T6.1 Ocean rear bench seat mechanism faulty (stuck in bed position)

[camp5]

Has anyone having issues with rear bench stuck in bed position?

We can’t get it sorted - been to the service twice and they do not seem to have any clue what they are doing.

 

[VWCoastbusters]

Was this something @GrumpyGranddad had an issue with too?

 

[camp5]

Was this something @GrumpyGranddad had an issue with too?

Yes, thank you. Just found the post...looks like the same issue...so frustrating.

 

[GrumpyGranddad]

Further to my other post @camp5
They replaced the entire seat base on ours - Ordered from Germany. I’m positive that it was only a linkage that had become detached so could probably have been fixed with no new parts (maybe a circlip). Modern practises I suppose - replace rather than repair.

 

[Alan Andrews]

Further to my other post @camp5
They replaced the entire seat base on ours - Ordered from Germany. I’m positive that it was only a linkage that had become detached so could probably have been fixed with no new parts (maybe a circlip). Modern practises I suppose - replace rather than repair.

And sales persons rather than engineers!

An engineer would look to identify a fix for the problem.

If the van is under a vw warranty, the dealership can get payed full wack with VW providing the replacement part.

 

[SusiBus]

Further to my other post @camp5
They replaced the entire seat base on ours - Ordered from Germany. I’m positive that it was only a linkage that had become detached so could probably have been fixed with no new parts (maybe a circlip). Modern practises I suppose - replace rather than repair.

The waste is appalling. We had a complete bike rake replaced by VW Hatfield just because the lock had gone rusty on the fixing arm, which could of been replaced as a separate item. Such is modern life.

 

[bob_summers]

Just had the bed stuck on my week-old 6.1!
The strap kinda clicked when I pulled it but no movement from the mechanism - nothing's stuck in the drawers etc as the van's totally empty. Tried moving the bed back and forward to no avail.

Got it back up eventually by pulling out the multiflex board so I could stand over the bed and yank the strap and the seatback at the same time. I've opened and closed the bed a few more times and it's working smoothly at the moment but confidence inspiring it is not!

In theory it could strand you if it's stuck down and you can't properly seat the rear passenger/s.

 

[GrumpyGranddad]

Just had the bed stuck on my week-old 6.1!
The strap kinda clicked when I pulled it but no movement from the mechanism - nothing's stuck in the drawers etc as the van's totally empty. Tried moving the bed back and forward to no avail.

Got it back up eventually by pulling out the multiflex board so I could stand over the bed and yank the strap and the seatback at the same time. I've opened and closed the bed a few more times and it's working smoothly at the moment but confidence inspiring it is not!

In theory it could strand you if it's stuck down and you can't properly seat the rear passenger/s.

Hi @bob_summers
I had a problem with the rear bench seat in my van when it was brand new (albeit different to yours). First time I tested it, I slid the bench forward and lowered the backrest as required. After lifting the backrest to the upright the bench seat would not slide back. It went into VW under warranty and it transpired that the release mechanism had failed - a link arm had uncoupled I believe. Rather than repair it they replaced the entire seat base. Dealership was excellent and it’s not been a problem since - however we rarely sleep downstairs. Like you i’m apprehensive when I do use it. A failure whilst away on a trip would be a real problem.

 

[bob_summers]

Hi @bob_summers
I had a problem with the rear bench seat in my van when it was brand new (albeit different to yours). First time I tested it, I slid the bench forward and lowered the backrest as required. After lifting the backrest to the upright the bench seat would not slide back. It went into VW under warranty and it transpired that the release mechanism had failed - a link arm had uncoupled I believe. Rather than repair it they replaced the entire seat base. Dealership was excellent and it’s not been a problem since - however we rarely sleep downstairs. Like you i’m apprehensive when I do use it. A failure whilst away on a trip would be a real problem.

I remember your thread, GG. I've been using the "bed" (really just a folding 3-seat bench) in my Caravelle without a hitch for years, and the Cali's jammed on the first attempt. We're having the first weekend away tonight, not going far so if it happens again and won't un-jam, it'll be a taxi back for one of us on Sunday and I'll get it looked at next week. That dealership shifts a lot of Calis so I imagine they've seen a few of these stuck seats.

 

[camp5]

Just had the bed stuck on my week-old 6.1!
The strap kinda clicked when I pulled it but no movement from the mechanism - nothing's stuck in the drawers etc as the van's totally empty. Tried moving the bed back and forward to no avail.

Got it back up eventually by pulling out the multiflex board so I could stand over the bed and yank the strap and the seatback at the same time. I've opened and closed the bed a few more times and it's working smoothly at the moment but confidence inspiring it is not!

In theory it could strand you if it's stuck down and you can't properly seat the rear passenger/s.

That’s exactly what happened to us while on a trip away. Ended up staying on the campsite for the whole week even though we were planning to drive around and taxi for two of us home while the other two drove back in a van with the bed in horizontal position.

After lots of arguments with VW they ended up replacing the whole mechanism.

Hope it was a one off in your case

 

[bob_summers]

That’s exactly what happened to us while on a trip away. Ended up staying on the campsite for the whole week even though we were planning to drive around and taxi for two of us home while the other two drove back in a van with the bed in horizontal position.

After lots of arguments with VW they ended up replacing the whole mechanism.

Hope it was a one of in your case

Seems to be a lot of these! Would be helpful if VW would communicate what the failure is. I’ll get under there with a torch and a helper to pull the strap and see if I can figure it out

 

[bob_summers]

It's stuck again btw! Just put the bed down for the night, tried tugging the strap just to see, and .... jammed. Too late to start messing with it at nearly midnight, hopefully be able to see what's causing it in the morning...

 

[camp5]

It's stuck again btw! Just put the bed down for the night, tried tugging the strap just to see, and .... jammed. Too late to start messing with it at nearly midnight, hopefully be able to see what's causing it in the morning...

Oh no…to be honest in our case you could not really see the fault as it is the inside mechanism that is not working.

The only thing that sometimes did a trick is to press the seat down with your knee while pulling the strip at the same time. But as I said it only worked sometimes.

Also if it does not work tomorrow and you need to get a taxi back home make sure you call the VW roadside assistance and they will organise it for you.

 

[bob_summers]

Oh no…to be honest in our case you could not really see the fault as it is the inside mechanism that is not working.

The only thing that sometimes did a trick is to press the seat down with your knee while pulling the strip at the same time. But as I said it only worked sometimes.

Also if it does not work tomorrow and you need to get a taxi back home make sure you call the VW roadside assistance and they will organise it for you.

You’re right, there’s nothing visible from the back. It went up again this morning after a lot of messing, including taking the MFB out. Now it’s going up and down just fine - only seems to jam once it’s been slept on!

 

[camp5]

You’re right, there’s nothing visible from the back. It went up again this morning after a lot of messing, including taking the MFB out. Now it’s going up and down just fine - only seems to jam once it’s been slept on!

Again we had similar experience - it was usually getting jammed after laying down on it.

 

[Hawthorn37]

This occasionally happens to us as well. What seems to help is to press down on the rear of the ‘seat’ section (where the seat and backrest fold) whilst jiggling the whole bench forward, then pulling the strap loop. It feels like the locking part of the mechanism needs to be primed by agitating it a bit, before it will release. I’m going to give the latches a burst of dry lube to see if it improves the action.

edit: just read @camp5 post above :

 

[bob_summers]

This occasionally happens to us as well. What seems to help is to press down on the rear of the ‘seat’ section (where the seat and backrest fold) whilst jiggling the whole bench forward, then pulling the strap loop. It feels like the locking part of the mechanism needs to be primed by agitating it a bit, before it will release. I’m going to give the latches a burst of dry lube to see if it improves the action.

edit: just read @camp5 post above :

I'll try a bit of lube, I had some PTFE/ceramic chain lube in the van but couldn't really get access to the moving parts.
It folded up fine as we left site yesterday morning. Wondering if it's the kind of thing that gets better or worse with use!

 

[Meoncoast]

The cables to the pull lever can stretch and break
On our T5 this happened. The fix was just outside 3 year warranty by VW paid 80% of repair.

 

[WelshGas]

I'll try a bit of lube, I had some PTFE/ceramic chain lube in the van but couldn't really get access to the moving parts.
It folded up fine as we left site yesterday morning. Wondering if it's the kind of thing that gets better or worse with use!

I found that the slide stop in the rail next to the kitchen was a critical point. I've removed mine. So slide seat right forward , lower back and then slide seat back to abut the bed board. If the stop is even a few mm out, too close to the rear, the seat back will fold back but not lift the seat squab to make a flat surface. Likewise returning to seat position, I now pull the seat forward before raising the back.
I did this because I managed to crack the plastic seat backing forcing it into position against the bed board.

 

[Hawthorn37]

I found that the slide stop in the rail next to the kitchen was a critical point. I've removed mine. So slide seat right forward , lower back and then slide seat back to abut the bed board. If the stop is even a few mm out, too close to the rear, the seat back will fold back but not lift the seat squab to make a flat surface. Likewise returning to seat position, I now pull the seat forward before raising the back.
I did this because I managed to crack the plastic seat backing forcing it into position against the bed board.

Agree about moving the seat forward before pulling the loop to elevate the backrest. I forgot that we do that - the seat moves forward about 50mm which creates the needed clearance.

 

[bob_summers]

I found that the slide stop in the rail next to the kitchen was a critical point. I've removed mine. So slide seat right forward , lower back and then slide seat back to abut the bed board. If the stop is even a few mm out, too close to the rear, the seat back will fold back but not lift the seat squab to make a flat surface. Likewise returning to seat position, I now pull the seat forward before raising the back.
I did this because I managed to crack the plastic seat backing forcing it into position against the bed board.

I shall look into this. Sort of ties into what the dealer said when I texed him today - is the bed all the way forward before pulling the handle? Fairly sure it was, and of course I can't replicate the problem seemingly without sleeping on it

 

[thesurfervanbeach]

HI there,
I got the same problem :/
VW dealer looked at it with four guys try to fix it but nothing.

So i drive now with it till Wednesday and then they will look again .... I hope they can fix it but i don't think so
The beach is my only car not so easy for a Family of 4.
No replacement car nothing
Grts from Belgium

 

[dvla3336]

HI there,
I got the same problem :/
VW dealer looked at it with four guys try to fix it but nothing.

So i drive now with it till Wednesday and then they will look again .... I hope they can fix it but i don't think so
The beach is my only car not so easy for a Family of 4.
No replacement car nothing
Grts from Belgium

i had this problem when the back rest was lowered i was sliding the seat back with to much force i then would slid it back gently let it click into position no problem since fingers crossed