VW California T5 ONLY Roof Corrosion - General Discussion

[Ozzy Pete]

I don’t know if I had some good luck or bad luck when I took my van into Sinclairs Gorseinon to have the front cowel sprayed because the paintwork had all started to blister.
I thought I would leave it until we came back from our annual 3 week tour of France and Spain so ended taking it in the first week in October. We weren’t going to use the van any more so I told them they could have it as long as they wanted.
They had it for just over a week and when I went to pick it up the van was outside and it had been raining so couldn’t really examine it that closely so took them at their word that everything was good.
Came home and parked the van and then went shopping in the car.
When we came home I looked down the edge of the roof which was now dry and could see a crease or bulge in the roof panel. Went round the other side and the same thing a bad bulge.
Lifted the roof and to my horror they had trapped the canvas in the roof mechanism and two huge tears in both sides.

I was absolutely gutted and got straight on the phone and told them and took it straight round.
After a lengthy discussion they agreed to replace the canvas and repair and completely respray the whole roof.
I now have the new panoramic canvas.
Obviously what had happened was one of their staff had lowered the roof with the windows and doors closed.
I don’t think that will happen in Sinclairs again as this must have cost them at least £2500 maybe more.

This time they really couldn’t have done more to keep me happy and have done a first class repair.
Just shows that sometimes good can come from bad..

 

[Elmo3]

I think this is the beginning of the end of my Cali ownership. I will attempt contact with customer services to effect yet another repair and i am also considering taking legal advice on the matter.

Your Cali must be a 2012, one of the ones that originally had the front cowl that was made of an inferior aluminium. This should of been completed replaced with one made of a superior alloy if you had it fixed, say before 2017/18, or before VW resorted to the plastic cowl bodge. So it is disappointing it is corroding again.
With regard to taking legal advice, my none legal advice is, don't bother. Just find a good repair shop, and leave VW out of it.
[/QUOTE]

Exactly. My Cali is 14 years old and the problem was circa £500 to fix using a decent bodyshop (most definitely not VW). Sure, it shouldn’t have to be done but it’s no different to any other repair which may crop up on a vehicle that age.

 

[steve_b]

What is the downside of the corrosion. I have front cap corrosion on a 2008 SE but it just seems to sit there. Unsightly, yes, but does it cause a problem other than cosmetics?

I am a big fan of the free "do nothing" approach, although if it does need fixing it certainly won't be going to VW !

 

[WelshGas]

What is the downside of the corrosion. I have front cap corrosion on a 2008 SE but it just seems to sit there. Unsightly, yes, but does it cause a problem other than cosmetics?

I am a big fan of the free "do nothing" approach, although if it does need fixing it certainly won't be going to VW !

Cosmetic. It is Galvanic Corrosion, cosmetic not structural.

Galvanic corrosion - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Ozzy Pete]

The thing you must look at is what warranty an independent Bodyshop will give. I imagine 12 months. You very well may not like the idea of trusting your vehicle with a VW approved workshop but they now give a full 36 month warranty on their work.
Any Bodyshop is only as good as the person who actually does the work.

 

[Elmo3]

The thing you must look at is what warranty an independent Bodyshop will give. I imagine 12 months. You very well may not like the idea of trusting your vehicle with a VW approved workshop but they now give a full 36 month warranty on their work.
Any Bodyshop is only as good as the person who actually does the work.

What would VW have charged for my repair?

 

[Ozzy Pete]

What would VW have charged for my repair?

I paid £400 but there wasn’t anywhere near as much corrosion as you have but to do the job they replaced the 2 rail ends which cost a good few quid.. I ended up Quids in ( if you read my previous post.)

 

[SusiBus]

The thing you must look at is what warranty an independent Bodyshop will give. I imagine 12 months. You very well may not like the idea of trusting your vehicle with a VW approved workshop but they now give a full 36 month warranty on their work.
Any Bodyshop is only as good as the person who actually does the work.

I thought VW only gave 12 months warranty, but if it's 36 months, that's certainly something to seriously factor in. It would be great to get recommendations of good VW bodyshops, they are not all bad.

 

[Ozzy Pete]

I thought VW only gave 12 months warranty, but if it's 36 months, that's certainly something to seriously factor in. It would be great to get recommendations of good VW bodyshops, they are not all bad.

Stapled to our invoice was a 3 year warranty certificate .It runs out in October 2025. It gives a bit more piece of mind.

 

[KGCali]

I too got the job done by a local specialist body shop, not a fancy insurance car repair shop , a good old fashioned one. They were recommended by our VW dealer. The body shop did a great job and we have applied a layer of Lanoguard (as used by boat owners in areas where 2 different metals meet) in the gap between roof cowl and main body above windscreen. No leaks, no damaged bellows, just a lovely roof!

Do you have a link to the body shop?

 

[alexwhill]

I've had mine done under warranty with VW and it was a bit of a disaster, a couple of years down the road and it started cracking and coming away.

Had it redone privately by an approved VW bodyshop and the same thing happening again only worse.

Feels like the whole thing needs to come off and start again so will be going down the route to find a classic restoration workshop that will hopefully give it some real attention and fix it for good.

 

[Ozzy Pete]

I've had mine done under warranty with VW and it was a bit of a disaster, a couple of years down the road and it started cracking and coming away.

Had it redone privately by an approved VW bodyshop and the same thing happening again only worse.

Feels like the whole thing needs to come off and start again so will be going down the route to find a classic restoration workshop that will hopefully give it some real attention and fix it for good.


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I really feel for you. The finished job looks awful.
Do you know if they just stuck the overlay on the front panel or if they cut the alloy away first. If they stuck it on without doing anything else then although the job won’t be easy it should be fairly straightforward.
If the alloy has been cut away that’s another story.

Is there any possibility you could make a claim against the VW approved workshop.
When did you have it done?

 

[alexwhill]

I really feel for you. The finished job looks awful.
Do you know if they just stuck the overlay on the front panel or if they cut the alloy away first. If they stuck it on without doing anything else then although the job won’t be easy it should be fairly straightforward.
If the alloy has been cut away that’s another story.

Is there any possibility you could make a claim against the VW approved workshop.
When did you have it done?

Thanks Pete, agreed, it's pretty dire.

Mine was originally done in 2017, the bodyshop explained that repair methods had changed in 2018 with different bondings being used

FROM BODYSHOP :: We would of cut the corrosion off and the placed the plastic cap over the top the full repair would off been carried out

I've reached out to them to see if they can rectify but been directed back to VW - So the saga continues.

 

[FredFlintstone]

Yes the new cap is plastic.
Most of the original aluminium fixed front section is cut off leaving the the rear most part to mastic bond the new plastic cap onto (that is why it stands proud ). The rest of the new cap is bonded directly on to the steel roof above the windscreen.

Hi, please can you post pics of the plastic cover repair, keen to know what the sealing looks like and to see where it has been applied? Thanks

 

[Hotel_California]

My 2015 T5.1 California SE went into Claridges spring 2020 for roof repair. The job appeared reasonably well done etc. I’ve recently realised the paint on the front right corner of the plastic cowl had ‘split or torn’. By the time I got around to taking photos it had progressed further. Seems like the paint is in tension from the cowl and has torn. It started with the large obvious tear and propagated into the others. The paint is now breaking up and appears to have no bond with the cowl. If I try to push the paint skin down and follow it around the cowl it appears to be 3-4mm too small at the large tear… it’s like the paint skin has either shrunk of the cowl has grown.

Has anyone had a similar issue?

See attached images:

 

[KGCali]

My 2015 T5.1 California SE went into Claridges spring 2020 for roof repair. The job appeared reasonably well done etc. I’ve recently realised the paint on the front right corner of the plastic cowl had ‘split or torn’. By the time I got around to taking photos it had progressed further. Seems like the paint is in tension from the cowl and has torn. It started with the large obvious tear and propagated into the others. The paint is now breaking up and appears to have no bond with the cowl. If I try to push the paint skin down and follow it around the cowl it appears to be 3-4mm too small at the large tear… it’s like the paint skin has either shrunk of the cowl has grown.

Has anyone had a similar issue?

See attached images:

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Not seen that before, what have Claridges said? Did you get a warranty for the repair? I got three years on my Claridges cowl fix in Sept 2020 and the sealant cracked in Dec 2022 so they repaired it without question and I got a further 3 years guarantee. If not go to VW Customer Services or small claims court!

 

[Ozzy Pete]

My 2015 T5.1 California SE went into Claridges spring 2020 for roof repair. The job appeared reasonably well done etc. I’ve recently realised the paint on the front right corner of the plastic cowl had ‘split or torn’. By the time I got around to taking photos it had progressed further. Seems like the paint is in tension from the cowl and has torn. It started with the large obvious tear and propagated into the others. The paint is now breaking up and appears to have no bond with the cowl. If I try to push the paint skin down and follow it around the cowl it appears to be 3-4mm too small at the large tear… it’s like the paint skin has either shrunk of the cowl has grown.

Has anyone had a similar issue?

See attached images:

View attachment 110956

View attachment 110961

It looks very much like the plastic cover that is now fitted in place of a “Proper”repair has failed dramatically. I don’t know what the answer to this is but I would certainly not be happy with this happening after only a little over 3 years.

 

[Hotel_California]

Not seen that before, what have Claridges said? Did you get a warranty for the repair? I got three years on my Claridges cowl fix in Sept 2020 and the sealant cracked in Dec 2022 so they repaired it without question and I got a further 3 years guarantee. If not go to VW Customer Services or small claims court!

I received no paperwork for the repair. When I sent the images to Claridges they suggested I’d bumped the cowl into something (which I absolutely have not) causing it to deform and the paint release; I sent further images and videos but assume they are sticking fast to that excuse. VW customer services have told me to take to garage for assessment, just need to sort a rear right abs sensor first.

 

[Dyddi]

Similar or not? My 2012 Beach went in for the original bubbled paint / rust problem and was repaired. Two years later the new front panel sprang open - an unseen gap around the front edge which allowed rain in. Yours looks similar but, sadly, much worse. Eventual second repair took 5 months, despite my increasingly distraught messaging, and the van came back in **** state. Now I just have a rust stain and dare not look closer. I no longer whimper at the mention of leaking roofs but only with fingers in ears and singing la-la-la.
It's very difficult to recommend my local Heritage garage in Bristol.

 

[KGCali]

I received no paperwork for the repair. When I sent the images to Claridges they suggested I’d bumped the cowl into something (which I absolutely have not) causing it to deform and the paint release; I sent further images and videos but assume they are sticking fast to that excuse. VW customer services have told me to take to garage for assessment, just need to sort a rear right abs sensor first.

If you'd hit the cowl hard enough to release the paint there would certainly be visible impact damage on the paintwork and plastic cowl. I'd be tempted to make an appointment with them and drive there to show them so you can discuss a solution (without the small claims court).

Note: if you have Legal protection on your insurance you could contact the Legal Company directly for help NOT your insurers otherwise it'll count as a claim!

 

[Paul_W]

I received no paperwork for the repair. When I sent the images to Claridges they suggested I’d bumped the cowl into something (which I absolutely have not) causing it to deform and the paint release; I sent further images and videos but assume they are sticking fast to that excuse. VW customer services have told me to take to garage for assessment, just need to sort a rear right abs sensor first.

Just on the rear ABS sensor, we had drivers side replaced on our 2012 SE and it was back in the garage 2 weeks later because the passenger side failed with the same issue. They are age / mileage related, I’d suggest getting them both done at the same time. Might save you a few £ in the end.

 

[briwy]

Just had our rear right sensor done. £120 at local garage. It's a simple job but it seems that all VW sensors are sods to get off. The bolts on ours were seized and had to be drilled out which is dodgy because it's easy to go too far and then it ruins the ring on the hub.

 

[Paul_W]

Just had our rear right sensor done. £120 at local garage. It's a simple job but it seems that all VW sensors are sods to get off. The bolts on ours were seized and had to be drilled out which is dodgy because it's easy to go too far and then it ruins the ring on the hub.

Yup we used a local independent garage as well, similar price I think, VW probably charge north of £250

 

[Ozzy Pete]

If you can change a wheel then you can change a ABS brake sensor. Sometimes they can be a pig to take off but a squirt of WD40 soon sorts it out.
sensors can be had on eBay for less than £10.

 

[Hotel_California]

If you can change a wheel then you can change a ABS brake sensor. Sometimes they can be a pig to take off but a squirt of WD40 soon sorts it out.
sensors can be had on eBay for less than £10.

I’ve got a sensor in the post, I’ve read that the T5 suffers from abs sensor harness issues where a crimped joint corrodes at the point where the abs cable joins the loom although I’m getting 11.4v at the sensor and 660ohms resistance across the sensor (both sides), was hoping to find a clear issue, going to try swapping the sensor before looking further.