VW California T5 ONLY Roof Corrosion - General Discussion

[leightonjthomas]

I was told my roof was removed to carry out the repair.

Mine certainly was because they damaged it whilst re-fitting and replaced it under warranty.

 

[ArunAlec]

Alec, what exectly do you disagree with?

Nothing! Fingers too big for iPad.

 

[sbmcd]

Nothing! Fingers too big for iPad.

I have the same problem.

 

[burko73]

Mines been away for about 6 weeks now. Booked through breeze Southampton who have been great.

Mines a dec 2010 van and is now outside the paint warranty as it’s taken so long to book a slot.

It went away for a front panel fix but Nikki called me to say they found bad corrosion on the elevating roof as well and have had to replace it. It’s been delayed as they were waiting on a new headlining I think.

I was lucky enough to get a replacement ocean from Vw despite not wanting the temptation! The bloke who dropped it off said he was the first person to drive it on the road, it had done about 90miles! Same colour as mine but with 4 wheel drive and all the mod cons such as nav, Bluetooth, blinds in the a pillars and a split sink/ hob cover.

The major useful difference apart from the age and it being new and very clean (or at least it was) has been the 4 x 4 in the snow and the tailgate hatch lighting which is really useful. Does anyone know if you can order the parts?

Will post when I get the van back.

 

[leightonjthomas]

Mines been away for about 6 weeks now. Booked through breeze Southampton who have been great.

Mines a dec 2010 van and is now outside the paint warranty as it’s taken so long to book a slot.

It went away for a front panel fix but Nikki called me to say they found bad corrosion on the elevating roof as well and have had to replace it. It’s been delayed as they were waiting on a new headlining I think.

I was lucky enough to get a replacement ocean from Vw despite not wanting the temptation! The bloke who dropped it off said he was the first person to drive it on the road, it had done about 90miles! Same colour as mine but with 4 wheel drive and all the mod cons such as nav, Bluetooth, blinds in the a pillars and a split sink/ hob cover.

The major useful difference apart from the age and it being new and very clean (or at least it was) has been the 4 x 4 in the snow and the tailgate hatch lighting which is really useful. Does anyone know if you can order the parts?

Will post when I get the van back.

I assume your van is at Marshalls in Newbury?

 

[mattblack]

Mines been away for about 6 weeks now. Booked through breeze Southampton who have been great.

Mines a dec 2010 van and is now outside the paint warranty as it’s taken so long to book a slot.

It went away for a front panel fix but Nikki called me to say they found bad corrosion on the elevating roof as well and have had to replace it. It’s been delayed as they were waiting on a new headlining I think.

I was lucky enough to get a replacement ocean from Vw despite not wanting the temptation! The bloke who dropped it off said he was the first person to drive it on the road, it had done about 90miles! Same colour as mine but with 4 wheel drive and all the mod cons such as nav, Bluetooth, blinds in the a pillars and a split sink/ hob cover.

The major useful difference apart from the age and it being new and very clean (or at least it was) has been the 4 x 4 in the snow and the tailgate hatch lighting which is really useful. Does anyone know if you can order the parts?

Will post when I get the van back.

Hi there
I'm in same position regarding my 2010 van with bodyshop saying panel so bad that it needs to be replaced but VW refusing. Elevating roof apparently also in a bad way.
Are they agreeing to replace your front panel and roof? Be great to know as I'm currently in dispute with VW.

Cheers

Matt

 

[sbmcd]

Hi there
I'm in same position regarding my 2010 van with bodyshop saying panel so bad that it needs to be replaced but VW refusing. Elevating roof apparently also in a bad way.
Are they agreeing to replace your front panel and roof? Be great to know as I'm currently in dispute with VW.

Cheers

Matt

When I spoke to VW customer services about my roof they told me that it was the body shop who decided if the roof was in a good enough condition to repair as it was the body shop who had to provide the 3 year warranty on the repair. If VW will not accept this how can they expect any warranty on work carried out?

Remember all correspondence should be in writing, I found VW reluctant to write letters in responce, they like to phone you instead, but do always ask for email confirmation of what they say.

 

[WelshGas]

When I spoke to VW customer services about my roof they told me that it was the body shop who decided if the roof was in a good enough condition to repair as it was the body shop who had to provide the 3 year warranty on the repair. If VW will not accept this how can they expect any warranty on work carried out?

Remember all correspondence should be in writing, I found VW reluctant to write letters in responce, they like to phone you instead, but do always ask for email confirmation of what they say.

Or Record the phone conversations.

https://www.recordyourcall.co.uk/

A friend used to pretend he was profoundly deaf in similar circumstances so the Customer Services rep, not VW, had to email or write.

 

[briwy]

Does anyone know if they remove the awning to do the roof work?
Ours is going in next week and if it is necessary for it to be taken off I'd rather do it myself than trust them not to mess something up.

 

[sbmcd]

Does anyone know if they remove the awning to do the roof work?
Ours is going in next week and if it is necessary for it to be taken off I'd rather do it myself than trust them not to mess something up.

When I had the main elevation roof done it was not removed.

 

[briwy]

OK thanks. Good news as its snowing again here.

 

[leightonjthomas]

Does anyone know if they remove the awning to do the roof work?
Ours is going in next week and if it is necessary for it to be taken off I'd rather do it myself than trust them not to mess something up.

Despite assurances to the contrary mine was definitely removed for the repair and replaced with the new type bellows. (See my post above dated 25 August). Their reasoning was that the bellows sometimes get damaged during removal and so have to be replaced.

 

[Custardtart]

My 5 year old van has had both the front roof replaced (with GRP) and the rear repaired due to corrosion in the last year. I have now noticed dozens of small bubbles right across the elevating roof. Previously the corrosion was only around the seam of the elevating roof. Has anybody else got anything like this?

 

[DGM]

I'm taking it that they painted the whole roof, looks like a reaction, take it back and show them.

 

[Digger]

Agree. Similar to overpainting on surface contaminated with silicone.

 

[soulstyledevon]

I dropped my van back to the dealers on the 2nd of Jan for Nationwide Bodyshop in Kent to collect the vehicle after they carried out the roof repair in October and left some marks on the roof and a damaged bellow.
They hadn't picked the vehicle up by Friday afternoon even though the VWCS assured me they would collect the vehicle on the 2nd as agreed and return to me within a couple of weeks completed. The last time they had the vehicle it was gone for nearly 8 weeks. It wasn't until i forcefully demanded my van back that it was returned.

VWCS assigned me a case worker through the process, but this hasn't helped the situation. The bodyshop never seem to return her calls and getting information back was a complete nightmare.

So, i am now unsure where to go from here.
I really don't want my vehicle going back to Kent especially if they can't agree to even collect it on the correct date.
My VWCS rep is to phone tomorrow with an update.\
I have requested VW fix the vehicle locally but they are saying its Nationwide's problem to sort...???

 

[Custardtart]

Well I took my van to the VW body shop and they tell me it’s a paint defect called microblister caused by moisture entrapment during painting.
They’re not sure it will be covered as the van is now 5 years old but will submit a claim to VW.

I’ll let you know whether VW sort it for me or tell me hundreds of roof blisters is acceptable on a 5 year old vehicle.


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[Digger]

Not an expert on paint but would ask why this appears after 5 years. Surely unless recently re sprayed this would appear much quicker. I know of a Mazda which had moisture trapped and this was obvious in less than 1 year. Seems VW still gives us the runaround. Very sad.

 

[leightonjthomas]

Well I took my van to the VW body shop and they tell me it’s a paint defect called microblister caused by moisture entrapment during painting.
They’re not sure it will be covered as the van is now 5 years old but will submit a claim to VW.

I’ll let you know whether VW sort it for me or tell me hundreds of roof blisters is acceptable on a 5 year old vehicle.


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I was informed by VWCV that any roof repair on a T5 would enjoy a 3-year warranty, the responsibility being with the body shop that carried out the repair. When my first repair went wrong I made no attempt to negotiate direct with the body shop but went straight back to VWCV. They then contacted the dealer who arranged for the van to be booked in, collected, and re-repaired.
VW cannot absolve themselves of responsibility when they agreed a repair just last year with a body shop approved by themselves !

 

[Custardtart]

The issue is the blisters have come up on the flat middle part of the roof and paint thickness measurement shows the repair only sprayed the edges so the blisters don’t seem to be related to the repair - they are on the original VW factory paint. That’s why I’d expectand hope VW would fix it.


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[leightonjthomas]

The issue is the blisters have come up on the flat middle part of the roof and paint thickness measurement shows the repair only sprayed the edges so the blisters don’t seem to be related to the repair - they are on the original VW factory paint. That’s why I’d expectand hope VW would fix it.


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Ah. I’d assumed that the whole roof had been painted.

 

[leightonjthomas]

In that case it might be worth reading this:


After a bit more digging, Susibus added this in Aug14.......

1. WARRANY FOR ENTIRE ALUMINIUM ROOF SECTION EXTENDED TO SIX YEARS
   
   The timing of the article in VW Bus magazine may be a little unfortunate because today we have received a letter from VW which will be good news for all owners of Californias up to SIX YEARS OLD.
   
   The salient points in VW’s letter are, and I quote:
   
   ..............“As you are aware, all repairs relating to the front panel section of the California roof are covered by our paint warranty policy, not body protection warranty. While we recognise issues relating to roof corrosion, it is not as a result of through-corrosion of the aluminium panel. As such, repairs are covered by the three year paint warranty policy. In an effort to offer our customers peace of mind, we took the decision to offer an additional 3 years goodwill, extending the terms of the protection from three years to six.
   
   Following your most recent correspondence, we have again conducted a thorough review of the goodwill terms with our colleagues at Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles HQ in Hannover. As a result, I can now confirm that Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles will extend the terms of the goodwill to cover the entire roof panel. Any cases of roof corrosion to the main roof panel will now also be covered under our good will policy for up to six years.
   
   This enhanced support is linked to the individual Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) and is therefore transferable upon sale of the vehicle.
   
   We will be notifying our Van Centres of this additional enhancement. I would ask that you encourage any of your members who may be affected by this issue to visit their nearest Van Centre so that their vehicle may be assessed ............”
   
   We had requested that VW “offer a twelve year bodywork warranty, transferable on sale, with the word “perforation” deleted in relation to the aluminium sections of the vehicle”, but VW replied:
   
   “This has been reviewed however we are currently unable to do so”
   
   There you have it straight from VW Head Office – if your vehicle is under six years old and you have roof corrosion, it will be repaired under warranty. Therefore, it is up to you to check your vehicle particularly under the rubber seal, and if you do have corrosion then contact your nearest van dealer.

 

[leightonjthomas]

In that case it might be worth reading this:


After a bit more digging, Susibus added this in Aug14.......

1. WARRANY FOR ENTIRE ALUMINIUM ROOF SECTION EXTENDED TO SIX YEARS
   
   The timing of the article in VW Bus magazine may be a little unfortunate because today we have received a letter from VW which will be good news for all owners of Californias up to SIX YEARS OLD.
   
   The salient points in VW’s letter are, and I quote:
   
   ..............“As you are aware, all repairs relating to the front panel section of the California roof are covered by our paint warranty policy, not body protection warranty. While we recognise issues relating to roof corrosion, it is not as a result of through-corrosion of the aluminium panel. As such, repairs are covered by the three year paint warranty policy. In an effort to offer our customers peace of mind, we took the decision to offer an additional 3 years goodwill, extending the terms of the protection from three years to six.
   
   Following your most recent correspondence, we have again conducted a thorough review of the goodwill terms with our colleagues at Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles HQ in Hannover. As a result, I can now confirm that Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles will extend the terms of the goodwill to cover the entire roof panel. Any cases of roof corrosion to the main roof panel will now also be covered under our good will policy for up to six years.
   
   This enhanced support is linked to the individual Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) and is therefore transferable upon sale of the vehicle.
   
   We will be notifying our Van Centres of this additional enhancement. I would ask that you encourage any of your members who may be affected by this issue to visit their nearest Van Centre so that their vehicle may be assessed ............”
   
   We had requested that VW “offer a twelve year bodywork warranty, transferable on sale, with the word “perforation” deleted in relation to the aluminium sections of the vehicle”, but VW replied:
   
   “This has been reviewed however we are currently unable to do so”
   
   There you have it straight from VW Head Office – if your vehicle is under six years old and you have roof corrosion, it will be repaired under warranty. Therefore, it is up to you to check your vehicle particularly under the rubber seal, and if you do have corrosion then contact your nearest van dealer.

I suppose VW will argue that the six-year goodwill refers to corrosion issues anywhere on the roof and that your problem is paint. But I wonder what will happen if your bubbles are not repaired - corrosion?

 

[Custardtart]

I agree with all the comments but am in the hands of VW (again).

Fingers crossed they decide to honour the 6 year warranty and not wiggle out if it. I’ll let you know either way.

Thanks for the replies and helpful comments.


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[SusiBus]

Custardtart,
Definitely looks like paint reaction due to poor prep before repainting, paintwork issue, not corrosion. If it was done less than one year ago, it must be the repairing workshop warranty.