[toucanspeed]

Whilst changing to winter tyres this weekend I noticed all the undershiled had been ripped off. Its a T5.1 2012 kombi.

Just wondering whether I just replace them and take the hit or complain to vw that they weren't fit for purpose. Don't know what other people think? I've never been off road or hit the bottom on anything, can only be standing water.

 

[bigcat]

All the plastics, or is just the engine tray missing ? Not all GP s have an engine undertray, it's an extra I think. You probably know this, so sorry if i'm stating it and not helping.
When we got ours at 3 years old, the front section beneath the pass seat was missing, looks as though it had been driven into a rut roadside as there was grass and mud all over the fuel tank too. Cheap enough to replace, but a bit of a faff to refit.

 

[toucanspeed]

I have the engine undershield, its the bits behind each front wheel going half way to the back. Spoke to the dealership and they have said it's very unlikely that VW will replace under warranty.

My point being none of my other vag cars have ever done this, if the plastic was thicker then it wouldn't have occurred.

I'll update when I get a definitive answer but I think it will be a no. I just wanted to see what other people thought.

 

[triffic]

IMO there is a major design flaw specifically relating to the nearside undershield, which is a huge bucket waiting to be filled with water and ripped off by the weight. The design is not so bad where they drive on the right, but over here it's on the kerb side where deep puddles are much more likely. I try where possible to slow right down if I can't avoid one, though that does tend to annoy following car drivers...

I doubt you will get VW to acknowledge it as a design fault, though!

 

[Lional7]

Are these the ones that are damaged ?

If so, I have replaced the left hand one twice and the right hand once in just over a year, VW wont replace them under warranty, they are utter rubbish, but I have a heater fitted under the van, so need some protection for that.

 

[toucanspeed]

Yup looks like them. One n/s one o/s.

I don't think they are fit for purpose. They don't fail on other vag cars and are supposed to protect the underside.

I do intend to argue the case

 

[Lional7]

Good luck, hope you have better luck with vw. If mine fail again, Im going to skin the new ones in aluminium sheeting!!!

 

[TimR123]

...recently found my 2011 was missing nearside front & engine undertray. Now sorted! TPS reckoned my van didnt have the side trays (above) but the brackets were in evidence, battered and bent, so I went ahead and refit a replacement unit after getting the underside waxoyled ! they're loud without the under cladding...Running BFG's, they pick up stones alot and then fling them on the underside of the van. Without cladding, I kept thinking something catastrophic was occurring....!

 

[WickedVanz]

IMO there is a major design flaw specifically relating to the nearside undershield, which is a huge bucket waiting to be filled with water and ripped off by the weight. The design is not so bad where they drive on the right, but over here it's on the kerb side where deep puddles are much more likely. I try where possible to slow right down if I can't avoid one, though that does tend to annoy following car drivers...

I doubt you will get VW to acknowledge it as a design fault, though!

With all due respect i have two vans 160,000 and 240,000 miles respectively and the under shields and plastics are in near perfect condition.

Why is it deemed that VW have a design flaw???

 

[toucanspeed]

With all due respect i have two vans 160,000 and 240,000 miles respectively and the under shields and plastics are in near perfect condition.

Why is it deemed that VW have a design flaw???

Only thinking that i drive the van 'normally' ie on roads at the legal limits. As with any item you buy it should be of satisfactory quality and fit for purpose. If something breaks during 'normal' use then I think it's reasonable to assume that its not fit for purpose.

Are your vans lowered? (mine was done by the dealer at purchase) maybe that's the reason? Maybe I do more country lanes with standing water or something but I still think it should cope. My driving habits haven't changed much in the 30 years (ok maybe I drive slower now) I've been driving in dozens of cars including quite a few VAG's, none of those had a problem.

I don't really think things should fall off an new van within a year on 'normal' roads.

Besides, they are shields and there for a reason (to protect the underside) they should be able to cope with 'stuff' from the road hitting them be it water or stones. Is it normal to see deep puddles on the roads in the uk during heavy rain -then they should cope.

 

[davemud]

How Strange i recently complained to VW that they had damaged my under tray when they sorted the
auto box problem, I heard a loud flapping under the van about 3 weeks after coming out the
work shop. The near side under tray was half hanging off I removed and kept safe.
But has large cracking over several areas leading down from the top
VW SMG Tonbridge said nothing to do with them not interested.

 

[WickedVanz]

Only thinking that i drive the van 'normally' ie on roads at the legal limits. As with any item you buy it should be of satisfactory quality and fit for purpose. If something breaks during 'normal' use then I think it's reasonable to assume that its not fit for purpose.

Are your vans lowered? (mine was done by the dealer at purchase) maybe that's the reason? Maybe I do more country lanes with standing water or something but I still think it should cope. My driving habits haven't changed much in the 30 years (ok maybe I drive slower now) I've been driving in dozens of cars including quite a few VAG's, none of those had a problem.

I don't really think things should fall off an new van within a year on 'normal' roads.

Besides, they are shields and there for a reason (to protect the underside) they should be able to cope with 'stuff' from the road hitting them be it water or stones. Is it normal to see deep puddles on the roads in the uk during heavy rain -then they should cope.

Maybe the plastics are of a lower quality than my 10 year old T5s??

 

[toucanspeed]

Maybe the plastics are of a lower quality than my 10 year old T5s??

Oh yes. I had an older T5 and the plastic was very thick. On the newer ones it's very flexible.

 

[teamfly]

replaced mine on 2012 van as broken , new one didn't even survive getting to vw parts dept , was cracked + part missing when I went to collect it. very brittle , agree not fit for purpose. never had a problem on my last ( 04 ) t5

 

[toucanspeed]

This is beginning to look like a wider issue that first suspected. Can I ask that if you've had any underneath panels replaced that you put your names on this thread and I'll collate the results

Toucanspeed
Bigcat
Triffic
Lionel7 x2
TimR123
Teamfly
Davemud
rob23
thethugsdontwork
tumbleweed

11 if you count Lionel twice

 

[toucanspeed]

Just got the van back from its first service (25k) I also requested they check a dashboard squeak, under shields,heater blower/ distribution problem and mentioned the steering rack.

The result is very disappointing, blower distribution sorted by sw update, squeak - don't know yet, steering rack - nothing done as waiting a vw fix and finally the undershields.....apparently my model doesn't have them despite me tye-wrapping the shredded bits together and the bent bracket underneath. Makes me think they didn't bother looking underneath. Don't they check for steering gaitors, driveshaft gaitors or exhaust at the first service. If they are supposed to then I'm afraid they've just lost all credibility in doing anything to my almost £30k van. Waiting for a response before I go back to be vw cc.
This is why I services own cars normally because they simply cannot be relied upon.

 

[triffic]

I must admit I'm not surprised at their records not accurately reflecting was was fitted to your van - there seems to be no logic behind which vans get full undertrays and which don't. Got to agree that there doesn't seem to be much attention to detail going on there, though.

As a matter of interest, what were your blower/distribution problems? Mine's throwing up error codes for the dash air control flaps and I was wondering if it was related.

 

[toucanspeed]

I must admit I'm not surprised at their records not accurately reflecting was was fitted to your van - there seems to be no logic behind which vans get full undertrays and which don't. Got to agree that there doesn't seem to be much attention to detail going on there, though.

As a matter of interest, what were your blower/distribution problems? Mine's throwing up error codes for the dash air control flaps and I was wondering if it was related.

They couldn't fail to notice the guards if they looked underneath. It's rather sad they didn't notice. Will find out their reasons tomorrow. You're probably better not to have them tbh as mine fell off anyway.


Yes the symptoms you have are precisely what I had, I have vcds.

Component: Climatic-T5 H20 0505
Revision: 00001010
Coding: 0000000002
Shop #: WSC 02736 790 50316
ASAM Dataset: EV_ClimaticT5 A01003
ROD: EV_ClimaticT5.rod
VCID: 7BFFE935F2FE411

3 Faults Found:
9473905 - Motor for Temperature Flap
B108F 71 [008] - Actuator stuck
Intermittent - Confirmed - Tested Since Memory Clear
Freeze Frame:
Fault Status: 00000001
Fault Priority: 2
Fault Frequency: 2
Reset counter: 93


9474161 - Motor for Defroster Flap
B1090 71 [008] - Actuator stuck
Intermittent - Confirmed - Tested Since Memory Clear
Freeze Frame:
Fault Status: 00000001
Fault Priority: 2
Fault Frequency: 1
Reset counter: 92


9581681 - Positioning Motor for Front Footwell Air Distribution Flap
B1234 71 [008] - Actuator stuck
Intermittent - Confirmed - Tested Since Memory Clear
Freeze Frame:
Fault Status: 00000001
Fault Priority: 2
Fault Frequency: 1
Reset counter: 94

 

[thethugsdontwork]

I lost the trays underneath going through water on the road.

Its a 2010 T5.

When i asked about it at West Yorks VW they said they come off all the time and said they don't really do much anyway.

They also said they are basically to help stop criters chewing at the wiring which isn't a problem in the UK,so not needed!

A friend also lost his going through a puddle.

It seems a common problem.

 

[tumbleweed]

Good day ... I posted in another thread a couple of weeks ago about losing mine in a puddle!! Funny thing about it was I went back the same way later and saw my plastics at the side of the road near the puddle I hit... Picked 2 up thinking they were both off my 2011 t5 .. It turns out I have ANOTHER T5 s LHS splash pan too!!! Two in one morning . Not bad VW,! . I can't think this is right , your expensive van/bus ejecting it's under trays as soon as a bit of resistance is put on them ? Any way £210.00 later and a disinterested vw van centre later all is well.