3wolves
Lifetime VIP Member
Apologies for the long post but I would be grateful for any help/advice out there.
My 18 month old T6.1 Ocean has hydraulic roof faults which the main dealers are reluctant to rectify. It started with the common intermittent overnight sagging of the roof which, although annoying, I was learning to live with. Unfortunately it has now become a rather more serious issue as on 4 occasions the roof has dropped dramatically overnight on the passenger side and has proved very difficult to close. Each time I have managed to close with repeated cycling but not until there is a loud clunking sound and sudden jerking of the roof. The angles of the roof as it attempts closure are alarming.
On the last occasion we had the control panel message “hydraulic fault, visit workshop”, and fortunately I videoed the procedure including the loud clunking noise.
More worryingly since the last episode the roof no longer seats down fully on the rear driver’s side leaving a finger’s width gap. This remains the same without the awning and mattress in place.
Armed with evidence I thought it would be a matter of routine for the hydraulics to be sorted under warranty, but after 4 visits we are at a stalemate.
At the last visit the dealer suggested we had caused the gap by trapping something when closing the roof and said the scissor mechanism would need to be replaced outside of warranty at a cost of £650. We have owned Californias for 15 years and I thought this scenario unlikely, however there is a very small indentation in the headlining on the driver’s side albeit half way along the length of the bed. There is no kinking or obvious damage to the roof and I think it is unlikely that the sturdy scissors mechanism would become damaged before the roof in this scenario. The dealer suggested that I would still have to pay for the replacement scissors even if it didn’t cure the gap problem. He also said that they would not look at the hydraulic issue until the gap is sorted and that we could book in after the gap repair for them to keep it for 3 days to measure the drop. We have already been through this in the Spring when, as with all intermittent faults, it didn’t perform on the night.
I would be grateful for anyone’s advice on this, there are 2 aspects of concern;
1. Is video evidence and the warning on the control panel not enough to have the hydraulics repaired under warranty?
2. Has anyone suffered the small gap in one corner and if so how was it rectified? My suspicion is that 1. has caused 2. and I am concerned that the replacement scissors will not cure the gap problem.
PS I cannot upload the videos of the clunking noise or the video of the rear corner of roof as it closes, but the latter shows the roof seating fully initially and then lifting slightly on the rear corner just as it ends the cycle,
My 18 month old T6.1 Ocean has hydraulic roof faults which the main dealers are reluctant to rectify. It started with the common intermittent overnight sagging of the roof which, although annoying, I was learning to live with. Unfortunately it has now become a rather more serious issue as on 4 occasions the roof has dropped dramatically overnight on the passenger side and has proved very difficult to close. Each time I have managed to close with repeated cycling but not until there is a loud clunking sound and sudden jerking of the roof. The angles of the roof as it attempts closure are alarming.
On the last occasion we had the control panel message “hydraulic fault, visit workshop”, and fortunately I videoed the procedure including the loud clunking noise.
More worryingly since the last episode the roof no longer seats down fully on the rear driver’s side leaving a finger’s width gap. This remains the same without the awning and mattress in place.
Armed with evidence I thought it would be a matter of routine for the hydraulics to be sorted under warranty, but after 4 visits we are at a stalemate.
At the last visit the dealer suggested we had caused the gap by trapping something when closing the roof and said the scissor mechanism would need to be replaced outside of warranty at a cost of £650. We have owned Californias for 15 years and I thought this scenario unlikely, however there is a very small indentation in the headlining on the driver’s side albeit half way along the length of the bed. There is no kinking or obvious damage to the roof and I think it is unlikely that the sturdy scissors mechanism would become damaged before the roof in this scenario. The dealer suggested that I would still have to pay for the replacement scissors even if it didn’t cure the gap problem. He also said that they would not look at the hydraulic issue until the gap is sorted and that we could book in after the gap repair for them to keep it for 3 days to measure the drop. We have already been through this in the Spring when, as with all intermittent faults, it didn’t perform on the night.
I would be grateful for anyone’s advice on this, there are 2 aspects of concern;
1. Is video evidence and the warning on the control panel not enough to have the hydraulics repaired under warranty?
2. Has anyone suffered the small gap in one corner and if so how was it rectified? My suspicion is that 1. has caused 2. and I am concerned that the replacement scissors will not cure the gap problem.
PS I cannot upload the videos of the clunking noise or the video of the rear corner of roof as it closes, but the latter shows the roof seating fully initially and then lifting slightly on the rear corner just as it ends the cycle,
