VW California T5 ONLY Roof Corrosion - General Discussion

[Hotel California]

@westfalia , intresting the place of the first picture ....thats on the body ?

 

[westfalia]

@westfalia , intresting the place of the first picture ....thats on the body ?

No, that is still part of the front panel.

The panel has 2 longish wings.

 

[westfalia]

Don't know if I have to give this a thumbs up or down.
Up for your post, but down for the amount of damage.
But I have already seen much worse front spoilers. Blistering all over the place above the windscreen.

I have some more corrosion going on on the right rear side:
bottom:
View attachment 65180

top not so visible on photo, but it's above the rubber from the canvas:
View attachment 65181
That gap is no defect.
Note, this is a new roof and canvas, but I had some water ingress after the roof change on the rear right side. Coincidence?

I haven't thought of checking the rear end, looks like its made of
the same Alu as the front panel.

I will have to give yours a big thumbs down, you have failed on
the cleanliness, do they not sell cleaning stuff in Belgium

 

[Elmo3]

Don't know if I have to give this a thumbs up or down.
Up for your post, but down for the amount of damage.
But I have already seen much worse front spoilers. Blistering all over the place above the windscreen.

I have some more corrosion going on on the right rear side:
bottom:
View attachment 65180

top not so visible on photo, but it's above the rubber from the canvas:
View attachment 65181
That gap is no defect.
Note, this is a new roof and canvas, but I had some water ingress after the roof change on the rear right side. Coincidence?

I've no gap between the panels but i thought that the rubber
sat just lipping over the front panel, mine might have done but it
doesn't do now.
View attachment 65173

Thanks. Interesting to see your pics. I’ve got no water ingress at all. I’m taking the van down to these guys over the next couple of weeks for them to have a look. Had a chat and seem to know their stuff.

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[TripleBee]

I haven't thought of checking the rear end, looks like its made of
the same Alu as the front panel.

I will have to give yours a big thumbs down, you have failed on
the cleanliness, do they not sell cleaning stuff in Belgium

You have to clean your California in Germany?

 

[westfalia]

You have to clean your California in Germany?

Yes, it is ze Law but not allowed on sunday.

We like rules here.

 

[TripleBee]

Yes, it is ze Law but not allowed on sunday.

We like rules here.

Looks like not cleaning that much results in just small corrosion spots, not the big ones like on your van!

 

[westfalia]

Looks like not cleaning that much results in just small corrosion spots, not the big ones like on your van!

Hey man, don't kick me when i'm down
I will take care of it but i can't find that tesa tape online available
to buy, unless i buy 8 rolls.

 

[TripleBee]

Hey man, don't kick me when i'm down
I will take care of it but i can't find that tesa tape online available
to buy, unless i buy 8 rolls.

Maybe you can share with other Californians who also get kicked in the nuts by VW on this recall?

What price do they sell it you online? I hope a lot less than the €22 that VW wants from us?

 

[westfalia]

Maybe you can share with other Californians who also get kicked in the nuts by VW on this recall?

What price do they sell it you online? I hope a lot less than the €22 that VW wants from us?

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6 rolls for 292 euronen
I might buy it and wrap the van with it
Its not the exact number but the exact number isn't available,
i think Vw have a hold on that.

 

[James H]

Not just a VW problem !

 

[SusiBus]

That's rust, not corrosion. VW would never let roof rust happen.
What's the tailgate like?

 

[stevieb]

We waited three years to have our roof repair done at Claridges Southport. It was away for three weeks and we THOUGHT it was a good job. It was just in one place on elevating roof section. Only just been 12 months and the problem has returned now in five places on the same side.

Gutted!!!!

Our van will be seven year old this month

 

[KGCali]

What have VW said?

 

[stevieb]

What have VW said?

Hi

New photos have been taken and sent to VW and Claridges, awaiting reply now!

 

[GSX1300R]

We waited three years to have our roof repair done at Claridges Southport. It was away for three weeks and we THOUGHT it was a good job. It was just in one place on elevating roof section. Only just been 12 months and the problem has returned now in five places on the same side.

Gutted!!!!

Our van will be seven year old this month

When yours was taken in for repair what is it that they actually did? It appears that over the years the method of repair has greatly changed because of the escalating costs..

 

[stevieb]

When yours was taken in for repair what is it that they actually did? It appears that over the years the method of repair has greatly changed because of the escalating costs..

To be honest I don’t really know what the repair consisted of!

Might be a good idea to find out!!

 

[GSX1300R]

To be honest I don’t really know what the repair consisted of!

Might be a good idea to find out!!

Obviously what they did wasn’t sufficient to stop the problem..They will Probably say they haven’t got any details of the original repair..

 

[stevieb]

I had planned to chase it up tomorrow with VW Preston who took the photos last week.

 

[Ian-M]

Hi, sounds like people have had all sorts of nightmare experiences on this - I'm currently looking to buy a used California; and it will be an age that's out of warranty. Sounds enough to put a buyer off, if a vehicle does have a problem is it possible to get it repaired by a specialist without costing the earth? Thanks

 

[California Dreamers]

I know there has been lots of discussion on the roof corrosion issue, and I have trawled through already to see if my query has been answered but a lot of comments are from 2014 and things may have changed in recent times.
Long story short our Cali T5 (2012) has been waiting for the roof corrosion repair for 6 years!!! It’s been a long wait but eventually we‘re booked in for Nov 2020.
Does anyone have recent experience of the repair work as we’re wondering if the bellows will be replaced. The older posts I’ve read suggest they were replaced back a few years ago but as I say I’m not convinced VW are now giving this issue the same attention as before.
Thanks in anticipation

 

[Meoncoast]

VW are now giving this issue the same attention as before.

Our 2012 T5 had the old full repair in about 2015 with new bellows - since then I think the repair is more of a cover-up and last I read it was a stick over the front cap and no bellows the original repair removed the roof hense the new bellows

 

[California Dreamers]

Our 2012 T5 had the old full repair in about 2015 with new bellows - since then I think the repair is more of a cover-up and last I read it was a stick over the front cap and no bellows the original repair removed the roof hense the new bellows

I think this is what we’re dreading, half a job!!

 

[clarinetbcn]

Mine was done one year ago. Corroded portion of front cap cut out but cap not removed, since the cap is only the small visible part of a structural piece which extends down the sides to reinforce the roof, and VW has deemed replacement too expensive. Plastic cap fitted over the original so corrosion will continue but not be visible. Perimeter only of roof stripped and repainted with special paint, dainty and fairly useless small pieces of transparent plastic attached to joint between cap and roof in three short pieces. I was told no transparent tape was fitted to perimeter because special paint is the solution. No new bellows. The van was returned to me with an air leak whistling through the cap on the driver's (left hand ) side. No one had taken it for a test drive. Fixed the same week. Within months both the side plastic trims on the cap came unglued. Fixed within a week of calling. The Cali was sent to an authorized shop because the cap was involved. If it had been just the roof, it would have been done directly at the VW agency. I have not checked to see if the seal has now been glued on. I'm hoping for the best, but prepared for what may come if the cap comes unglued.

The van was 4 1/2 years old when I discovered the corrosion, two months after purchase, thanks to reading this forum. The van went into the shop exactly one month after I made the complaint, at a VW agency where I had never been a customer. What in the world is VWUK doing to it's UK customers! Six year waits! I was given a Caravelle as a loaner vehicle for four weeks during the repairs. The VW agency has done everything in their power to solve the problem, but VW's solution, and the special shops VW obliges them to send the vans to only if the cap is involved, are obviously not up to par. Fortunately my dealer is trying to take up the slack, and has gained a loyal customer.

 

[KGCali]

My 2010 Cali had the front roof cowl cut and the plastic cap fitted in 2017 but three years later the cowl sealant has cracked allowing water into the headlining and down the A-pillar onto the floor. VW have agreed to remove and refit a new plastic cowl with a new and improved sealant (from 2019 on) so it's now in the bodyshop having the work done so hope all goes well. When I was taking photos before sending it to the bodyshop I noticed smooth black spots under the paint lacquer on top of the panel around the sliding hatch, see photos, and thought they may be caused by the water ingress from the old cowl cracked sealant corroding the panel from the inside out as they weren't there a year ago. The bodyshop sent photos to VW but they don't have an explanation for the black spots, anyone else noticed anything similar?