This is a very important video and I hope VW get to see it. Having had a 6.1 and a grand 600, we can confirm that the vans we have had have come with their own list of problems, some of which have been serious. If VW are going to charge upwards of £80,000 for their products, then I am afraid their attention to detail needs to improve. We have experienced what amounts to shoddy workmanship and neglect with the vans we have had. I am pleased you have exposed the issues you have had. If VW want to maintain the sales and reputation they have, they would be well advised to take heed of your video, because the consumers are watching. Thank you again.

@CampervanTime

2 жыл бұрын

Fingers crossed! We absolutely love VW and the California, and more importantly OUR T6.1 too. These issues haven’t put us off but it would have been lovely to have one that is fault free.

@vamboroolz1612

2 жыл бұрын

I have had a t6 for three years and can confirm that vw had abysmal customer service since day one. I had the chance to get an extended warranty package that included servicing and mot at a very good price. Since all visits to vw were so poor, I decided not to take up the extended warranty even though it would probably have been more cost effective to have taken it. I am content that it was the right decision as the dealerships genuinely do not care about you once they have your money and will treat you with contempt in my experience.

@kevinwillis6707

10 ай бұрын

could be worse....could be a land rover...

As usual, great video. We just picked up our Cali after >1 year wait, very happy and just back from our first weekend. Happy to report that we haven't seen any of these problems in our very short experience. Cheers

@CampervanTime

2 жыл бұрын

Great stuff, that’s great news

Great video guys. Isn't it amazing what slips through when the vehicles are being developed. Keep smiling

@CampervanTime

2 жыл бұрын

Yes absolutely, but we suppose they are complicated things so difficult to really test every single thing before customer handover.

Our T6.1 Kombi LWB is under conversion as I type - mega excited, fingers crossed we don't experience the same problems, but at least we are forewarned, thank you again, Sarah and Will, and all the very best with your recovery from the loss of Lucy, it takes time, it's something that cannot be described to those that have never lost a beloved pet, and member of the family.. We hope to be on the road by middle of August in our Campervan, with an inaugural week long trip in September, can't wait. Thank you, again xx

@CampervanTime

2 жыл бұрын

Fantastic! Great to hear it’s being converted now, so not long to wait. Thank you for your kind words too :)

Great video, thank you! I have a T6 transporter conversion and was really grateful for your video about the diesel particulate filter because although I do not have all the warning lights etc of the T6.1 one thing that happens is the mid cycle stuff, the van wont do the normal engine cut out and then if you switch off it makes an awful loud fan noise for some time! From watching your video i now don’t switch off but wait for it to cut out, problem solved! Although van is supposed to be good for everyday use if i do more that 3-4 short trips it kicks off next trip.

@CampervanTime

2 жыл бұрын

Great, glad it has helped your understanding. Short trips are a pain for modern diesels but if you know what it's doing then that's half the battle!

Thanks guys! Fortunately, we got lucky on those problems, but we had our own. I wanted to thank you for the videos especially the BBQ, projector and importantly how much beer you can fit in the fridge segment. The projector is amazing, it’s like having a home cinema in the van. I would never have thought about it otherwise and had been surviving on an iPad. Cheers!

@CampervanTime

2 жыл бұрын

You’re very welcome, glad they have been helpful.

We have had our Coast for four months and have noticed the fridge switching off a couple of times. Due to watching your videos i always allow a re,gen to do its thing. Thanks for the video as always the info is great.

@CampervanTime

2 жыл бұрын

You're welcome!

Another great video thank you again. I've had my 6.1 for 11 months now. I've been lucky I think so far. I had the SOS issue in April but quick trip to dealer it was fixed. A minor issue was the sliding unit against window for wardrobe. Again dealer fixed at the same time as SOS issue. Interesting point about the fridge this happened to us on a recent trip which I noticed by chance and my wife and I had the conversation ' did you switch off the fridge'! I made the assumption I must have done by mistake😂. I will now be watching that light more carefully in future.

Supercool overviews guys, thx a lot! You make lifes of thousands a lot easier! Das Auto must ❤ you with some serious benefits

hi wil had the same problem with the ignition on the gas rings. great video very informative.

Thanks for another helpful vid - we only got our Cali last week and hopefully it will all be fine but nice to have a heads up on solutions to potential issues! First trip we’ve booked is Etties Field thanks to your recommendation 😀

@CampervanTime

2 жыл бұрын

Brilliant stuff! Congrats on the new Cali and hope you enjoy Etties Field 👍👍👍

A wonderful, wonderful presentation. I will be driving down from Scotland tomorrow (14.9.23) to collect my 6.1 in Preston. Hopefully VW have 'ironed out' these issues. Cheers. Big Stoozer.

Another great video, thanks. Our main T6.1 issue has been with the flaky electronics especially the infotainment/gps so far VW have replaced the antenna and loom for the system and things have improved some what but not perfect. Our radio also likes to turn on randomly which I put down to being possessed.

@CampervanTime

2 жыл бұрын

I hope the radio hasn't turned on randomly at night!?!

@davidletts6423

2 жыл бұрын

@@CampervanTime fortunately only while driving, still it make you jump!

Informative video. Goid work !

A good list to keep an eye on. We picked ours up last week and SO FAR the only issue is the side assist for lanes does not work. We had the same on a hire van last year so turned off. Same here - only picked up one lane on the motorway and then when driving it decided we were driving down the middle of a line and asked us to get back in lane. Off. Once we have a small list of warranty issues will get booked in. On inspection we only noticed two other things - first was some rust spots on the rock and roll frame as seen from back with head in the boot and the second, which we all will have, is two bits of cheap tape in the pop top roof area that cover two sharp edges of the frame near the front on the sides. It looks cheap and nasty and it is - will replace with thicker duck tape and what it needs is a proper plastic clip to cover the sharp edge. So far, so good - but, early doors.

@CampervanTime

2 жыл бұрын

Sounds like you've got a pretty good one there!

I had the SOS button “visit workshop” error and the profiles not loading - Had the SOS control module replaced and a software upgrade under warranty and touch wood, all ok. Apart from the dopey sat nav which some times says turn right, when the arrow on the screen is correctly indicating a left turn. I also have a lengthy round trip to the dealer, so when the spring on the bed board sheared off which causes the the mechanism to jump out of the rails. I fixed it with a more robust retaining spring! All the other issues I had were how to type problems, sorted out thanks to your very informative videos 👍

@CampervanTime

2 жыл бұрын

Fingers crossed it stays that way for you! Glad our videos have helped 👍

Thanks again for the video. Good stuff. I have experienced some problems with my Cali T6.1, not really very satisfactory for a >£70k vehicle! * SOS Failure - dealer visit to sort the software * Loading User Profile - dealer visit and software update installed (it took two days!) * Fridge switch off - happened a couple of times, usually when I've plugged the EHU back in after a day out. It addition I have had the 240v AC inverter socket replaced. In the first one I didn't work at all, the second one doesn't seem to grip the plug very well. Not going to bother with it any more, I've sorted my 240v off-grid supply using an Ecoflow River Pro. I've pointed my dealership at your channel too. 😀

@CampervanTime

2 жыл бұрын

😬🫣 dare we ever go in a dealership again ?!!! 🤣

Wow, I thought that VW were supposed to be premium vans. Glad I bought a LWB Fiat Talento and had it fully converted. No issues with mine. This must be why there is no SOS button in mine, it doesn't need one. Loving it !

@CampervanTime

2 жыл бұрын

It seems to be a little random, some people have no issues, some have some...

@stelmara111

2 жыл бұрын

@@CampervanTime For sure, for reasons VW should explain it seems their QC is somewhat wanting on the T6.1 Californnia's, almost as if they're taking their customers for granted.

Great info again thanks guys. Going back to the cloth tape from the previous video- I have hunted & asked & can’t for the life of me find it- can you clarify what it’s called? & where I might find it.? Tia.

@CampervanTime

2 жыл бұрын

Sure - it's here: amzn.to/3NHtEFY

Very good vid, one of the best info about T6.1. In German I didn't find anything compareable

Thanks great video as always 🙂. I’m afraid to say we’ve had the fridge randomly switching off. It’s happened twice but I was still putting it down to a coincidence. Interesting that you and others have had the same gremlin. I’ll definitely be keeping a closer eye on the light.

@CampervanTime

2 жыл бұрын

Yep, it doesn't help that I have no idea what causes it. Don't think it's low voltage as when ours did it we were on hookup the night before. Unless the whole panel reset itself and we didn't notice?!

@adrianinga1769

2 жыл бұрын

@@CampervanTime My only link was that it occurred on some of the hottest days last summer when we were touring (not the most helpful time for a fridge to turn off). It’s not really happened since and I wondered whether there may be a thermal cut off, when the van was left unattended in the sun(?) but I’m just guessing.

@CampervanTime

2 жыл бұрын

@@adrianinga1769 could be, but ours cut out when we were in the Outer Hebrides and it wasn’t that hot 😩. Who knows !!

@davidbartlett7705

Жыл бұрын

Just ‘found’ you and thanks for great vid. Picked up our spanking new 6.1 one month ago and fridge has turned itself off few times already-guess should take back to dealer?

You got your van about a week after I got mine. At the risk of tempting fate, I haven’t been quite as unlucky as you with faults. Had some build issues (wrong tyres fitted, rear a/c panel fitted upside down) but haven’t experienced squeaks and rattles or the oil issue. I had the SOS button problem and also slow profile load but both of those seem to have been resolved after a fairly large over the air software update. Keeping fingers crossed! No fridge or camping control panel issues either.

@CampervanTime

2 жыл бұрын

Great! Glad to hear your bits and bobs are sorting themselves out. Quite how they could fit the rear AC panel upside down is still beyond my comprehension !!

Thanks for this. Just placed an order for an Ocean!🤔. This will be part of my pre acceptance inspection.

@CampervanTime

2 жыл бұрын

You’ll be fine I’m sure - they’re great and don’t let any of this put you off

@colinsavidge9121

2 жыл бұрын

@@CampervanTime Well, they have a year to get it right! 😀

@CampervanTime

2 жыл бұрын

@@colinsavidge9121 😆

Good sleuthing, tips, and smiles

@CampervanTime

2 жыл бұрын

Glad you like them!

We've also had the fridge switch off a couple of times and can't work out why. We wondered if it happened when we had put it in camping mode but then turned the ignition on to put it on the ramps but just grasping at straws really. It's very annoying so if you find out any more on this one please share. Thanks for the video.

@CampervanTime

2 жыл бұрын

We’ll keep investigating !

I think the hob starter button problem is very common, basically it's pants, ours works but we have a battery powered lighter as a backup and for our gas BBQ.

Great video - recognise most of them. Any idea what the reset is on the radio when you have the version with no manual buttons?

@CampervanTime

2 жыл бұрын

I am sure I've seen it somewhere, will check and post back. Have you tried pressing and holding the power symbol for 10+ seconds and seeing if it resets?

@jdh_images

2 жыл бұрын

@@CampervanTime oh yes, tried pressing most parts of the screen.

Thanks, the t6.1 has to many electronics and problems, sorry to see, t6 was less fancy but better 😀 and a nicer dasch 👍

@CampervanTime

2 жыл бұрын

Agree! Some of the camping stuff is better in the T6.1 but the T6 seems to have been built better and has a MUCH nicer dashboard, that's very true. We miss it!

Thanks ❤ Best wishes ❤

i must you are very patient - if i'd paid as much as they charge i would be seriously complaining and having the dealership paying my petrol! good video but now i'm thinking twice about buying

@CampervanTime

Жыл бұрын

Don't let it put you off. We are picky and most of these things are easy fixes at home and just quick niggles that can happen on any vehicle. Since we posted this video we've had ZERO issues at all.

Just out of interest can the reverse camera be left on even when driving forward so to monitor anything being towed? ( trailer with scooter).

@CampervanTime

2 жыл бұрын

Unfortunately not, no. Some other cars we've had can do this (Tesla, for example) but not the VW. Not sure if the Carista can code it to do it perhaps. Haven't had a look at that.

I have a 2018 caravelle with 60 k miles. It had a new gearbox at 2 years old, the electric doors have issues and the aircon has failed. The gearbox has issues again now! Without a good warranty I wouldn’t touch a vw with a barge pole.

@CampervanTime

Жыл бұрын

Oh dear that doesn't sound good at all. In fairness our faults haven't been that bad really - certainly nothing like what you've experienced.

Did you ever get the fridge resolved and if so what was the problem? Have a similar issue here, very random, but unfortunately when it goes into the dealership it tends to behave itself !

@CampervanTime

Жыл бұрын

Has never done it again, so I can only assume it was a bit of a one off teething hiccup. Sorry I can't be of any more help 😞

I’ve just picked up a 6 month old ex demo California Ocean. Is the bed supposed to make a ratcheting sound when moving. Also the lever to release the bed is extremely hard to operate. Not convinced this is correct.

@CampervanTime

Жыл бұрын

HI - you are right, this is not how it should be. You should be able to pull the lever up and when sitting on the bed roll it forward with no noises. If you are trying to move the bed whilst standing outside and not sitting on it, the bench can sometimes be more difficult because it twists a bit and makes it harder to run in the rails. Given it's so new I'd get it back to the dealer under warranty to be checked out. I've seen inside the bench mechanisms and they are complicated with many levers and springs etc. It could be one just isn't seated right.

@amandasutton1839

Жыл бұрын

@@CampervanTime thanks so much!! I will do that. Best wishes Amanda

Thank you for the video! What do they say, "If it is bad in the beginning, it will be bad in the end." Bummer.

Sorry for your loss

@CampervanTime

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you ❤️

Hi, another problem which seems to be a one off as I’ve not found any comments about it. I’m away in my VW Ocean and sleeping in the pop top. When pulling down the “ceiling” to make the bed last night it made a clunking noise. This morning I tried to raise the base (ceiling), and it completely twisted ! It’s actually snagged the side of the pop top. Is this a fault you’ve heard about before? Im phoning dealer!!!

@CampervanTime

11 ай бұрын

Ouch, that’s not something we’ve heard of at all I’m afraid - hope you can get it sorted!

We have the T5, and I can say the issue with the door handle goes back to 2015 too! Our sliding door does the same this. It feels like it is locked still, but if you try it 3, 4, 5 times it catches, and eventually opens. Definitely a job for someone that knows what they are doing though!! We have had a number of different issues in ours, so I think perhaps may steal this idea and highlight our troubles from our van! Great video!!

@CampervanTime

2 жыл бұрын

Steel away! Sorry to hear you’ve had issues with yours too. I think it’s just how they are. Not many cars/vans out there with no issues at all from new I think !

Anyone who thinks paying £80k for a camper just because it's called a "California" must have a screw loose, The overhype really is ridiculous, I've had 3 custom built vw transporters all made to my exact needs & specifications , never had a single issue or complaint & all cost substantially less than a "California" "beach" "coast" "grand California" Good luck with your future ownership guys you deserve so much better than you've had so far!! 🤞👍

@CampervanTime

2 жыл бұрын

We do love ours and the one we had before but we’re not blind to their issues too. We’ve seen some amazing conversions with fantastic quality fittings also. 👍 nice to have a choice.

Wow on a van that cost 60k not worth the money

It isn’t just VWs though. We have an Autosleeper Air camper (bought beginning on June) and have a few issues. The first was on driving home from the dealers we got a ‘Service due’ warning. 😂. Shortest service interval ever as it had done less than 100 miles. We now have an issue with the blind on the back window and, more importantly, with the catches for the rising roof SCA roof as one is misaligned and doesn’t ‘catch’ and the other is too slack - it’s a worry.

@CampervanTime

2 жыл бұрын

Sorry to hear that, hope you manage to get things sorted out soon.

Hey Will / Sarah, just curious if you have seen the fridge issue anymore? We are just back from a 9 day trip. Fridge switch off 3 times during the trip. First occasion was not on EHU but had plenty of battery life left. 2nd & 3rd times were were on EHU and each time it powered off, coincided with a press of the control panel knob just to wake the panel up, which is slight disconcerting. Admittedly we had some pretty hot weather and the fridge would have been working hard. Just watched your Cuckoo Fen video and wondered if you had the fridge issue again during the hot weather. Thanks in advance and keep the content coming. Great stuff.

@CampervanTime

Жыл бұрын

Hi! No we haven't actually. We noticed it once or twice on our outer Hebrides trip but since then it has worked perfectly on and off EHU for multiple day long trips. Really not sure what would have caused it the first few times but we suspect it might just have been the voltage level in the battery dipping temporarily for something (heater kicking in maybe?) and as the batteries were new at that point they might not have had enough charge cycles to work at their optimum. Unfortunately it sounds like it might be a dealer question on yours :(

@stuarthall4117

Жыл бұрын

@@CampervanTime That's good to know. Thanks for the update. We'll just monitor for now and see how things go. Take care

SOS warning, Oil level to high, already a problem also with my T6.1 Van. Never had this problem with my previous T6. Since a few days from now, also owner of a brand new T6.1 California Ocean. Hopely this problems are solved.

Haha, that windows clunking noise is on my 2016 T6 as well. The exact same thing noise.

@CampervanTime

2 жыл бұрын

Really need to get ours booked in!

I’m outside now fixing my T6 Ocean because some twat at VW saw fit to make an awning of glued 2 parts fabric, guaranteed to melt and come apart in the sun. And it’s happened twice. Spending hours gluingt it. Absolute shocker they thought that would be ok and save them the time ordering a more costly 1 piece fabric (that T6.1 now has) Muppets. Glad I’m upgrading to an Elddis CV 80 soon.

Had the same issue with the Ignitor on the Gas Hob......initially it was confusing because one side worked and the other didn't.

@CampervanTime

Жыл бұрын

That's odd! Glad you sorted it though.

Is it normal that there is an engine cover as seen in #9 of the video? Ours was delivered without one and all the complex stuff is fully exposed.

@CampervanTime

Жыл бұрын

Ours was delivered with it, so no idea if they have now deleted perhaps?

I used to think that Herbie was a joke however 6 months on from owning a VW van I am convinced they have a mind of there own

@CampervanTime

2 жыл бұрын

🤣

Great video again. We have had our van 18 months and discovered that the pop top roof sags on one side after it's been up a couple of days. I've had it into 2 VW dealerships and neither one has sorted it. The first one said they have to see it actually sagging before they can fix it. I left it with them all day and the said the roof didn't drop. When I took it to the second dealer, I left it for a week and they reckoned it didn't drop? I am really frustrated going backwards and forwards at my inconvenience and cost. Still isn't cured and I think I will probably have to live with it. I'd be interested to know if anyone has had this experience /issue?

@CampervanTime

2 жыл бұрын

I have heard of this happening to people before but we haven’t had that fault. Worth a post or two on the Facebook groups or club forum for advice 👍

@glennblundell976

2 жыл бұрын

@@CampervanTime Thanks you for your advice, I will try that. I've also had 3 of the same problems you encountered too. I am a little disappointed, considering how much the van cost and it appears to be common problems. The dealer was not aware of any of them, which I find strange? Thanks again.

@CampervanTime

2 жыл бұрын

Hope you manage to get things sorted out 👍

@stelmara111

2 жыл бұрын

Sounds like a pretrty poor show from VW, one should not be having problems like this given the cost of the California, VW you can and should do better.

@glennblundell976

2 жыл бұрын

@@stelmara111 Thank you very much. I know, I am very disappointed with VW, luckily the warranty still has another 2 years left but I am still not confident they will sort it.

Thanks for this. TenderBeat wants to buy California as tourbus in Europe, but after this video, we gonna think twice 😉😊

@CampervanTime

8 ай бұрын

Don't let it put you off. They are complicated things and our faults were all pretty minor really.

My t6.1 was called back for a problem in the doors! My window when putting it up would go up a bit and then back down. Would take a few attempts to get it to close. Van went back and they replaced what ever it was and now its perfect. Maybe you have same problem

@CampervanTime

2 жыл бұрын

Could possibly be. We really do need to get it booked in for them to take a look at it.

Nr 9, sounds familiar! 😁👍

@CampervanTime

2 жыл бұрын

Oh dear, poor you!

Having a T6 Camper (which was a Kombi before being converted) that has been faultless during its 35,000 miles, I find this video more than a little disturbing as I have been looking more and more at getting a T6.1 California Ocean! Nothing wrong with 'Cherry' my T6 (I just like the thought of getting the latest etc). After watching this video I'll stick with what I have as she's great and no matter where we go people always come up and say nice things (until the next time I think of changing it) :) As an aside, I suspect if VW were a Japanese company and they made a Campervan I doubt anyone would have hardly any issues with their Campervan if any at all.

@pauldavies7251

2 жыл бұрын

Just a little advice I'd stay well clear of the California, beach,ocean type of vans, The build quality of the interiors is an absolute embarrassment , I'd stick with your custom built van, I'm a big fan of the transporter scene & it still baffles me why people spend £80k on what is a poor product with a famous "California" badge 👍

are these transporters basically the same as multivans regarding everything under the bonnet?

@CampervanTime

Жыл бұрын

yep!

We have had the thing with the fridge turning off. Also the sensor in the waste water tank has never worked since day one.

@airseen_uk

2 жыл бұрын

Pretty sure the sensor for waste water only tells you when the tank is full rather than how full it is.

@danielheywood2660

2 жыл бұрын

@@airseen_uk ahh ok I’ve dumped a good 3/4 of the fresh water in to it to check it. Maybe I’ll do the full tank to see if it registers. Thanks for the info Nick

@CampervanTime

2 жыл бұрын

Nick Bennett is exactly right - it is a 'on or off' type sensor, rather than one like in the main water tank level that is a float. Try filling the waste water to the max and it should register full just before it actually is. If you look at the back wall under the sink, that's the waste water so you can probably see a physical level in it too.

Had a lot of these electronic issues with our brand new VW T Roc

There is a recall for the door cables & software update for the SOS & Radio / SatNav freeze.

@CampervanTime

2 жыл бұрын

Good to know 👍

At least it’s better than my 2year old Volvo XC40. Crankshaft, thrust bearing and clutch all gone at 20,000miles. Now buying. T6.1 Beach!

The factory slide widows need regular furniture spray to keep em smooth to be honest the aftermarket ones operate better even with the obvious rebate Door hinge rollers need regular creasing Guess your wash wipe bottle is the same size as a coke can lol Anyway enjoy the vibe guys

@CampervanTime

2 жыл бұрын

Yep, agree with all of that !!

@dinkydaz6711

2 жыл бұрын

@Minimal give it a go it smells nice lol Anyway there should be a bigger wash wipe bottle by rights the Euro 6 engine is in Can’t believe the size of it you could almost pick it up and hug it

Thanks for your usefull faults awards ! On my side , after 28 000 kms ( around 17 K miles ? ) i confirm SOS system fault , in hazardous way ( led becomes red ) . Also i noticed since our last Trip in June that Pop up roof could slighty goes down ( only few centimeters ) during camping on pitch . is it defect from 1 hydraulic cylinder ? or Sensor closing roof in fault ? we'll check after our August vacations because no particular problem enjoying sleeping bed . we only take care raising roof again before new push down action . Also i warn you about stupid thing happened during Oil checking : i lost Oil cap from hands and directly dropped down under Engine and mechanics ... stupid i am !! and hold back again after 2 hours was adventure , trust me ...

@CampervanTime

2 жыл бұрын

We’ve had the roof go down very slightly too (1cm or so) but we put that down to the big temperature changes between 30c daytime and 10c at night. We just pressed the button to put it back up again and it was fine. Happened over 48 hour period. Oil cap - YES! We did drop ours by accident in the engine bay on our old T6 California and it landed on the engine undertray while we were away. I then didnt have any tools and couldn’t see it so had to call roadside assistance to get it out for me! Thankfully no charge!!

@benlamachine4042

2 жыл бұрын

@@CampervanTime thanks for Feedback about Roof . Forgot to say i totally agree with Sarah's experience about DISCOVER MEDIA , less friendly that "old" Colombus i had in my previous 2015 SUPERB ... Details only because Driving experience this T6.1 and average consumption ( only 7.3 per 100 kms ) are absolutely outstanding !

@CampervanTime

2 жыл бұрын

Yes agree - the T6.1 does drive better (somehow) than the T6 we had before. The DSG gearbox mapping is better too, much smoother now.

Have had my Petrol California for four years without any issues.

@CampervanTime

2 жыл бұрын

Fantastic! We had a 204 TSI T6 Ocean lent to us for about 6 weeks by VW and we loved the quiet smooth engine and DSG. 👍

I've actually had need to press that SOS button. I came across a biker that had come off at some speed. The guy was starfished on the side of the road not moving and his bike was a good hundred yards down the road on it's side. It doesn't directly call the emergency services it goes through to some call centre who then call the the emergency services on your behalf and give them your details. It was like a 3 way conference call and they were faffing around giving them my info which wasn't relevant to the emergency because I wasn't involved in the crash I just happened on it seconds after it happened. I've not run into the issue with that system but it might be interesting when I go and do the NC500 because signal is pretty patchy up in the Highlands

@CampervanTime

2 жыл бұрын

Interestingly we didn't have any issues at all with ours in the Outer Hebrides, but we did also have fantastic 4G mobile data when we were up there too surprisingly. Will be an interesting test in the highlands.

@binky_bun

Жыл бұрын

@@CampervanTime So I did the NC500 and had no problems with the SOS thing and I drove across the Swiss Alps in September but now I've just been pottering around Nottinghamshire that SOS fault has reared it's ugly head. I've tried doing the thing where you press the button and cancel it and nothing, I pressed the button and didn't cancel it and the call connected but it seemed to connect the the standard 999 handling place rather than the VW 3 way call thing so I just told them my van was on the blink and it was in error and they said OK and hung up. There's no issues with signal. It being winter I've not been far from home and most of Notts is pretty well covered. I just tried pulling the fuse (number 50 from the diagram on t6 forums) and the fuse looks fine so I put it back hoping it might force a reset but no dice. I'm going to call VW tomorrow and see what they say but it's probably going to have to go in. The only other issue I had was in Switzerland and the radio started boot looping which was very annoying. I looked up the nearest dealership on my route which was in the town of Chur and with the help of google translate explained the issue to them and they got it straight in and fixed it for me that morning. The other issue was a few weeks back where a few plastic clips broke off that hold the exhaust manifold heat shield in place. Called the dealerships in Nottingham and Derby and neither would book it in within a month. The thing was banging around in the wind under the van so I took it to the VW car dealership in Mansfield and just asked if they'd have a quick look. They put a couple of self tappers in it and I was on my way but I'm not going to bother ringing to book in again I'm just going to show up. Service from main dealers in the UK has been terrible. Switzerland was a totally different experience. I'm going to call the VW support number tomorrow because I know if I call a dealer they'll just want to book me in and it'll be a month of waiting for someone to look at it then probably another month if it needs a part.

How lucky for you to get this vehicle. VW doesn’t import this vehicle in the USA. So I can’t have the California in California. :(.

Your door handle and window issue are from when the vehicle has been opened while the vehicle has been in cold conditions eg frozen over and the window opened causing the grips to slip, door handle yanked. No doubt a rushing technician or sales rep when moving the vehicle. Did you purchase in the winter? Our VW T6 has had a new alternator, currently the sliding door doesn’t unlock every click and has just had a new steering rack due to a power steering leak. AA called out x4 times in 11 months, van has 2500 miles on the clock. Oh and it was reserved into on their forecourt due to a handbrake being left off by one of the mechanics of another customers vehicle.

@CampervanTime

2 жыл бұрын

Oh no!!! Ours was a May build and July delivery so no, not in winter. My understanding is that there was a batch of faulty Bowden cables that caused the issues.

Another random fridge shutdown here! So far in the 5 trips we’ve done, it’s happened twice, the first time with a full fridge of not so cold food - it may have been a number of hours. The second time when we were preparing the van for a trip, if turned itself off during the night. Both times the van has not been on mains power. I’ve picked up elsewhere that the fridge turns off if the leisure battery output drops below 11.5 volts, such as when a heavy load is applied. Also noticed when starting the fridge in a warm environment the leisure battery drops from 60 hours down to 18 hours capacity or less, indicating the high initial load. If you then turn the fridge off, the readout goes back up to 60 hours, so the display is predicting the capacity due to the instantaneous load.

@CampervanTime

2 жыл бұрын

Great info, I wonder if the low voltage might have done it then? I think we might have been using the parking heater too, which I know puts a big load on the leisure batteries also, so maybe just a bit of a power dip for a few seconds was enough to turn it off. Who knows!

Oh god what a nightmare! My T5.1 has had 1 fault in 9 years!! And that was easily sorted. Other than T6/6.1 being noticeably quieter and marginaly more economical on diesel I'm not a fan myself. An RAC bloke who lives near me says T5.1 is far more reliable. Particularly the 140ps version

@CampervanTime

2 жыл бұрын

The T5.1 is a lovely model, it’s a keeper!!

@nickellingham1764

2 жыл бұрын

@@CampervanTime she's my every day electrician work van and car.....then makeshift camper on occasions. She has looked after me exceptionally well!! Only thing I hate is the cup holder 😆. 136,000 miles and only had to replace a starter motor.....some expensive bad stuff to come soon enough I'm sure! Exhaust outer case rusted off a few weeks ago but doesn't matter in told. Hacksaw sorted itv out. It's only a sacrificial outercasing aparantly..I got a bit worried when it was scraping on the road at first!!

@CampervanTime

2 жыл бұрын

Oh nothing quite like the metallic scraping noise of shame driving along with everyone looking at you! Great service life really from the exhaust at that mileage and age 👍

@nickellingham1764

2 жыл бұрын

@@CampervanTime I've been using the more expensive premium diesel for last year or so and I feel it's worth it. I get roughly 50 miles extra per tank and performance is noticeably improved. Some long dual carriageway hills I would always have to change down to 5th but fly up them now in 6th...even with the van full of cable and tools. It's probably an average camper weight all the time. I changed tyres to contivan200s and they last over 3 x longer. Used to have quite wide and soft continental tyres on her which she came with but fronts wore out about 8000-10000 miles. They don't look quite as cool but it's a compromise I'm OK with during the cost of living crisis years !

@CampervanTime

2 жыл бұрын

Interesting tests! We’re thinking about swapping our conti-van tyres (215/60/17) tyres for some 235/55/17 tyres as we had them on the last van and felt they were a bit more comfy and less noisy.

Oh dear what have I let myself in for. Just ordered a new T6.1. Am I giving up my faithful 15 year old Toyota Rav 4 which has never missed a beat and replacing it with a whole lot of trouble. Hope not.

@CampervanTime

Жыл бұрын

No I doubt it - the vast majority will have no faults whatsoever and I'm sure you will be fine. Hope the wait isn't too long for you.

Your SOS and Radio issues are related - there is a known VW/Audi issue with software - whilst reboots can temp fix - it is a known issue and I had it all with my Q3 - dealer put me down for the software update which I had to wait 6 months for - now all done and since the software update - zero SOS/SatNav/Radio failure issues. FYI

@CampervanTime

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks, Will ask the dealer when we talk to them about the window

oil level warning on my van since new! vw dealer does not know how to fix, always tell me to drive more longer distance?? I drive longue distance all the time!!!

@CampervanTime

Жыл бұрын

Have you watched our videos about that?

@louisfroment1879

Жыл бұрын

@@CampervanTime Hi there I did and understand your reasoning on it but was hoping VW to fix under guarantee😒 now the garantie is gone and still not fix , they have a note in their system in case some update from mother ship ever happen??? time to take matters in my own hand and watch again your video on it😄 thanks a mill

We picked up our van in May 2021, the worst problem to date which we are still living with (Despite VW keep promising there's a software update coming...!!!) is that whilst driving in cruise, the dash remains in mph but the road sign recognition randomly swaps to kmp, if you are in the outside lane overtaking, the van thinks you are undertaking and automatically breaks... Not nice and positively dangerous, you can override by accelerating but it depends on your reflex's how quickly you can override the van

@CampervanTime

2 жыл бұрын

Interesting, not heard of that one before. It's obviously swapping to kmh / European driving settings for some reason. Is that a setting in the dash for continental driving or something like that?

@CampervanTime

2 жыл бұрын

I should have said that on an Audi S3 I had it used to switch this kind of stuff automatically when we went to Europe mainland, then back again when we came back. Is the GPS / satnav all ok ?

@martinraethorn6181

2 жыл бұрын

@@CampervanTime No EU settings, VW (Aberdeen) have plenty of explanations but no solutions apart from the mythical software update that will happen at some point

@martinraethorn6181

2 жыл бұрын

@@CampervanTime Satnav works fine, I watched your video on Carista (Door alarm settings). I purchased but haven't actually used it, however I did look and there were some settings I thought might fix it but I was too cowardly to try - lol

@martinraethorn6181

2 жыл бұрын

PS, Love the videos, keep them coming even though it costs me a fortune...

its sad to see but some people have luck with the van ans some like you dont i have an transporter t5 2.5 tdi 174 4 motion 2005 with 763.xxxkm on it im first owner only thing i had was the turbo on 380xxx something 2014 and the head, injections on 427xxx and now no problems i have face lift it my self i bought an crash vw t6 i have put everything from the 6 in mine and some smoll tings that i fix my self rubbers interior thingys but love my van no hate to transporters t5 or t6 from me

guess i'll be looking for a transit camper.. VW quality and reliability has really dropped off the past 10 years or so..

As someone who is exploring the new camper van market, your video is informative, but also very concerning. It’s disappointing the build quality of these very expensive vans is so poor. There also seems to be a question mark over the competency of VW service staff.

@CampervanTime

Жыл бұрын

Well it depends - none of the issues we had stopped us camping or driving around and the vast majority were simple to sort out. At least with a Cali you have one point of contact to work with and talk to (plus a 5yr warranty option for very little money when you buy a new van). Having had a lot of new cars over the years too, nearly all of them have had things that weren't right or needed fixing too, so these are no different. Remember that with other types of build (ie conversions) there may be other different things to consider. Have they been crash tested, how do they handle extremes of temperature (ie does stuff unstick/get brittle in hot/cold weather). The Mercedes Benz Marco Polo is converted by Westfalia for MB and Westfalia have a fantastic reputation. BUT, the Marco Polo has issues with the fibreglass roof having blisters on it, for example. These are all complex vehicles and relatively low volume, so a level of pragmatism is needed we think. Happy hunting and don't let any of this put you off as they're a great way to explore and have fun.

Hi, I’m surprised you are not more pissed! That price range car should be perfect. It obviously did not pass the quality control test and i would have requested an exchange. I know dealers do not do that, but all your faults should qualify as unacceptable! I hope you did not get the catastrophic bi turbo engine. Enjoy!!

@CampervanTime

Жыл бұрын

Well it would be easy to get frustrated about it but life is too short and we want to enjoy it. Most of the niggles we sorted ourselves reasonably easily. From everything we know it’s only the older 180hp bi-turbo engine that seems to have issues, not the 204/199 engine.

Really poor workmanship and so frustrating to have had so many issues on such an expensive vehicle. We’ve had our T6 California for just over 3 years, thankfully the only problem we’ve had was a ‘sticking’ rear seat which was easily sorted. Hope this is the end of your issues guys.

@CampervanTime

2 жыл бұрын

Let’s hope so, it’s been working well for us for the last few months really apart from the window which we still need to get sorted out. Our T6 had a few issues too though, but VERY pleased yours is good. We’re touching wood here for you to keep it that way!

You say it's a complex vehicle but van door handles, windows that open and close correctly and fitting passenger seats so the are safe and do not make annoying noises is pretty basic stuff, and that's almost half of the list.

@CampervanTime

2 жыл бұрын

That’s true - those things should just work.

Do you know if these are common with T6 as well? 👀

Only problem i have with this vid is that "check up there" isn implemented :D

SOS communication module error was finally sorted by vw newest software update, at the end of 2023.

This is sooooo VW. Those window issues... LoL. Been like that for 10 years? I bought a Sharan in 2012, never ever buying a VW-car again. VW-quality is just subpar now days. I can probably make a list of 20 things that broke on my car the first 5 years, including the engine (after 4 years and 50.000km!) It was replaced by insurance. WTF? I have lost most of my faith with VW. So even though this van looks tempting for me, I probably go for a small "traditional" RV, at least those brands have experience from building mobile homes that lasts.

@incognito7843

Жыл бұрын

But that roof bed tent solution is soooo sexy, LoL. I just Love it. But since I don't trust the build quality I will probably step up a pay grade level to Kabe Van 690 LB, but it alsmost one meter longer, so it will be problems at parking lots. Why can't anyone just make a 6 meter one man office plus small kitchen and one bed van?

My goodness, who was responsible for getting your van together?

hi guys you got a 6.1 cali and unfortunately you get a load of problems with them regards electrics👎 . i own a t6 ( not a cali camper ) but still not really had many faults .apart from a few blown bulbs probs created this problem myself as fitted led bulbs .not lasting very long ? but my friend who owns a 6.1 ( also not a cali) but he has had loads of faults regards vw electrics .esp with his stereo .? apparently vw was aware of this problem with his stereo but dont have a fix ? thats poor service . the 6.1 has not got very good reviews regards the electrics .😢 you would think a big worldwide company like vw would of sorted these kind of faults out considering they are the market leaders in campers ?

Our 2010 has been great mechanically but lots of the camper interior has broken a few times. The sliding curved cupboard doors are such a bad flimsy design. The cupboard lock buttons have broken and replacements aren't available.The worst one was when the lower bed got stuck in the down position whilst up in the outer hebrides. That was a nightmare.Oh, and the common roof rust issue had to be fixed twice. Wouldn't buy one again.

@CampervanTime

11 ай бұрын

They’re a complex vehicle with so many bits that have the potential to need attention over many years of use. They have been evolving the design in some areas over the years and we loved both of ours nonetheless.

All the van problems you have had im sorry to say are common problems with the 6.1 van i have a 20 plate and a 21 plate and we have had all the same faults the sos one is the biggest pain as the on point you do not say is when its in fault you also lost the mic for hands free as it uses this for sos, glade to say changing the sos unit dose fix this but there on back order and a long wait. BUT on the plus side the 20 plate that ia now 22 months old has hit 90K and has never mechanically let us down.

Shocking . What sort of pre delivery QUALITY checks dio these alleged Premium Dealers do !!!! I was considering a California/ Volkswagon but now ??

@CampervanTime

10 ай бұрын

Don't let our experience put you off - seriously. We wanted to give a full honest run down of our experience but these vehicles are complicated and therefore do have minor bits and bobs that may need attention. Maybe we're too forgiving or just happy to try to fix most things ourselves, but it hasn't bothered us really. You could take a look at other vans like the Westfalia Club Joker City, or if you would consider a Transit based van then the Ford Nugget or Westfalia Kelsey. Obviously there is the Mercedes Marco Polo too. All great options for mainstream conversions, but then there are so many other options too.

Please create a perfect campervan with no minor issue ^_^

@CampervanTime

Жыл бұрын

👍

If we would park our Passat next to your van, they will have lots and lots to talk about… 😆

@CampervanTime

11 ай бұрын

Oh dear!

Very serious issues at VW if they don't know how much oil goes into the engine.

I wouldn't buy a VW or VAG vehicle ever again! I had a brand new Golf last year and it kept ringing emergency breakdown. They said bring it in and we will fix it, they "fixed it" and I was happy. Then it happened again and again. I eventually got my money back and my finance was cancelled. I just don't know how such a well regarded brand has so many issues. They are so expensive and the issues are so frustrating

Not sure no 9 is a true fault - if I've understood you correctly, the van's oil level warning system works - it's human error at the garage.

Sounds like a poor PDI and aftersales. These dealers are awful..

@CampervanTime

2 жыл бұрын

Dunno. Are any other dealers any better? The door handle was a bit of a surprise but apart from that our issues have developed over the 11 months rather than all at the beginning.

u pays yer monies eh. how much are those things 80 grand or something. you'd think vw would buck their ideas up when people are spending nearly 100 grand on a thing with 4 wheels, doors, windows etc.

I have 2 vans never again... over priced rubbish

Most of the faults are basic poor quality production build and QC. For a premium priced van that is not acceptable. It seems that you are the not only VW 6.1 customer that has had problems. That plus expereince of commercial dealerships....puts me off buying one..

@CampervanTime

2 жыл бұрын

Unfortunately I am constantly surprised how much modern manufacturing seems to be dumbed down in terms of quality, both of QC and materials. I really do think we've seen 'peak car' in terms of quality of builds and materials used. So many manufacturers I've had the pleasure of using cars and vehicles from recently feel worse than the model they were before. I think the only exception to that recently is the Kia/Hyundai group which are rapidly improving their quality.

Good vid, a bit whingey though.

Omg this is horrendous

I must say it’s very poor quality are you vw guys just too nice people to accept this rubbish ? There are plenty of decent vans around ! I personally think they are taking you for mugs ! Just imagine the crap quality you can’t see ! On the plus I do like your vid and hope vw look after you although what happened to quality control 🙂I used to pass the vw campers and think nice van now a lot of people pass and think rubbish👍👍

@CampervanTime

2 жыл бұрын

I’m consistently disappointed with the build quality, materials and QC of many different car manufacturers these days, no-one (except maybe one or two) seem to be actually interested in improving things in that regard. I presume that the offset of the cost of tech going into vehicles (screens for everything, safety systems, mandatory EU fit items etc) must be offset in part by savings elsewhere.

VW are adding too many features which complicates simple van life. Tech for tech’s sake is something that I hope vanishes.

And you folks can laugh about it? I would've set than van on fire and crashed it back thru their showroom floor.

@CampervanTime

Жыл бұрын

Yes we need to laugh about it otherwise we’d get grumpy, frustrated and resent it. Not too sure there is anything that would be much better though…

@overdafalls26

Жыл бұрын

@@CampervanTime Strangle the Sales people.

German quality