VW California T5 ONLY Roof Corrosion - General Discussion

[Stu]

That's the potential of it yes.

There is an approved repair, or for new vans, an amended build process for the front section - nothing has changed for the elevating roof.

 

[Bluesea]

That's the potential of it yes.

There is an approved repair, or for new vans, an amended build process for the front section - nothing has changed for the elevating roof.[/quote

Sadly the main reason for us delaying ordering a New Cali is the problem with the elevating roof. VWCS have denied there is a problem " only handful of owners have reported" . Closely monitoring forum for a positive response from VW for all you great VW owners.

 

[snekker99]

I made an anonymous phone call to VW regarding this as I am also in the market for buying one but holding off until the problem is sorted.

VW answer to front panel was it is an isolated problem?

And to the main roof problem, they said they were not aware of any problems with the main roof

How can we trust a company that lies :?:

 

[Stu]

If you are waiting then I would give up and look elsewhere as you'll not be getting a Cali for quite some time in my opinion.

It took months and months to have then reach for the sky on the front section, I'm not sure they are going to on the elevating roof. They'll just repair them as and when.

It's a shame it put you off as it's a great vehicle.

 

[AlternativeKim]

I'm afraid the only time vw will admit there is a problem is when people like yourselves
Stop ordering them and hitting them in the pocket

 

[Stu]

I'm afraid the only time vw will admit there is a problem is when people like yourselves
Stop ordering them and hitting them in the pocket

It's a nice thought but sadly we don't even mean that much to them except en masse.

I tried to get the latest Cali brochure from the website but the download doesn't work. The other option is to have them mail it to you. Two days later they mailed me a link that doesn't work!!

 

[2Tapps]

I agree the cali market is very very small compared to the transporter
We don't matter

 

[Martin]

Just a quick summary of the survey we carried out last month:

Total People with corrosion:
Front Panel 160
Elevating Roof Only 26
Both 93

Most Popular year with corrosion
2012 28%
2011 17%
2010 14%

Have you reported your corrosion to VW?
No 54%
Yes 46%


According to the survey, we will have around 200 people on here with corrosion that have not reported it to VW yet

 

[Californiaman]

I am now officially a 'both' rather than a front panel only after a chat with the repairers today!

 

[DavidofHook]

Just had the call from AB Crush to say mine has been fixed and all is good, just making arrangements to get it back to me. :cool

Brilliant Stu,
Mine is next with them, 4th August with an automatic Cali coming on the low loader ( they assured me).

In that case you'll get the Van we have now. OE63 HWD (we called it Huw) :lol:

There weren't any maps installed on the RNS510 so I have installed the latest. The FW system had not been commissioned so we have cleaned it out with Milton & flushed it. There is no key fob for the parking heater but they are aware. All the mattresses are still sealed as we used our own last weekend.

Cheers Stu, Julie at Crush spoke well of you! I suggested that she have a look at the Forum and she said that you had said the same thing and that she was onto it.
Thanks for leaving the van nice and tidy...... I'll check it out when it comes!
It sounds as if has what I would like, an inbuilt sat nav, our Garmin is good but setting it up and taking it down is a pain.

 

[spanner]

maybe we should all leave something hidden in the Cali for the next person, or write our username somewhere

 

[Stu]

I would have liked to have given it a better clean as it got a bit dusty at the weekend but they caught me a bit on hop by collecting it today (my choice as I'm not available tomorrow) however I am sure they will wash it for you. It's going to storage somewhere in Hampshire tonight and back to Kent tomorrow.

It's a nice spec -

Grey
DSG
Xenon lights with Auto
RNS 510 with DAB
Bluetooth
MDI
WiFi
Reversing Cam
Electric Side Door
F&R Sensors
Nice wheels - not sure which model
Lane Change Assist
Leather
Rechargeable Torch
Safe

Not keen on the silver awning.

It also has a net in the roof that we don't have and I noticed more of a storage compartment under the seat than we have in ours.

I did manage to forget the gas tap which was still attached to my 907 and didn't notice till I went back out to put it away :headband So I will need to send that either to you or Julie. If a clue to your location is in your username it might be easier for me to drop it off to you, although there are two Hook's I assume yours is RG.

 

[DavidofHook]

The clue is right..... i have PM'd you!

 

[greenfintry]

Just a thought, as someone who has registered the cab blisters, but keeps looking for an outbreak of bumps on the main roof.... I have gingerly pulled back the rubber in a couple of places but see nothing YET.... As it could be many months before the cab work, could we not ask that all vans have the main roof looked at when being stripped out and remedial work on the main roof be done at the same time... must be quicker and more economic than having the van back for a second visit?

Or is that just too obvious?

 

[Californiaman]

That is exactly what they did with my van. It went in for a blistered front panel and they checked it all out anyway..

 

[Tomsusie]

Hi
Just had my front roof section replaced on my 2012 California at Benfield Newcastle and it looks as good as new.
The work took just over a week and with any luck this should be the end of the problem.

 

[Fryers!]

Just a quick summary of the survey we carried out last month:

Total People with corrosion:
Front Panel 160
Elevating Roof Only 26
Both 93

Most Popular year with corrosion
2012 28%
2011 17%
2010 14%

Have you reported your corrosion to VW?
No 54%
Yes 46%


According to the survey, we will have around 200 people on here with corrosion that have not reported it to VW yet

200 people not reported it to VW yet?

 

[wingate_52]

Took our 60 plate California into the Van Centre Old Trafford this morning. Now on the repair list. They admitted knowing about the defect, and said they had had rather a lot of people coming in with the fault. So now in the system, and a bill of £300 for a wiring loom, seat trim for an airbag fault.

 

[WelshGas]

In this topic viewtopic.php?f=71&t=7647 the VW body repair poster from Shorade stated that when dealing with the Elevating Roof corrosion the cause is known and after repair and re painting a New seal is provided plus some modification. If that is the case then VW have acknowledged there is a problem as they have produced a modification to cope with it. Or am I being too simplistic

 

[Stu]

In this topic http://vwcaliforniaclub.com/forum/viewt ... =71&t=7647 the VW body repair poster from Shorade stated that when dealing with the Elevating Roof corrosion the cause is known and after repair and re painting a New seal is provided plus some modification. If that is the case then VW have acknowledged there is a problem as they have produced a modification to cope with it. Or am I being too simplistic

I don't know what Shorade have as the modification because AB Crush told me they aren't aware of anything formal for the elevating section. The only thing AB Crush told me was that when fitting a new seal to the elevating roof they bond it to the roof which will help to seal it.

 

[Californiaman]

AB Crush said to me that they are also using an undercoat with a high zinc content which should help to reduce the effect. Fingers crossed.

 

[DavidofHook]

Took our 60 plate California into the Van Centre Old Trafford this morning. Now on the repair list. They admitted knowing about the defect, and said they had had rather a lot of people coming in with the fault. So now in the system, and a bill of £300 for a wiring loom, seat trim for an airbag fault.

Interesting this, at a tangent, I have just had my second 'airbag error' repaired under warranty. It isn't a huge problem, just annoying and a time waster. Hope that it doesn't continue after the warranty period though!

 

[alesh]

Hi
I just found this forum and I would like to share my experiance. My California is 6 years old (ca 110.000 km) and there is no sign of roof corrosion. Is it possible that the roof material was better some years ago than it is last years ? I am from Slovenia and we have long and cold+wet winters and we use salt for melting ice on the roads.

Aleš from Ljubljana

 

[Martin]

If anyone has to call VW Customer Services be aware they are training up new advisors from this week, I have just spent 35 mins on the phone speaking to someone who did not know anything about the roof corrosion and refused to pass me to a manager or another advisor.

The only way I could speak to someone sensible was by keep redialling in the hope to reach a person who knew what they were talking about, I finally spoke to Levi who I have spoken to before and knows his stuff and knows about the club.

So my advice is before you get into conversation with anyone there, make sure the person you are speaking to has been working for VW for more than half a day.

Also if you speak to some called xxxx, I would just hang up and redial as I think my 80 year old mum knows more about roof corrosion than he does !

 

[Martin]

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