VW California T5 ONLY Roof Corrosion - General Discussion

[Fryers!]

Hmmm, I am not very happy about this, before the corrosion appeared I used to remove this seal every few month to clean all the green gunk away, this sounds a bit fishy by gluing it?

What happens if the rubber perishes? It means when they remove the seal it will take half the paint with it.

This sounds like a bodge job to me?

 

[SusiBus]

I agree with Fryers!

Could anyone with a 2014 build California confirm whether the rubber seal is definitely glued on, not just difficult to remove. Perhaps this is one for you, Alex, if you have a new Cali in the showroom.

Strange coincidence but we have just contacted VW today asking this very question – if they thinking glueing the rubber seal is a remedy for stopping repeat corrosion whilst repairing affected Calis, why is this not being done on new builds straight from the factory? People have previously posted finding corrosion on 2014 models and have been able to remove the seal, therefore not glued on.

So, is the rubber seal now glued on new build Calis?

If so, will this stop re-occurrence of corrosion?

Or will it just stop owners checking for early signs of corrosion under the rubber seal?

 

[calikev]

How about the ones that have already been to one of the four bodyshops for main roof
Repair have their new rubber seals been glued on :?:

 

[Ambler]

I can confirm the seal on mine is not glued on.
Chased up the claim today and the dealer has not yet submitted it to VW as they have a lot of Cali's to submit claims for! (despite being told it had gone in).

Strange it is only affecting one side (so far).

I assume once repaired the 6 year warranty will still apply?

If glued down on repair, it means we can't check to see if it is re-rusting. Clever VW.

 

[Woody135]

the saga continues….
we have owner our Cali for 5 years, purchasing it just before the 3 year warrantee ran out.

Contacted South Hereford today to enquire whether they had any record as to whether the official repair had been completed during the 3 year warrantee period. Unfortunately VW service database does not appear to contain records any older than 5 years. So as our vehicle is now 8 years old, no joy here regarding possible corrosion repair.

Next visit to local VW authorised repair facility - Poole Accident Repair. Discussions with and examination by their Deputy Manager revealed that, in his opinion, the front panel had been repaired, and "not very well". Slight signs of paint run, masking, poor filler prep and other minor defects were all evident giving a finish that would have failed PAR's current quality control. Paint thickness measurements also indicated that paint in the effected areas was in the region of 200-210 microns, compared to 150microns on other areas of the same part.

Called into Breeze VW to share news with them and they (Mr Tony Hill - Warrantee Dept) agreed with PAR, admitting they (PAR) were far more qualified to comment on paint finish than them (VW Breeze).
So on the basis that a repair had been completed during the initial 3 years, just before we took ownership, our Cali should be eligible for VW Warrantee repair. Looking good so far but here in the rub!!

Contacted VWCCs (Mr Rhys Tomsett) who listened intently to the train of events and then went into the VW database only to reveal that there were 'no records to verify that the repair had been completed by VW'. End of story. VWCCC don't have records so as far as they are concerned they are off the hook. So despite VWCCC previous recommendation that we spend several hundreds of £ on 'Paint Specialist' report to confirm that a repair had been completed, they would still have rejected it as we would not have been able to prove it was a VW repair. (pretty sneaky hey?)

Why anyone would have this corrosion addressed and pay for it themselves whilst the vehicle is still within its 3 year warrantee period and completed free of charge is beyond me….but that is VWs current position.

We are now trying to track down the original owners in an attempt to find out who might have done the work. Even if they say it was VW then it is their word against VW's, as there will be no financial paper trail as no funds were exchanged. They are off the hook….

Have been back to Customer Service and Bodyshop at South Hereford but their internal records only reveal minor mechanical and service activity on the vehicle during the initial 3 years.

Not looking good at this stage, and pretty annoyed at VWCCC at the moment. Even various VW staff are on our side and say the VW should come clean and fix the problem and/or the repair of the problem.

Feedback Please

Have all of you with vehicles > 6 years old had to prove where your repairs were completed?
Do all VW body shops (apart from South Hereford) have full records going back to 2006? Are we an isolated case and just unlucky to have had our vehicle records lost ??

the saga continues.

 

[smgcowfoldparts]

PM me your chassis number and I will see what I can see on the database. The database does go back further than 5 years if there is a repair that has been carried out.

thanks

 

[Woody135]

Thanks Alex
Chassis code is WV2ZZZ7HZ7H046647…

One last thought. Even if we can prove that VW repaired it, is it worth the 2 year wait to get it fixed??? I suppose that at least we can sell it to the new owner with the confidence that t will be covered??

Many thanks
Ian

 

[smgcowfoldparts]

I can see all of your vehicle history right back to the date it was sold to the first owner in November 2006. Unfortunately nothing about any paint repair so I don't think you will get any repair done due to the age of your vehicle I'm afraid. If it was a warranty repair then it would have been logged with Volkswagen and the dealer as they would have claimed the cost back from Volkswagen so does appear that maybe it was repaired outside of the network before you purchased it.

thanks

 

[Woody135]

We still need to know whether all owners are required to prove whether original repair was completed by VW.

If there wasn't a problem to start with the repairs would not have been instigated, irrespective of whether VW or AN Other body shop did the work. The fact that the damage has re emerged, again irrespective of VW or AN other Bodyshop's work is incidental. We know for certain that VWs repair procedure was ineffective. In this the case the original owner may well have saved VW the warrantee costs of repair as she may well have paid for it herself !!!!

VW have established that it was a paint/substrate problem, not a paint perforation nor bodywork perforation problem and have to been seen to be doing something to maintain their reputation. It was the early Californias that gave them the 'heads up' on this issues and it is now us who are now left with the problem.

Maybe we should just be thankful that our roof appears to be clear of any damage.

Thanks VW, one of the most profitable automotive manufacturers in the world, we are glad to be of assistance.

The problem was there to start with and remains….not impressed I can tell you.

(and for those more senior employees of VW who are reading this blog…and they are, many of your staff are not impressed either !)

 

[smgcowfoldparts]

Repairs carried out by Volkswagen under warranty will be logged on your vehicles history. If done outside of the network then it won't be.

I have checked other vehicles where we have done the first repair and they are logged on the vehicle history as having being carried out as it was done through us and an approved body shop.

cheers

 

[Tangle Foot]

Great service from VW Leicester... Roof survey all done and booked in.

Apparently, mine was the worst roof he'd seen! :crazy

 

[calikev]

When you say booked in what do you mean :?: has it been approved by vw :?:

 

[Tangle Foot]

When you say booked in what do you mean :?: has it been approved by vw :?:

I assume so?!

Not actually collected my van yet. He said it will be done at the Cannock shop.

 

[snowy55]

Hi Woody135

Picture this scene:-

The original owner of your Cali takes it to a VW dealership to have the roof paint looked at, VW say its not a warranty issue its "stone chips" or some such excuse.

The original owner doesn't know what we now know and takes it away and has it repaired at a body shop of his choice as he is perfectly entitled to do because VW say its not their fault, Therefore no record of a repair on VW system.

Zoom forward to the present day:-

VW have now accepted,after a lot of protesting and hard work by this forum, there is a fault with the roof paint system, and I am sure there are people on this forum who have had their roofs repainted at VW paint shops which now need repainting again any body out there on their second repaint?

You say:-
"Next visit to local VW authorised repair facility - Poole Accident Repair. Discussions with and examination by their Deputy Manager revealed that, in his opinion, the front panel had been repaired, and "not very well". Slight signs of paint run, masking, poor filler prep and other minor defects were all evident giving a finish that would have failed PAR's current quality control. Paint thickness measurements also indicated that paint in the effected areas was in the region of 200-210 microns, compared to 150microns on other areas of the same part."

I'm sure if you went over some of PAR's work with a very fine toothcomb year's after the work was completed the same could be said!
Extra paint thickness on the effected areas would surely give extra protection from the elements therefore corrosion coming from the metal underneath!
Would it have passed PAR's quality control back then ?

Food for thought.

 

[snowy55]

Hi there Woody135

Just found this on my Jan 2014 Cali.
Don't take any Ballshot from VW about paint quality.

 

[Willies62]

Hello, have just returned from an enjoyable few weeks in the Highlands. Following your advice I gave my roof a check for corrosion and have found 'bubbling ' along the front panel.
I am going to need a steps or means to get up and check under the seal.

Many thanks for pointing this out.

Andrew

 

[SootyBob]

Once again thank you for your advice.

I took my 2009 Cali along to the 3rd party repair shop on Friday (SJ Curtis, Bristol). I'm not impressed with Heritage Bristol for passing on the paint depths and for not knowing what seems to be going on, but these things happen.

Anyway SJ Curtis took some paint depths and can't touch the van; they'll send all the info back to Heritage Bristol to complete the claim. Which should mean I'm due to get, eventually, referred to one of the four.

So I'm feel slightly more comfortable that things will be sorted officially. Will see how things go now and monitor the site.

 

[Woody135]

Hi there Snowy55,
Thanks for images and angle on repair/claim. Our paint runs were very similar to yours….probably original VW, although paint depths would suggest otherwise. Good point about additional paint thickness still failing to protect.
I think that I'll let this one run for a while…its taking up too much of my will to live at the moment. Lets see what other Cali owners have to show up.

Once again cheers.

 

[snowy55]

Yes, I was very disappointed to find bubbling under the seal on our 7 month old Cali and we do have a financial and emotional attachment to these vehicles.

 

[Stu]

I posted a few weeks back in here about paint depths, (maybe in reply to sootybob??) hoping that VW weren't going to be measuring an using paint thickness measurements to avoid accepting claims, and from what I read here in the last few days it seems my fears have be borne out.

It's a real shame that as a large manufacturer of what is a very expensive vehicle are taking such an approach but I assume they are simply looking to absolve themselves of responsibility and walk away from owners who may have had a previous repair.

 

[Meoncoast]

At one time I was considering having my roof painted black which I think looks good on a Candy White van but given the roof issue and comments Stu made re VW approach on paint thickness on roof glad we decided to keep well clear of touching this area, - shame.

Have now found the start of issue on front section and under the seal - trip to SMG coming on soon

 

[steviej]

I was contacted by VW after my roof panel claim was submitted to arrange for a VW engineer/assessor to visit my home to look at the roof of my 2010 Cali. He checked the paint thickness on the roof with a meter and advised me that the elevating roof had been repainted and therefore VW would not accept responsibility for the paint crazing in three places . This was over a year ago, the vehicle was two years old and I was the second owner. I am pretty sure the roof had not been repainted.

The front section bubbling was done under warranty. I no longer own the vehicle, but still follow this great forum.

 

[Andetolo]

Hello,

i attached two photos of a 16 months california...the location is Laredo (Spain).

Is horrible....

 

[Fryers!]

I think this is what all our vans are going to look like if we have to wait the two years of being in the queue. I have just chased up today and there are still a shortage on parts so the queue has stalled.

This is not acceptable, they need to get the parts sorted out and open some more bodyshops to do the work.

 

[stationmaster]

I am experiencing similar problems to those already contributing. I am being offered paintwork repair to elevating roof by an authorised repairer that my local van centre employs - this is in Sheffield and is not a VW bodyshop but i am assured is authorised by VW.

My concern, shared by others here, is that the repair will only last a short while, and further, that the work will have to be done again later, either under warranty or worse, paid for by me.

This is not acceptable with such a widespread problem on such a new vehicle.

I feel we should all be insisting that the roof/front panel (all corroded parts) are replaced with new parts.

Comments please.