Alignment of toilet cassette and bathroom

Hello, We are new owners of 2018 Broadway EK. We have had a very unpleasant experience with misaligned toilet cassette causing leakage into the van after flushing. This Is a first use from factory.Has anyone else had a similar problems. Now not confident in future use of toilet in spite of repair. Aberdav

Don’t think you’re the first with that issue, but if it’s been fixed by the dealer it will be fine.

Are you telling me that new owners can expect raw sewage to be seeping through the vehicle just by using the toilet? This is what happened to us. The sellers are unwilling to compensate us for soiled bedding. Is this normal?

Aberdav wrote:Are you telling me that new owners can expect raw sewage to be seeping through the vehicle just by using the toilet? This is what happened to us. The sellers are unwilling to compensate us for soiled bedding. Is this normal?

I note from another thread that your dealer is Marquis, if so, then yes it's normal.

I don't understand how a misaligned cassette can lead to sewage seeping through the vehicle, leading to soiled bedding. I've heard of misalignment between the cassette and the underside of the WC bowl (in which case the sewage flows into the external cassette locker). So I'm mystified as to how any bedding can have been soiled - although of course I don't doubt your statement that it has. I just don't understand how. My only explanations are (i) that so much sewage flowed out of the WC that it filled the "moat" of the shower tray; didn't all go down the plug; and seeped through the adjacent wall to reach a cupboard containing bedding - but I readily acknowledge that my ignorance of the layout of your van may make that explanation nonsense; or (ii) you store bedding in the lavatory.

But whatever be the explanation, your dealer must of course rectify the problem under warranty. The issue of consequential loss is more complicated. What is reasonably foreseeable? It's reasonably foreseeable that overflowing sewage into the external locker could, if excessive, flood adjacent areas if it seeped laterally. But is it reasonably foreseeable that bedding would be soiled?  Without an explanation, it's hard to understand that.

Nevertheless, any decent dealer would not only fix the leak under warranty (as theiy are obliged to do) but would compensate you somehow for the consequential loss. I'd not surrender easily (assuming it wasn't your negligence which contributed).

Cymro

Yes. Exactly what Cymro said.

The cassette locker is sealed  from the habitation area, so I can't understand how a problem of such severity has arisen. 

A more detailed description of exactly what occurred would be appreciated, before we can offer any confident suggestions.

There was a misalignment between the WC base and the cassette. Sorry I did not explain myself very well.  A lot of effluent did fill the cassette housing, which was cleared twice but the second time we noticed that the effluent was also leaking laterally on to the van floor and it soiled the bedding which was stored under the seat. It was leaking from the toilet onto the floor of the van. It was untreated sewage so it was not overflow from the cassette which contained disinfectant. I hope I am explaining a most unpleasant experience. I was shocked it could happen in an expensive new van albeit a demonstrator.
The dealer is trying to sidestep any compensation including replacement of soiled bedding but AS are rectifying the fault and replacing carpets and panels which have absorbed effluent. We  have yet to collect it so we have yet to see!
We missed a planned holiday and have incurred extra travel expenses and no "good will"

Thanks, Aberdav - what an awful experience.

There must have been a considerable abount of liquid, over a prolonged time, for it do have run across the wall of the bathroom floor-tray and for the side panels to have absorbed so much liquid by capillary action that the adjacent bedding was soiled.

That may well touch upon whether, had the seepage been noticed sooner, the damage might have been mitigated. But that doesn't reduce foreseeability. Your consequential, unrecovered losses are quantifiable and you might wish to contemplate a small claims action, albeit that you might get a better result by coaxing rather than scratching. At the very least, intimate the possiblity of legal recourse to your dealer. It clearly wasn't fit for purpose. As new owners you had the right to assume that the 2018 vehicle was in good order when the dealer sold it to you.
Cymro

Thanks.

Much clearer now, though I am surprised it leaked into the habitation area.

As far as replacement of damaged items is concerned, I can only suggest you show Messrs Marquis your gums first . . . then your teeth if necessary.

They seem to vary a lot from one branch to another, but according to our members some branches are dire. It doesn't seem unreasonable to me that you should expect the cost of replacing the soiled items, when it appears you did nothing wrong. Your claim is against the dealer, not Messrs A/S who will do a good job of fixing the problem for you.

Don't be fobbed off I would suggest. Some claims for compensation are clearly a "try on", but yours sounds absolutely genuine.

My thoughts are if you don’t get action from Marquis you should take them to small claims court.

I think I’m right in saying that both Marquis and Autosleepers are both owned by the same company, so I would have thought Autosleepers need to intervene and put pressure on Marquis to fully reimburse your costs.

Terry

I agree with you Terry. AS and Marquis need to sort it out between them. It was a manufacturing problem although we need to claim from the sellers. It is easy for one to blame the other.
This was a problem which developed over 2 days. The leakage was in an inaccessible area between the bathroom and seating area so it was not evident until the problem was worse.
We were hoping for a trouble free last motorhome that's why we shelled out on a new motorhome and bought from what we thought was a reputable dealer and manufacturer. We shall see......

I had a similar problem with urine flowing into the habitation area. Fortunately we had removed the carpets prior to leaving home. I put it down to me not locating the cassette correctly. It hasn't happened since except that the top of the cassette is wet occasionally. Is this something that I need to get rectified?

Yes, absolutely. Take pictures with your phone when it happens so you can show the dealer as it is unlikely to be a problem when you take it in.

Good luck

Dennis

pjonesf1 wrote:I had a similar problem with urine flowing into the habitation area. Fortunately we had removed the carpets prior to leaving home. I put it down to me not locating the cassette correctly.  It hasn't happened since except that the top of the cassette is wet occasionally.  Is this something that I need to get rectified?

Before removing the cassette, do you open the flap and allow a few seconds for the toilet bowl to drain into the cassette? Then close the flap fully against its stop?

That is crucial, otherwise any liquid remaining in the bowl will go everywhere when the cassette is removed.

It is also vital to ensure the flap is fully closed both before removing the cassette, and again before replacing it. 

Difficult to answer your question remotely, but if the top of the cassette is still wet after observing the above procedure, then I think you need to get it checked by your dealer.

Thank Gromit . I will follow your procedure and see what happens.

Sorry, this may be delicate. We open the flap before use so the ‘product’ goes directly into the cassette. 

Aberavon, I sympathise with your position, and can only add that in my experience AS service do an excellent job.

harrysp wrote:Sorry, this may be delicate. We open the flap before use so the ‘product’ goes directly into the cassette. 

Aberavon, I sympathise with your position, and can only add that in my experience AS service do an excellent job.

So do we Harry.

To be even more indelicate (but highly pragmatic  ) pressure can build up in the cassette, specially during hot weather if it has not been emptied for a day or two.

If one then uses the loo whilst leaving the flap closed, there's the terrifying possibility of a "blow back" when it is opened . . . further graphic description is not required, I think!! 

Gromit wrote:If one then uses the loo whilst leaving the flap closed, there's the terrifying possibility of a "blow back" when it is opened . . . further graphic description is not required, I think!! 

Seen it, been there done that (my own number ones only thankfully!).

Dennis

I don't know if this is the case, but I remember having to change the seal that sits around the hole in the cassette when I had a leak once on one of my vans. Also used some silicone grease around the seal, or you can get thetford grease.
Just a thought.
----------
Richard