Elevating roof stuck

[Ben Jammin]

Hello...I don't like to join a forum and immediately beg for advice but that is where I am!

I have owned a 2004 T5 California Navi since last autumn and have been gradually repairing the faults - new sliding door motor etc

However my sister has today borrowed the van to take her kids camping a few hours up the road in Hunstanton...i wonder if anyone might be able to give me some insight into the possible reasons.

In raising the electric roof her finger 'slipped off the button' when nearly all the way up and now it will not go up or down.

Switch control panel was working and reading fine but when pressing the switch up or down she could hear no motor trying to work.

I understand that the roof fuse is a 30 amp and friendly builder camped next door checked the two 30amp fuses under the drivers seat (lhd) and they are fine.

So in this circumstance should I assume that the motor has packed up if it's making no noise?

They have subsequently removed the control panel and interior light panel to get to the motor (a forum suggestion was that unplugging and re-plugging the motor worked on theirs) but could not get to it, due to pressure of screaming kids! So they have slackened the screw and manually dropped the roof but it is not secure.

If it the motor my options would be to buy a reconditioned one from eBay, delivered to me Saturday then I could run up there and change it...how straightforward is this? From diagrams it looks like 2 hex bolts and a plug...

Or I will have to get it Lowloaded back if a Lowloader if willing to take it back to front with the engine weight to the rear ( I have just read about the emergency hold down straps online but I don't have any ).

Phew!...any ideas please?

Thank you...

 

[Hotel California]

Hi and welcome on your first , not so good post .
Can you tell us IF the controlpanel is working at all .... Specialy the turning knob as you this is a weak spot and can break off inside .
Do the menu changes when you turn the knob?
If you managed to remove the controlpanel i suggest you lower it using the screw to release the pressure in the oilcircuit.

If you don't have the emergency straps use a cord or a other strap ( or even duct tape)thru the sliding door and the sliding kichen window over the roof just a gentle tightning to make sure the wind don't lift the roof while driving.

 

[motacyclist]

as Hotel said ...

Your picked a good user name, goes with your problem!

Hope you get it sorted.

 

[motacyclist]

Hello...I don't like to join a forum and immediately beg for advice

That's how I started on here 2046 posts ago!

 

[Ben Jammin]

Thanks for the response...

Yes the control pad and knob was working fine and they managed to access the diagnostic settings page which read no faults (however I'm not sure that it will work again as it sounds like in looking for the motor they have separated the front of the control board from the circuit board?!)

And yes they managed to lower roof with the screw on the oil circuit...

Just wondered if anyone has heard of a motor failing before?

Does this sound the most likely in the circumstances?

If so is it easy to change the motor?

Once the motor has been changed and/or the roof had been dropped manually do the limits of the roof need resetting?

 

[2into1]

Sorry to hear about your problems. When the panic is over, you should change your vehicle details to show T5 rather than T4, as (a) it could stop people who could help with a T5 answering (as they think it's a T4), and (b) more lightheartedly, we don't want anyone thinking that T4s have this sort of problem

 

[Hotel California]

Sorry to hear about your problems. When the panic is over, you should change your vehicle details to show T5 rather than T4, as (a) it could stop people who could help with a T5 answering (as they think it's a T4), and (b) more lightheartedly, we don't want anyone thinking that T4s have this sort of problem

I was going out it was a T5....

Just now noticed it is placed in T4 technical ....
Can @Ben Jammin please confirm we are dealing T5 or T4 so we can move the tread and start replying correct

I always read and reply using " recent posts" and not by subsection T4. or 5 ....there is mention of security straps and the verhicle details shows T5 so this is a misunderstanding...

 

[Ben Jammin]

Whoops sorry yes it is a T5...although I'm not sure how to move the thread??!!

 

[Hotel California]

Whoops sorry yes it is a T5...although I'm not sure how to move the thread??!!

Done ....

Is the problem solved yet?

 

[Ben Jammin]

Thanks...

Problem not solved yet, although trawling the net and forums I have found some information. I have a replacement motor being sent to myself today and I will drive up to the van to tomorrow on a repair or recovery mission...

I am concerned that it's not a problem with the motor, firstly because she cannot smell a burnt out motor smell behind the panel plus I cannot find one instance online of anyone having had a motor break or having to change one! Hence its looking like a pioneering mission?!

I will take a ratchet strap with me incase although I'm not sure how that would work through the kitchen window and electric sliding door So it might well have to be through the front windows...

 

[Hotel California]

Indeed maybe better you strap it thru the front windows

If you are not 100% sure it is the pump why you orderd one? Think replacing it is hard , it sits behind the roof fabric and hard to get acces to i think.

 

[Ben Jammin]

The motor can be returned minus postage hence I thought I would grab it and try it. I can't image what else could be the problem as fuses are ok, the control panel is ok and there is no fault showing in the diagnostics setting

 

[snowy55]

So it might well have to be through the front windows...

Strap it with the front doors open not through the windows with the doors shut!

 

[WelshGas]

The motor can be returned minus postage hence I thought I would grab it and try it. I can't image what else could be the problem as fuses are ok, the control panel is ok and there is no fault showing in the diagnostics setting

I could be wrong but I think this is electrical. Not the motor but the Control Panel, fuse or a relay etc. The fact that there are no Diagnostic codes in the hidden Control Panel menu makes me suspicious. As you say the hydraulic motor failing figures rarely.

 

[Skylark2.0]

I could be wrong but I think this is electrical. Not the motor but the Control Panel, fuse or a relay etc. The fact that there are no Diagnostic codes in the hidden Control Panel menu makes me suspicious. As you say the hydraulic motor failing figures rarely.

Is it worth resetting the control panel in this instance?

 

[Paulandtracyspain]

Hi hope I'm not stating the obvious but has your sister got the engine running whilst trying to raise or lower roof.
We have a Spanish registered 2005 Cali and did not know to do this. Consequently battery discharged and couldn't get roof down as the motor didn't make any noise. Then ended up breaking the control panel trying to get to the screw!

 

[vmaxkiddy]

Thanks...

Problem not solved yet, although trawling the net and forums I have found some information. I have a replacement motor being sent to myself today and I will drive up to the van to tomorrow on a repair or recovery mission...

I am concerned that it's not a problem with the motor, firstly because she cannot smell a burnt out motor smell behind the panel plus I cannot find one instance online of anyone having had a motor break or having to change one! Hence its looking like a pioneering mission?!

I will take a ratchet strap with me incase although I'm not sure how that would work through the kitchen window and electric sliding door So it might well have to be through the front windows...

You'll need to take some fresh hydraulic oil with you, and a means to fill, and bleed the new pump. It can be quite a messy job I believe.

 

[soulstyledevon]

Sorry to hear about your problems. When the panic is over, you should change your vehicle details to show T5 rather than T4, as (a) it could stop people who could help with a T5 answering (as they think it's a T4), and (b) more lightheartedly, we don't want anyone thinking that T4s have this sort of problem

I was under the impression the T4 had the more reliable, manual opening roof?

 

[WelshGas]

I was under the impression the T4 had the more reliable, manual opening roof?

It is a T5 but the original post was in the T4 section.

 

[Adamvanman]

A lot of roof problems over the past few weeks!

 

[2into1]

I was under the impression the T4 had the more reliable, manual opening roof?

It does. A system that has quietly developed over 40 years, which VW had to go and over engineer in the T5 SE. All that was lacking in 20 year old manual roofs was a proper 'click' locking mechanism, rather than the old straps, but I understand SCA and others (inc the Beach) have mastered that.
A manual roof is like a manual tailgate, and I don't hear many asking for a hydraulic / computerised tailgate.

 

[soulstyledevon]

It does. A system that has quietly developed over 40 years, which VW had to go and over engineer in the T5 SE. All that was lacking in 20 year old manual roofs was a proper 'click' locking mechanism, rather than the old straps, but I understand SCA and others (inc the Beach) have mastered that.
A manual roof is like a manual tailgate, and I don't hear many asking for a hydraulic / computerised tailgate.

Agree.
Campervans should be as simple as possible. I love the manual roof on our Beach, it's so simple to open and close I can't understand the need for electrically operated. Plus, if there is one thing you can count on with the electric roof. It will fail at some point...!!!

Dosent help the O/P I know, but I do hope he manages to sort it.

 

[Ben Jammin]

I agree that a manual roof is a better idea, although I suppose it's aimed towards people whom might have problems lifting the weight of a roof like the one on my T4 Cali?! I would like to see a beach and feel how easy it is to lift...

Anyways I made it to Hunstanton armed with a replacement motor, tools, straps etc to find that although the friendly builder ncamped next door had 3 panels removed and the facia/ribbons on the control screen disconnected thankfully nothing was broken

So I unplugged the 3 plugs on the back of the control board ( 2 smaller and 1 large black with orange clamp) then plugged them back in, reset the clock and then hey ho everything worked...it must have reset?! A 2 minute job...

So all is good...I will return the motor, show all users of the van how to remedy this problem if it happens again...

Also the 5 hour round trip to Hunstanton was not a waste as I got to spend the day with my nephews on the beach, fairground rides and crazy golf etc...happy days

Next week I will drive / ship my T4 Westy Cali Syncro through Holland / Denmark / Faroe's up to Iceland for a month or so...I just hope it's not to windy to use the elevating roof, although if I do have to take it down in a hurry that is where a manual roof rules!

Thanks for your input

 

[soulstyledevon]

Result, glad you got sorted.