Lost Van Keys Down the back of the Kitchen Unit.. Lesson Learnt!

[OxonCalifornia]

All Beach Owners please read and learn from my mistake
Don't Ever Ever Ever hang the car keys up on the coat hook that is just behind the front passenger seat next to the door pillar.
During the Summer whilst we were 'testing' a new Beach we were on a campsite and I was closing up the fantastic kitchen unit to sort the bed out. Whilst it was half closed The keys were knocked off the hook and sods law, they fell straight down the back of the kitchen unit. We spent a whole 3 hrs trying to retrieve them which caused some severely sore arms and were not successful until retrying for another 3 hrs the following morning!
The front panels do come off with brute force and we did eventually recover the keys, but believe me you don't wish to go there! I can remember calmly owning up when she returned from the washrooms before bed..
'darling, we have a massive problem!'
Just some friendly advice so that no one else follows our naïve stupidity and subsequent stress....and although a innovative design it made us think about loose food, and crumbs that over time could fall behind this unit when closed and god forbit something fishy!

 

[OxonCalifornia]

Just wondered if anyone had come across a similar story and to prevent any repeats so keep your car keys safely stored elsewhere ...

 

[kurienp]

All Beach Owners please read and learn from my mistake
Don't Ever Ever Ever hang the car keys up on the coat hook that is just behind the front passenger seat next to the door pillar.
During the Summer whilst we were 'testing' a new Beach we were on a campsite and I was closing up the fantastic kitchen unit to sort the bed out. Whilst it was half closed The keys were knocked off the hook and sods law, they fell straight down the back of the kitchen unit. We spent a whole 3 hrs trying to retrieve them which caused some severely sore arms and were not successful until retrying for another 3 hrs the following morning!
The front panels do come off with brute force and we did eventually recover the keys, but believe me you don't wish to go there! I can remember calmly owning up when she returned from the washrooms before bed..
'darling, we have a massive problem!'
Just some friendly advice so that no one else follows our naïve stupidity and subsequent stress....and although a innovative design it made us think about loose food, and crumbs that over time could fall behind this unit when closed and god forbit something fishy!

oh boy! but well, all is well that ends well and glad you were able to retrieve ... but good point on the bread crumbs and other items that might collect there over time.

No method of easy access there? Have the VW boffins not thought about people wanting to clean that area?

 

[OxonCalifornia]

oh boy! but well, all is well that ends well and glad you were able to retrieve ... but good point on the bread crumbs and other items that might collect there over time.

No method of easy access there? Have the VW boffins not thought about people wanting to clean that area?

The grey panels at the front do just pull off but we found only with extreme force...i really thought we were going to wreck the van...they then just pop back on....very complex arrangement behind. I would imagine over time if these panels were older over time they may become brittle....but they do come off and thats all that a VW Technician is going to do.

 

[flying banana]

I've said this somewhere before. That amazing pull out kitchen needs cleaning everytime because if not,all the crap will run off behind the panel. On my ocean I just leave it there till I get home

 

[jackster]

The grey panels at the front do just pull off but we found only with extreme force...i really thought we were going to wreck the van...they then just pop back on....very complex arrangement behind. I would imagine over time if these panels were older over time they may become brittle....but they do come off and thats all that a VW Technician is going to do.

Hello! I've just to put an emergency post up having had exactly the same problem having out the kitchen away in the dark... With... Keys on the worktop. Doh! Which panels is it that come off? I can't seem to figure it out. Thanks for your help! I will not be making that mistake again!

 

[OxonCalifornia]

Hello! I've just to put an emergency post up having had exactly the same problem having out the kitchen away in the dark... With... Keys on the worktop. Doh! Which panels is it that come off? I can't seem to figure it out. Thanks for your help! I will not be making that mistake again!

Hi Hopefully you have sorted ths...it was a hire beach but from what i recall it was the panel on the front of the kitchen unit ...its very hard to take off but keep pulling and it will come and then just pop back on..what it reveals is thevery complicated spring scissor mechanism. you will need someone with thin arms but now you have a lower position to feel down into the chassis and hoefully retrieve....point of note ..take your watch ooff..my other half lost her swatch watch whilst recovering keys and i then had that outlay instead...but we were so relieved to get the keys back it didnt matter! ...a ridicuous design and im sure alot of food will fall behind there over time...just dont drop a fish!

 

[jackster]

Oh god! I haven't got in to it yet. I had to send for help and get the spare keys delivered to me... I will try the panel, although i am now worried it's going to be buried deeper than we can reach. I can imagine the scene of losing the watch too!!! Like a sit com!

 

[OxonCalifornia]

Oh god! I haven't got in to it yet. I had to send for help and get the spare keys delivered to me... I will try the panel, although i am now worried it's going to be buried deeper than we can reach. I can imagine the scene of losing the watch too!!! Like a sit com!

Well best of luck..the irony is all this happened when we were near York...your neck of the woods...perhaps its a weird force up there I probably wouldnt drive the van until retrieved as the drive 'may' cause the keys to move and become more inaccessible ? Good luck ...I feel your pain!

 

[babble]

Can you somehow access the space from underneath the van I wonder? If not I guess the best option is one of these:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Z8SQ6T5/

 

[Ch1pbutty]

This might help for future;

HPC Flexi Magnetic Stick

In need of a way to get bolts from engines or screws from inside doors? check out this HPC Flexi Magnetic Stick here holding up to 1KG!

www.lockstation.co.uk

 

[Corradobrit]

This might help for future;

HPC Flexi Magnetic Stick

In need of a way to get bolts from engines or screws from inside doors? check out this HPC Flexi Magnetic Stick here holding up to 1KG!

www.lockstation.co.uk

I thought about that too but wouldn't it stick to the outer body panels before reaching the keys

 

[Ch1pbutty]

I thought about that too but wouldn't it stick to the outer body panels before reaching the keys

Only the tip of the magnet is exposed. The sides of the magnet have a rubber coating.

 

[jackster]

Thanks everyone --- i now have an action plan in order of expense to try and get them out. I will attempt stage 1 panel removal on Thursday...

 

[Corradobrit]

If it was me I would try the direct method first. The magnet fishing option (or bent wire) and a boroscope to id location. Removing and reinstalling panels risks introducing squeaks.

 

[Ozzy Pete]

Can you somehow access the space from underneath the van I wonder? If not I guess the best option is one of these:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Z8SQ6T5/

I have something similar but 2 metres long. Easy to install on your phone and gives a clear picture. I think mine was about a fiver.

 

[OxonCalifornia]

Do let us all know how you get on,,,in my case the panel came off , a thin arm of my other half got into the limited access, keys retrieved and then panel popped back on with no squeaks or damage....thats all they would do at a VW dealer, so have a go..good luck

 

[jackster]

Got the panel off which buys a bit of wriggle room. Then in first attempt my arm got stuck for a minute which was a bit embarrassing - there is like a barb of van that traps you in! THEN Had two skinny friends long arms down there all the way down, one thinner than the other. The first thinks they touched the key and moved it. Not going well.

It's just the key by itself so quite small, I think has gone deep down now. The not driving tip is a good one. I had to drive it which I'm sure has made it worse.

Will try getting one of those endoscopic things next then if that doesn't work maybe try to remove the gas bottle holder area and access through there. I did also wonder if the AA have a way? The key isn't attracted to magnets btw, I checked with the other one...

 

[Corradobrit]

Got the panel off which buys a bit of wriggle room. Then in first attempt my arm got stuck for a minute which was a bit embarrassing - there is like a barb of van that traps you in! THEN Had two skinny friends long arms down there all the way down, one thinner than the other. The first thinks they touched the key and moved it. Not going well.

It's just the key by itself so quite small, I think has gone deep down now. The not driving tip is a good one. I had to drive it which I'm sure has made it worse.

Will try getting one of those endoscopic things next then if that doesn't work maybe try to remove the gas bottle holder area and access through there. I did also wonder if the AA have a way? The key isn't attracted to magnets btw, I checked with the other one...

Sounds like a strong magnet is the way to go now

 

[Corradobrit]

If not magnetic then a boroscope and rod with a very sticky tip

 

[jackster]

If not magnetic then a boroscope and rod with a very sticky tip

Good idea!

 

[jackster]

Hello! Time for an update... good news. 1 month later i now have 2 keys again... what a sequence of pain that involved.

1) Got the panel off ok, buys a bit more wriggle room. Wife managed to reach in and touch the keys. They then moved quite a bit after we had to go for a drive
2) Like Oxon i got my arm completely stuck! For about 10 mins which was scary and had to get wife to oil it to escape! Painful bruise. There is a kind of dogleg within the van wall with a fairly sharp edge which lets an arm go one way but not the other! Thin arms are ok, but not long enough in my wifes case.
3) Bought a cheap ebay boroscope camera and found key - out of reach and no obvious way to reach or extract up
4) The key was wedged next to the Gas Canister holder - so drilled a 4cm hole from inside the gas canister holder bay and extracted the key thorough that. Covered the hole with proprietary air tightness tape (similar to the tape that is in there already covering the gas tap attachment). Hole is invisible now, and provides a hatch should something else ever fall down there.

Lesson learned.

 

[OxonCalifornia]

Hello! Time for an update... good news. 1 month later i now have 2 keys again... what a sequence of pain that involved.

1) Got the panel off ok, buys a bit more wriggle room. Wife managed to reach in and touch the keys. They then moved quite a bit after we had to go for a drive
2) Like Oxon i got my arm completely stuck! For about 10 mins which was scary and had to get wife to oil it to escape! Painful bruise. There is a kind of dogleg within the van wall with a fairly sharp edge which lets an arm go one way but not the other! Thin arms are ok, but not long enough in my wifes case.
3) Bought a cheap ebay boroscope camera and found key - out of reach and no obvious way to reach or extract up
4) The key was wedged next to the Gas Canister holder - so drilled a 4cm hole from inside the gas canister holder bay and extracted the key thorough that. Covered the hole with proprietary air tightness tape (similar to the tape that is in there already covering the gas tap attachment). Hole is invisible now, and provides a hatch should something else ever fall down there.

Lesson learned.

Well done ! Sounds an absolute nightmare which we experienced as well and in the process of key retrieval the owner of my skinny arm supplier lost her swatch watch and I had to buy her another.
In view the Cali was hired there was no way I could drill and inspection hole but perhaps that's the Mod that VW should apply to such a ridiculous design...really good side ways thinking for retrieval.so much so we bough an Ocean in the end Certainly something to be aware of for Beach owners.

 

[Corradobrit]

Might be worth packing something porous down there to retain anything that falls behind. Could be a life and arm saver.