WATER TANK FOULED

[Noeleen]

I bought my 2012 Cali from VW dealer in Leicester two weeks ago, and took it home to Ireland. It was a demo model with 7K miles, I was told it was largely unused.

I have had several problems with it, but the absolutely unacceptable problem is petro-chemical contamination in the fresh water tank. I had noticed that the water pump wasn't working and thought that maybe it needed a full tank to prime it. I filled the tank yesterday but was horrified to find that gloopy whitish smelly oily stuff overflowed from it. It was difficult to wash off my hands . It stained the grass that it overflowed on. I then drained the tank and found that this dripped from it for hours. I suspect diesel had been put into the the tank at some time.

I contacted the dealer, who said that he had let some water flow from the tank in his yard, and that it was just water. That is true, I was there and saw it. My argument is that water is heavier and would empty first.

I also have a problem with battery charge - the drive home failed to charge the batteries and hook up failed to charge the batteries. The fridge will switch on but will switch itself off again after a second. The sat nav switches off randomly.

I am a newbie to Cali but not new to camper vans. I have asked the dealer for a replacement Cail or a refund, considering the 30 day policy.

Any advice would be appreciated. I am furious as I was just about to leave for one week holiday camping wild in west of Ireland. No water, no fridge, no battery!

Noeleen Mangan

 

[calikev]

Hi Nielsen really sorry to hear your having problems with your new cali
It has been known for the water tank to be filled with diesel by mistake but for a dealer to let this out in that state is truly shocking,it can be flushed out using a chemical I can't remember what its called I'm sure someone will have the answer to that. As for the charging you could check the large 80 amp fuse under the passenger seat. Being under warranty you could take it to a VW dealer nearer to you. Firstly I would find out what the supplying dealer is going to do
Good luck

 

[Andy]

With 7000 miles on it & being a 2012 cali I don't think it is ex-demo. More likely a secondhand Cali. I bought my cali as an ex-demo at 3 months old with 700 miles done.

Personally I would send it back for a 100% refund, at their expense of course.

Who is the dealer ??

 

[Noeleen]

VW commercial sales, St Margaret's Way, Leicester. Unsatisfactory indeed. Van had not been valeted when I arrived to collect it. I thought that was the only thing unattended to! Now they are talking about getting a dealer in Belfast or Cork to see the van and check fuses. I want a refund.

 

[Andy]

Go through the cali with a fine tooth comb & list all the faults you can find. Then either get the Leicester dealer to put all faults correct via a local VW van centre that knows Calis or hit them with the list & say you want to return it to them at their expense for a full refund.

 

[Martin]

I would also call VW Customer services and get the complaint logged with them plus CC any emails to customercare@vwcv.co.uk as when you use this email address you will automatically get a case reference number.
As Andy says this does not sound like ex-demo, who does it say the previous owner is on the V5?

Hope you get it sorted

 

[Noeleen]

Thanks for the support & encouragement. I have sent a list with ten complaints. The dealer is playing it down and not responding. I will not be fobbed off.

Dealer said it was loaned to a local radio station for festivals, that they broadcast Cali ads.

 

[Noeleen]

The name on V5C is Volkswagen Van Centre, Leicester.
Good to get the address of VW customer care, thanks Martin.
There is really no dealer that I know of over here, if there was I would have bought locally.

 

[Andy]

Sounds like it's been used & dealer has not checked it over before selling. Not sure doing a loan to a radio station counts as a demo vehicle. There are strict rules that VW set out for demo vehicles as dealers get them at a discounted cost.
As Martin says talk to VW customer services & explain all the details to them.
0800 717 131

 

[Raggedroy]

We attended the motorhome show at the NEC a couple of years ago. The VW California there had to be removed from the VW stand as one of the representatives filled the water tank with Diesel. It leaked.

 

[Andy]

We attended the motorhome show at the NEC a couple of years ago. The VW California there had to be removed from the VW stand as one of the representatives filled the water tank with Diesel. It leaked.

lol show just how much they know !!!!

 

[Nottledim]

When we collected our Cali there was a similar charging issue. It transpired that there was a fault with the charging unit (under the wardrobe). We had it replaced under warranty but it was a fault that had been present before handover.

I hope it's the fuse but be ready to test the charging function over a period of time and if necessary get a replacement unit.

Andrew

 

[BMVS-Camper-Hire]

Hi Sorry to hear your issues. We had a customer fill one of our tanks with diesel once, we used BIOMAGIC Tank Cleaner, see halfway down this page;

http://www.biomagicuk.com/page2.html

Sorted it no problem

Hope you sort all your issues out

 

[gatvol]

Welcome to the world of California ownership. This is just the start I am afraid

The Cali is a fickle mistress. Problems are the norm. But even by Cali standards, this is truly disgusting and a shatteringly bad way to start.

You have the greatest sympathy I can offer. I would have to say get a refund or exchange under the 30 day policy. Cut your losses, you will never trust this van and will be left with lingering doubts as to whether it is poisoning you. With calis you often face a choice of "which option is least bad", I would dump it and get another seeking goodwill type compensation for inconvenience and the long journeys you are suffering.

If some fecking moron has put diesel in the water tank, what other mistreatment has this poor Cali suffered ?

That the dealer claims to have run water out of the filler suggests it may have known there was a problem. If so you are in a bad faith scenario. If you can't trust a car dealer, RUN a mile

Perhaps the moderators of this club could consider whether this site ought to be supporting vw Leicester if it pulls strokes likes this.

 

[Noeleen]

Hi all! I have had to register again as my password was refused (repeatedly) but it's me again, the original poster of "diesel in the tank?" Sorry, I was off email for a week while camping wild (very wild - no water & no fridge) :cry:

I am getting nowhere with my effort to return vehicle and get a refund. A guy from Customercare phoned me, said he wasn't sure but suspected that I was entitled to a refund, and that he would get back to me. That was four days ago, nothing since :crazy

The van had not been valeted (as promised on email) the day I travelled to Leicester to collect it. The dealer was somewhat embarrassed and offered to fill up with diesel to compensate. I was with him when he filled the tank and he overflowed it, substantially! I wonder if that could have been when the diesel got into the water tank, maybe something already loose in the plumbing? :?: As one of you said, what other damage has been done to the vehicle by careless non-Cali owners?

The dealer wants me to take the Cali to a VW garage about an hour's drive away for inspection and repair. The garage appointed say the charge starts at £60 per hour for inspection and are talking about ordering parts, and delays. I told them I am not willing to have any repairs done.

My 28 days are up next Friday. I am adamant that I have a sick van and will not accept a clean-up. I don't believe it was intentional on the part of the dealer but they were shoddy in their preparation of the van. I may just have to take the van back to Leicester myself and continue the battle in person.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thank you all for support.

Noeleen Mangan

 

[AlanC]

The fuel tank and the domestic water tanks on these vans are completely separate, so there will have been no contamination from the overflow when your van was filled up with diesel.

The only way diesel got into the water tank is when some twerp thought the filler at the back beside the mains plug socket was the fuel tank filler and put diesel in there.

Another dealer inspecting it is good except they will want to keep in with VW. Getting the AA or RAC, or the Irish equivalent, to inspect it would be better, as at least they should be independent and more difficult to argue with.

Alan

 

[Stu]

That fact that your '28 days' is about to expire so long as you have formally (in writing) rejected the vehicle.