V5 CALIFORNIA LOOSING ROOF HEIGHT AFTER BEING UP FOR A WHILE?

[sharonray]

Hi,
My V5 California (2016) pop up roof is loosing height after being up for a while. Some sort of safety system kicks in and re elevates the roof but not sure why this is happening. I have had both hydraulics replaced and this has happened since. Any Ideas?

 

[ThomasHJ]

'What is 'after a while' in this case? I believe the california manual (supplement) explains that the system checks the roof after 10 hours of the engine being shut down. And then again after 5 hours. And corrects the roof if needed. So this is not uncommon. When you use search on this forum you fill find many threads on this subject. It would be interesting to know how long your roof has been up when this occurs.

 

[sharonray]

Yes probably 10 hours ... but it never used to go down before the struts were changed? why might it be loosing pressure? Also if I don't adjust it before bedtime it wakes the children up and scares them.

 

[ThomasHJ]

You can make sure to switch the motor on just before going to bed for a second. Or leave the key in the ignition. That should give you 10 hours of sleep without the roof motor coming on to correct the sagging roof. This avoids the problem but doesn't solve it. To determine if it is really a problem (roof sagging more then normal) and not just normal operation as mentioned in the manual you could try raising the roof during the day and keeping an eye on it. See if it saggs at all and see if the roof motor kicks in to correct it.

If you can elaborate on what parts were replaced someone here might be able to tell you more.

 

[Ch1pbutty]

Its ‘normal’ according to the experts at VW.

 

[flying banana]

i assume you mean by both hydraulics you have had the 2 lift/lower rams changed. and it has done this since then ? why were they changed ? try a full operation of up/down of the roof 5 or 6 times to fully bleed air out of the system and see how it goes after that

 

[WelshGas]

Yes probably 10 hours ... but it never used to go down before the struts were changed? why might it be loosing pressure? Also if I don't adjust it before bedtime it wakes the children up and scares them.

This is Normal.
As the hydraulic fluid warms up during the day in the sun then pressure increases in the rams. A pressure relief valve operates and excess fluid goes back to the reservoir. At night or if the temperature falls the pressure drops. 10 hrs from last ignition Off the pressure is noted by the Control Panel electronics and if it has dropped the pump activates to restore pressure. The roof will not lower without Ignition On, just the pump will run to re-pressurise.
If you want to prevent this happening at night, as said, Ignition On/Off at bedtime.

 

[Blackbrogue1962]

This is Normal.
As the hydraulic fluid warms up during the day in the sun then pressure increases in the rams. A pressure relief valve operates and excess fluid goes back to the reservoir. At night or if the temperature falls the pressure drops. 10 hrs from last ignition Off the pressure is noted by the Control Panel electronics and if it has dropped the pump activates to restore pressure. The roof will not lower without Ignition On, just the pump will run to re-pressurise.
If you want to prevent this happening at night, as said, Ignition On/Off at bedtime.

While on our first overseas trip to France last week I noticed our bellows sagging slightly after being left up during the afternoon in full sun - probably 25C. It didn’t worry me as it was easy enough to lower to intermediate position and raise again before going to bed to retighten and it stayed up overnight. I would be interested however for confirmation that this is a result of the design to relieve pressure due to high temperature in the hydraulics?

 

[WelshGas]

While on our first overseas trip to France last week I noticed our bellows sagging slightly after being left up during the afternoon in full sun - probably 25C. It didn’t worry me as it was easy enough to lower to intermediate position and raise again before going to bed to retighten and it stayed up overnight. I would be interested however for confirmation that this is a result of the design to relieve pressure due to high temperature in the hydraulics?

I can't quote chapter and verse, you'll have to get in contact with VW Technical for that.
The auto tensioning is mentioned in the California supplement.

 

[Benham]

I can't quote chapter and verse, you'll have to get in contact with VW Technical for that.
The auto tensioning is mentioned in the California supplement.

Sometimes my roof retensions and sometimes it doesn't. It's always only the left hand side of the roof that is affected. Are you able to explain why the right hand side is solid as a rock and all good, yet always the left hand side that sags?

 

[WelshGas]

Sometimes my roof retensions and sometimes it doesn't. It's always only the left hand side of the roof that is affected. Are you able to explain why the right hand side is solid as a rock and all good, yet always the left hand side that sags?

I would suggest a leaky valve/seal affecting the L hand circuit. Is it the Hydraulic Ram or the pump?
Each ram has 2 connections at the pump, input and output. If both connections are swapped at the pump so that L side pump connected to R ram and R side pump connected to L ram this would show which was problematic , pump or ram.

 

[Benham]

I would suggest a leaky valve/seal affecting the L hand circuit. Is it the Hydraulic Ram or the pump?
Each ram has 2 connections at the pump, input and output. If both connections are swapped at the pump so that L side pump connected to R ram and R side pump connected to L ram this would show which was problematic , pump or ram.

Thank you for taking the time to respond to my question. I'll pass on your thoughts to a guy who is going to have a look at it. From your points it sounds like it is the left side hydraulic ram.

On a slightly different point I'd like to thank you for all of the help and advice you provide on this forum to us Cali owners. You're a legend!

 

[andyinluton]

Thank you for taking the time to respond to my question. I'll pass on your thoughts to a guy who is going to have a look at it. From your points it sounds like it is the left side hydraulic ram.

On a slightly different point I'd like to thank you for all of the help and advice you provide on this forum to us Cali owners. You're a legend!

My previous T6.1 went through the whole sagging roof saga, it was only one side ( the passenger) & it ended up with a new hydraulic pump - that was after the dealership had tried a number of other things including changing the rams. It is believed that there were a batch of pumps with manufacturing swarf that was getting caught up in the non-return valve on the pump preventing it sealing correctly.

A lot of peoples sagging has been solved by putting the roof up & down approx 5 times in quick succession- whether this expels air from the system or just moves stray bits of swarf away from the problem areas no-one knows but as a quick no cost fix its worth a try.

 

[Benham]

My previous T6.1 went through the whole sagging roof saga, it was only one side ( the passenger) & it ended up with a new hydraulic pump - that was after the dealership had tried a number of other things including changing the rams. It is believed that there were a batch of pumps with manufacturing swarf that was getting caught up in the non-return valve on the pump preventing it sealing correctly.

A lot of peoples sagging has been solved by putting the roof up & down approx 5 times in quick succession- whether this expels air from the system or just moves stray bits of swarf away from the problem areas no-one knows but as a quick no cost fix its worth a try.

Thank you for the insight.