Check your overcab roof light

We have been to Auto-Sleepers today to pick up our Broadway following repairs to the black GRP above the cab. Mark and his team have done brilliant job. I too inspected the job using step ladders at their workshop. We also had three other issues sorted, including a new updated Truma control panel, and the common problem of the Sargent panel showing an empty waste tank indicated by a 'full' red bar. This turned out to be a float and sensors issue. All sorted now.
Once again a big thank you to Mark and his team at AS, and also to Mark Harrison at Motor Plus at Derby for liaising with AS for us at the beginning.

Pete 

Today travelling 129 miles to Skegness I noticed a rattle from the over cab roof light, when we arrived at destination I started to check around roof light and was not happy with what I found.
All the six roof light screws were not screwed fully in and you can push the surround up and down, I don't know if Auto Sleepers just slackened the screws off that were to long instead of fitting shorter ones.
I'm getting really sick and tired with this van as every time we use it something breaks or comes away, I've done them many repairs myself which I think are far superior to what A /S can do, now 5 months out of warranty I've now to sort out he roof light fixings.
My last 3 vans have been new but budget priced and I didn't have anyway near half that I've had with this bag of ****.

John.

Hi John, I have only just seen your posting. I am so sorry you have got problems with your overcab roof light again. It does sound as though AS have just slackened the screws rather than install shorter ones. Although out of warranty I suggest AS are still responsible for shoddy repairs, so I hope you manage to sort it out wth Mark. As you know we have had similiar repairs to our Broadway EB. It was a shocking manufacturing fault, and I sure there are other Broadway van owners out there unaware of this disgraceful construction issue present on their pride and joy, and will possibly discover it outside the warranty period! We have had 5 Weeks away in Spain and Portugal with some dreadful road conditions. I will check ours when I have a moment. I will be interested to know what AS(Mark) says about your issue. It really isn't good enough!

Pete

PS. At the time our Broadway was with AS for a week carrying out overcab roof light repairs. It would have been nice if they had offered us a free hab check as compensation, like others with different issues. They seem to think they don't need to keep us sweet!!

PPS. John, just been out to check ours, and it's OK thank goodness. I think we only had one blown area and a couple of slightly raised areas out of the six screws, so maybe we have got away with it! Keep in touch. Regards Pete

Only yesterday I stuck my head out of the rooflight to investigate the possible cause of the infernal rattle that comes from above when driving over seemingly the smallest of potholes. Didn't notice any damage to the black GRP but then I wasn't looking specifically for that problem. But reading John's point about lose fitting screws, I will take a closer look for any such lose screws and the black GPR issue albeit a 2013 registration.

Looking at previous threads, it it is not just the Broadway or 2014 models that maybe affected, I see a 2013 Winchcombe had similiar problems. All owners of that style of overcab roof light should check the black GRP channels running either side of the opening. If you are not sure what to look for, I have put two photos way back on this thread.

Pete

Just been out to check our 12 month old Nuevo EK and the black GRP has damage where one of the screws is, have put some silicone on to protect it. Will be contacting the dealer about this.

Following our issues, I remember going to the Motorhome Show at the NEC and feeling around an open overcab roof light with my fingers on a new 2015 Broadway model and finding the same problem!

Hey Ho.

Pete

I couldn't be bothered to contact A/S so yesterday I fixed our over cab roof light myself. The top 4 screws I had to tighten up as they were very slack,there was also in the top right hand corner over half an inch of play in the frame, and the bottom 2 screws I had to change as they were way to long and wouldn't tighten any further without causing damage again to the black fibreglass gel coat.
The whole of the frame work was very loose and was rattling about on uneven roads.

John.

artheytrate wrote:I couldn't be bothered to contact A/S so yesterday I fixed our over cab roof light myself. 

John.

John; surely, whether you fix it yourself or not, you ought to tell AS in the interests of quality control ? If vans with such faults are being sent out from the factory then AS should have the chance to find out why and stop it happening.  If they are lead to believe it is only a fault that occurred with a very few vans then this might not happen.


We already know of one van who lost the complete rooflight while moving so it is not a trivial fault. At the very least the cracking so caused could be a source of water ingress.

Happy to report no obvious damage to my 16 plate Broadway e.k....
All seems in order.

I have given the steel hinges and screws a coat of acf50 I've spotted a small sign of rust on them.

Ray