they left their Snap-on tools in the vehicle and also replaced one of the control panel plates underneath wrong way round.

One of the few things I'm confident various VW dealers have done!!!

Oh well, I stand corrected on that.
Our roof sags a little from time to time, as you say more likely on a hot day. The 5 times up and down has worked for me in the past but nowadays I just lower it to about half way and open it again.
I think they all sag if left up for several days.

 

[KevH]

Our MY23 sagged significantly but within the 20cm tolerance several times last summer, it began in warm weather but continued even as the days got cool.
My dealership refused a warranty fix on the usual grounds though were persuaded to delink the upper lights from the roof sensors, meaning they stay on if/when the roof drops. My insistence that this was a safety issue got this done (at no cost). At least when if the roof drops in the night we’ll be able to see to get downstairs.
I have tried roof up/down five times without success but I’ll try the weekly up/down trick and see how it goes.

 

[Hawthorn37]

Have you tried raising and lowering the roof x 5 time in quick succession?
This has been mentioned before and was a recommendation from VW. Worked in a number of cases on the Forum.

Completely forgot that tip, I’ll do it today. We’re doing a long trip to Ireland soon and it would be ideal to not have this happen

 

[Mansfieldman750]

Here’s ours after 3 nights up - it’s sagging slightly on the passenger side. The driver side is tight. Usually I would just tighten it back up by lowering and raising but as we’re on this site for a few more days I will leave it to see how bad it gets just out of interest.

 

[Mansfieldman750]

So here it is after 4 nights and sagging is worse, and on driver side as well now, all round really.
I’m going to tighten it up now as it’s embarrassing having it look like that on a campsite.
Later on today, I will do the 5 times up and down sequence to bleed the system. Then wait 4 more days and see what it look like.
The things you do for science or just plain curiosity.

 

[Hawthorn37]

Nice experiment!

 

[Mansfieldman750]

Sorry I can’t compete the trial as I am running my wife up to her sister’s in Scotland tomorrow and picking her up Sunday. Long and short of it roof can’t be up 4 days continuously.
All I can say is that one day after the 5x up and down, the canvas is tighter than George Clooney’s new face after an overfill of Botox. In short I think it works. On my roof anyway.

 

[dspuk]

Sorry I can’t compete the trial as I am running my wife up to her sister’s in Scotland tomorrow and picking her up Sunday. Long and short of it roof can’t be up 4 days continuously.
All I can say is that one day after the 5x up and down, the canvas is tighter than George Clooney’s new face after an overfill of Botox. In short I think it works. On my roof anyway.

View attachment 133949

To be fair they are not designed to be up more than 3 days continuously and no amount of seals would ever be that good...

 

[arend minnema]

Om eerlijk te zijn zijn ze niet ontworpen om langer dan 3 dagen achter elkaar te werken en geen enkele afdichting zou ooit zo goed zijn...

Bij een t 6 kan je de dagenlang laten staan zonder problemen
Vw heeft bij de t6.1 de pompen in Turkije laten maken en het probleem is dat er metaal deeltjes achter zijn gebleven wat de oorzaak is
van het probleem
Vw weet ervan maar doet net of ze achterlijk zijn

 

[Hawthorn37]

Ah well, I have an opportunity to do some repeat trials for 3 day stays over the next month. As we have seen the dreaded sag in 24 hours recently I think it will be a decent test. I’ll report back at the end of April!