A feeling of disappointment

[Skylark2.0]

I see VW have commented on GrannyJen's posting on their Facebook page.

I guess not the vw California page as I follow that?

 

[GrannyJen]

I guess not the vw California page as I follow that?

This one https://www.facebook.com/VolkswagenCommercialVehiclesUK

 

[Dottie]

Time to own up....I don't have a Cali but a Jerba conversion. However I am just as passionate as you all are with your Calis and feel I'm still in the VW family.
But I don't have all your Cali issues.... I have had minor teething problems but all fixed promptly with only the need for a weekend destination in lovely North Berwick to do the bizz. I go to the VW dealer for service and normal van issues, but have had no problems with the van part.
So maybe don't give up on VW, just the Cali?!
Hope I'm not blacklisted for my comments....I love your forum and watch it avidly!

 

[larrylamb]

Time to own up....I don't have a Cali but a Jerba conversion.

A spy in the camp!








No worries Dottie, i enjoy your posts.

 

[2into1]

If something positive was to come out of this, it would be for vw to establish one or two UK Cali centres of excellence (for the camping side of the van). They would actually understand the camping basics (like how a split charge system works) as well as how vw's over engineered versions achieve the same goal.
As well as being the goto resource when you are really stuck, they could offer a UK based English speaking resource to the rest of the van dealerships.
There are clearly enough cali's to justify this, and the number is growing every year.

 

[Rob H]

Don't get disheartened, this is crying out as a technician problem, components don't have a malevolent streak ... normally ... lol ... Only four elements involved, 1) a working component, 2) its multi plug and wiring loom, 3) its Can Bus digital programming, and, 4) the technician who trouble shoots, fits and digitally reprograms only if necessary.

Concentrate your efforts on getting VW to source a VW technician who is proficient in and understands the leisure battery charging system on your California and its Can Bus programming. VW will undoubtably approach this as a workshop training / re training problem within your normal dealership who have struggled with coming up with a fix to date. Multiple component failure is unusual and replacement of multiple components smacks of a trial and error fix strategy ... at your expense ...

Good luck with a rapid resolution from here on in.

Rob H.

 

[GrannyJen]

Thank you Rob

Not so much disheartened as disappointed that this has happened to probably the most loved vehicle that I have ever owned and angry that no one in VW "seemed" (optimistic past tense) to have any urgency.

The technicians at SMG are really trying their best, and I have had great support from Jason and the team there, it's back in the VW technical department, who should understand all those things that you refer to, that seems to be ... well... so far, clueless

 

[CaliPuds]

GrannyJen I am so gutted for you, and can only hope that the technicians get a breakthrough (as mine seemed to have done on Friday, documented in the ongoing post in the Electrical section).

After what you have been through I am not foolish enough to think that I'm out of the woods yet, but it's certainly progress and for the first time since I got my new Cali 4 weeks ago my leisure battery is being charged from hookup.

I hope all the negative PR starts to play in your favour now as I (along with many other readers) would be terribly sad if you defected from this forum.

 

[GrannyJen]

GrannyJen I am so gutted for you, and can only hope that the technicians get a breakthrough (as mine seemed to have done on Friday, documented in the ongoing post in the Electrical section).

After what you have been through I am not foolish enough to think that I'm out of the woods yet, but it's certainly progress and for the first time since I got my new Cali 4 weeks ago my leisure battery is being charged from hookup.

I hope all the negative PR starts to play in your favour now as I (along with many other readers) would be terribly sad if you defected from this forum.

Thank you x

I have no intentions of defecting, just expressing my anger for the dilatory contempt by VW and trying to inject some sense of urgency into the VW technical department, as now seems to have happened.

I must read your electrical post, thrilled if you have it sorted. THe Cali is a brilliant vehicle, things will go wrong with something so multi-purpose and complex but the least we can hope is that when they do someone somewhere appreciates the value of the vehicle, the value of a customer and tries to put it right quickly.

 

[WelshGas]

I just do not understand how or why VW are having such a problem diagnosing the problem on your vehicle.
In the early days of Intensive Care Medicine, I'm talking about 30 to 40 years ago, many of the therapies were experimental based on sensible and logical ideas but we had to improvise the equipment and frequently troubleshoot. You just had to do it in a sensible and logical way wether it was an electrical or ventilator or dialysis circuit.
The California system is fairly straightforward, a mains charging circuit, an alternator and split charge relay circuit and finally a monitoring and control circuit.
VW just seem to be picking things out of the air instead of carrying out a logical and common sense troubleshooting exercise. It might be time consuming, hence high labour costs, but is the only way to get to the root of the problem.

 

[GrannyJen]

I just do not understand how or why VW are having such a problem diagnosing the problem on your vehicle.
In the early days of Intensive Care Medicine, I'm talking about 30 to 40 years ago, many of the therapies were experimental based on sensible and logical ideas but we had to improvise the equipment and frequently troubleshoot. You just had to do it in a sensible and logical way wether it was an electrical or ventilator or dialysis circuit.
The California system is fairly straightforward, a mains charging circuit, an alternator and split charge relay circuit and finally a monitoring and control circuit.
VW just seem to be picking things out of the air instead of carrying out a logical and common sense troubleshooting exercise. It might be time consuming, hence high labour costs, but is the only way to get to the root of the problem.

Therein lies my frustration and my annoyance.

It is not rocket science. It just requires systematic and logical progression, step by step, but with a degree of urgency. I am sick to death of hearing "it all takes time" or the beleaguered service department at SMG repeating time and time again "we are waiting on VW technical to come back to us".

If I took so much time to pay their wages into the bank then they would be screaming like hell after a month of not getting paid but it is quite ok to take a leisurely and totally uncaring approach to someone's £60k investment.

 

[Alan]

Let's hope Jen that Monday will see some positive movement

 

[umby27]

Thinking out of the box : why don't you contact the VW Cali specialists in holland and maybe even take a trip there? I have never encountered anyone with more VW Cali expertise. This is all they do. Maybe worth a try. http://www.volkswagencampers.nl/

Many on this forum will confirm their total expertise on any version of the cali.

goodluck !

 

[GrannyJen]

Thinking out of the box : why don't you contact the VW Cali specialists in holland and maybe even take a trip there? I have never encountered anyone with more VW Cali expertise. This is all they do. Maybe worth a try. http://www.volkswagencampers.nl/

Many on this forum will confirm their total expertise on any version of the cali.

goodluck !

You must have read my mind

I am going that way in September.

 

[soulstyledevon]

With the control panel replaced 3 times, my next step would be to change the battery. A faulty battery can play havoc with sensitive electronics.
Can't see why they have replaced a control panel 3 times...???
Surely it's time to start replacing other components.

 

[Skylark2.0]

Don't get disheartened, this is crying out as a technician problem, components don't have a malevolent streak ... normally ... lol ... Only four elements involved, 1) a working component, 2) its multi plug and wiring loom, 3) its Can Bus digital programming, and, 4) the technician who trouble shoots, fits and digitally reprograms only if necessary.

Concentrate your efforts on getting VW to source a VW technician who is proficient in and understands the leisure battery charging system on your California and its Can Bus programming. VW will undoubtably approach this as a workshop training / re training problem within your normal dealership who have struggled with coming up with a fix to date. Multiple component failure is unusual and replacement of multiple components smacks of a trial and error fix strategy ... at your expense ...

Good luck with a rapid resolution from here on in.

Rob H.

The lack of a specific vw Cali tecnicial certainly seems to look like the problem. If only we could get them to listen.

 

[Skylark2.0]

You must have read my mind

I am going that way in September.

Perhaps you could kidnap one of them and bring them back? Maybe even get your charming Gendarm to help

 

[tani]

To Granny Jen, Welshgas, and Neligbj,
I entirely sympathise with you all, now you understand the problems that we with cali's 6 years + and front panel roof corrosion.
VWSC in Milton Keynes do not care about customer care and don't even now what it means, good luck but don't hold your breath.
I am still awaiting replies from them that were sent 12 months ago

John

My Cali is 6 years plus old and it is a silver one(snap) and i lost my warranty battle in the UK and took it to france (it is fr registered as i too have a place in france) and they fixed it, no quibbles they said it was corrosion and booked it in and replaced it within three weeks- my one is a 2006 and so older than most. I did tell the forum! Also like Granny Jen i am fed up as i have just spent £495 pounds having my bench seat unjammed. The second time no less although the first time it was £100. Just grit in the rail and they had take the whole seat out to unjam( no parts replaced) . i do vacuum the rail but my rail seems to be sensitive i am told!

 

[Skylark2.0]

I cover our rails with turtle mats to stop them getting scratched and prevent bits getting in. Glad i do!

 

[GrannyJen]

Perhaps you could kidnap one of them and bring them back? Maybe even get your charming Gendarm to help

I would rather send the gunman, not the Gendarme who nicked him...

The gunman appeared rather more persuasive than I have so far achieved

 

[GrannyJen]

I would rather send the gunman, not the Gendarme who nicked him...

The gunman appeared rather more persuasive than I have so far achieved

Although the Gendarme was ... ever so charming ....

 

[GrannyJen]

GrannyJen,

Send me your personal email address by the messaging system on the forum and I'll send you an email exchange I had last year with the previous director of commercial vehicles, he's now the director of passenger vehicles unless he's moved on.

.

Hi Simon

I have only just picked up on this post ... it was hidden by the torrent of other postings

There now appears to be action. VW have to file a report to someone in VW by 3pm today. I am having a replacement vehicle being delivered but it would not be a cali. (If it was then I would probably sell it to one of the hundreds waiting for a T6)

I still of course have no idea what's happening to my vehicle. As per usual progress is shrouded in a cloak of mystery but I do await the next instalment of "problem? What problem?" with anticipation and excitement.

 

[bvddobb]

You must have read my mind

I am going that way in September.

Jen, make sure you do not only worry and be mad all the time! Enjoy your trip to The Netherlands as much as you can! We placed some tips for such a trip some time earlier on this forum:

tips for a Netherlands trip​

 

[GrannyJen]

Jen, make sure you do not only worry and be mad all the time! Enjoy your trip to The Netherlands as much as you can! We placed some tips for such a trip some time earlier on this forum:

tips for a Netherlands trip​

Thank you Bart and Marga ...

I know that as soon as I drive off in Albert, reunited together, all my disappointments will be behind me and ahead is the sort of full-on adventure, excitement and enjoyment that can only be derived from driving one of the best campers in the world!

Thank you for those tips to the Netherlands, a part of the world that I have so many happy memories of.

 

[aileen]

I'm so sorry Jen, I know you feel very let down. I hope that all this publicity will bring about a most positive result.
Aileen on road inSpain