VW California T5 ONLY Roof Corrosion - General Discussion

[calikev]

Good points stu it will be nice to get these points cleared up

 

[David Eccles]

I need your feedback for my meeting at VWHQ. Get posting your thoughts!!!

Graham,

In danger of restating the obvious or known, at least in part , and apologies if I do that, but the information I feel we all need is this-

In respect of both the front panel & main roof panels separately -

1)A defined cause.
2)Vehicles affected (both roof parts) - by VIN number
3)Remedial work required detailed including replacement parts and methodology. Part numbers of modified replacement parts would be a useful cross check and future reference point.
4)Warranty variation applied - i.e. referencing vehicle the age of the vehicle and time warranty work is carried out.

Whereas as a result of your efforts we have had answers to some of these specifics do we for example actually know what is causing the main roof corrosion? Do we know if this rather suspect action of glueing the same (part number) rubber seal back on is "approved"?
I think it is particularly important that we can all identify which vehicles are likely to display the defect(s) so these can be flagged as needing to receive / have received warranty repairs and then benefit from such extended warranty as decreed by VW.

And finally once this information is finally comprehensively made available can VW please get the same information out to all VW Commercial Centres and VWCS representatives to avoid an awful lot of owner confusion and dissatisfaction.

We have by the efforts of an yourself and others here got a long way to unearthing this issue but it really should not have been such a task and it would be good to end speculation & unknowns once and for all - I really don't see why that is not possible.

Do hope that helps.

I'd like also to know what VW are putting in place to lessen the 2 year wait time!
Plus once repair to roof is done how long is it warrantied for - or is it still 6 years regardless even if by time its done 5 years will have elapsed!

 

[Stu]

Plus once repair to roof is done how long is it warrantied for - or is it still 6 years regardless even if by time its done 5 years will have elapsed!

3 Years from date of repair - The period in which there is a warranty on the repair. What is not clear is who will honour/support this warranty and is something we will address with VW. We feel it should be VW and not the bodyshop carrying out the repair. For example should we find in 2 years time we are doing history all over again the deluge of repairs at £5k a pop is going to put most bodyshops out of business (assuming they are still in business - no body thought Woolworths would go bust).

 

[David Eccles]

note to self..read things properly!

 

[Ambler]

Well I've been told today that the 6 years from date of registration will apply to my vehicle re. the roof. So, even after the repair I have 5.5 years left.
Took a bit of asking but cleared up at last.

 

[777111]

Well I've been told today that the 6 years from date of registration will apply to my vehicle re. the roof. So, even after the repair I have 5.5 years left.
Took a bit of asking but cleared up at last.

Who told you this - VWCS?
With so many versions of cause, remedial and warranty I personally would be uncomfortable with anything that wasn't in writing or widely publicised.

So, conversely, if a repair was carried out on a 5.5 year old vehicle it would only be guaranteed for 6 months?!! :crazy

 

[Stu]

No because as I posted above the repair is warranted.

You have 6 years from registration to have a repair carried out and warranty 3 years from repair on that repair.

What Ambler is saying is that he has a circa 6 month old van so has 5.5 years of new vehicle warranty + goodwill remaining. If he had a repair carried out at year 5 he would have a further 3 years warranty on that repair.

 

[777111]

No because as I posted above the repair is warranted.

You have 6 years from registration to have a repair carried out and warranty 3 years from repair on that repair.

What Ambler is saying is that he has a circa 6 month old van so has 5.5 years of new vehicle warranty + goodwill remaining. If he had a repair carried out at year 5 he would have a further 3 years warranty on that repair.

That helps - thanks Stu.

Not the most straight forward issue....!?!

 

[NickC]

I've been considering buying a California Beach but this roof corrosion issue has got me a bit worried. Does it affect the Beach as well as the SE? and what percentage of vehicles are suffering from the problem? All of them, the majority or a minority? I'm jus trying to understand that if I bought a new or nearly new Beach what is the likely hood of it suffering from the corrosion problem at some point in the future?

 

[WelshGas]

Any Bodyshop repair carried out under the vehicle warranty is guaranteed by the Bodyshop, itself, for 3 years, ie; if the same problem recurs within 3 years of the repair then the Bodyshop will re-do the job at No Cost to VW.
If it is the roof, as in the above case on a 5 month old vehicle, then VW gets the Bodyshop to do the repair. If it recurs within 3 years then VW will get the Bodyshop to do the repair again at no cost to VW.
If the problem recurs at 4years, still within the 6 year roof extended warranty then VW pay for the repair.
Body shops guarantee their own repairs.

 

[WelshGas]

To NickC,
Who knows! If you buy a vehicle that is less than 6 years old you will be covered by the new extended roof warranty.
Remember, this is NOT a rust problem, it is galvanic corrosion between dissimilar metals. It may not look nice, it does not compromise the structural integrity. It can easily be made good cosmetically but is expensive to engineer out so that it will not recur. Your choice in the end. Is the Beach an everyday drive or a holiday only vehicle?

 

[sidtowe]

Reported my corrosion problem to my Northern Ireland dealer on 11 August. Warranty Manager has told me that I should not expect a rapid response since VW moving very slowly on this. Situation not helped by lack of approved local workshop to do the remedial work. Perhaps VW don't realise how our regional markets work in the UK - knowledge of this will leak out into the normal car-driving public and reputation will be torched - I have 3 VW vehicles on my driveway - my confidence is ebbing away and that number could be reducing to zero!!!
Cali3630

 

[Stu]

Any Bodyshop repair carried out under the vehicle warranty is guaranteed by the Bodyshop, itself, for 3 years, ie; if the same problem recurs within 3 years of the repair then the Bodyshop will re-do the job at No Cost to VW.

If it is the roof, as in the above case on a 5 month old vehicle, then VW gets the Bodyshop to do the repair. If it recurs within 3 years then VW will get the Bodyshop to do the repair again at no cost to VW.

Body shops guarantee their own repairs.

Indeed, that is the norm and that is also a concern that we will raise with VW. VW could have done a very nice job of offloading the problem to the bodyshops.

 

[pjm-84]

Apologies if this has been previously covered but has the issue been "completely" cured on the latest builds and or vans currently in production?

 

[Stu]

Apologies if this has been previously covered but has the issue been "completely" cured on the latest builds and or vans currently in production?

At the moment we don't think so.

The issue with the front section should be resolved on the most recent of built vans however it is anticipated that the issue with the elevating roof will still exist.

 

[Andy]

Reported my corrosion problem to my Northern Ireland dealer on 11 August. Warranty Manager has told me that I should not expect a rapid response since VW moving very slowly on this. Situation not helped by lack of approved local workshop to do the remedial work. Perhaps VW don't realise how our regional markets work in the UK - knowledge of this will leak out into the normal car-driving public and reputation will be torched - I have 3 VW vehicles on my driveway - my confidence is ebbing away and that number could be reducing to zero!!!
Cali3630

If you have the bulbing on the front panel above the windscreen this will be repaired by one of the four approved body-shops in UK. All costs will be paid by VW. If you have bubbling on the elevating roof only then this can be done at any VW approved bodyshop, there is no official VW instruction in place for repairing this. It is done on a per vehicle basis & what is needed is done.

 

[Brent]

I am thinking about pulling my order still have a few days under the T&C to cancel the buss its not due until March next year. It's not going to be our daily driver its a recreational purchase, not sure I can be bothered with the issues and the time i would waste on a known problem that VW should just sort.

 

[Ambler]

I don't see this affecting your use of the Cali.
It certainly in no way inhibits us using ours.

 

[Meoncoast]

I would concur it will not effect daily use if needs roof repair replacement provided by vw our is a daily drive works for us

 

[Andy]

not sure I can be bothered with the issues and the time i would waste on a known problem that VW should just sort.

The only time consuming thing you would need to do, assuming the new cali had the bubbling would be to take to Van centre for a warranty claim to be registered. Then all you do is join the que & get on with life enjoying your new Cali !!

I don't see the bubbling on the roof as a real issue. VW are repairing under warranty, which they have extended to 6 years. This is NOT rusting, it is a galvanic reaction between two dis-similar metals which causes the paint to bubble. It does not effect the Cali structurally.

 

[WelshGas]

Hear, Hear.
7 weeks until I get my hands on mine. The suspense is almost unbearable. :hello

 

[pjm-84]

I'm struggling waiting for mine now.

Placed the order and was nonchalant, now I'm chomping at the bit for March 2015

 

[Meoncoast]

Are members finding roof corrosion claims acceptance slowing up? our van went to SMG 2 weeks ago today, Alex put in claim for main roof and front roof fender, After a week VW had confirm main roof but no feedback re front fender, whilst all corrosion at this time is very limitted it has started and I am sure will have developed by the time of getting it repaired Perhaps a question at the coming meeting is confirmation of what time scales owners should expect there must be a standard they set themselves on replying to us and dealers
Clocked 30,000 miles last week wondering if the van will be worn out buy the time roof is fixed, how about a extra 5k tade in VW at 6 years rather than repair

 

[Fryers!]

It took me 4 weeks to be accepted and then another 6 weeks to get my official letter of acceptance.

 

[Meoncoast]

That seems (4 weeks to accept) fair given numbers coming into VW but feel they should set a standard so we know what to expect

UPDATE. SMG HAVE CONFIRMED VW HAVE ACCEPTED CLAIM FOR FRONT AND MAIN ROOF SO ONTO THE WAITING LIST JUST UNDER 3 WEEKS FROM VISIT TO DEALER TO ACCSPTANCE.