Drransom Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 Last night driving along the M50(in the snow), the big roof window at the front of the van flew off! This hadn't been left open and it is attached at the front(or meant to be). I saw it peel off from the front so obviously a fault and not user error. Has anyone else had the same problem? What are the chances of it being a warranty issue, going to take it back to the dealer today as it is not secure and assume insurance would be an issue if stolen. Fortunately the roads were quiet but this could have caused a serious accident for someone behind. Also how easy will it be for them to source the required part .? Assume this is a specific to Burstner item Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Newell Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 I take it you mean the large glass window above the cab? If this is so then it will almost certainly be Burstner specific. As for warranty I guess that will depend on how old your motorhome is but the window should certainly not have come adrift like this. D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drransom Posted February 5, 2012 Author Share Posted February 5, 2012 Yes the one above the cab, not glass fortunately. It's an 07 plate but bought recently and had a one year warranty with it. Guess its just persuading them it was a fault. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michele Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 Oh dear bet you got a fright hope your ok. Hope you get it sorted , another reason why I don#t want a big front roof window . *-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike B. Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 Hi If it is a roof window like ours, I would guess it is hinged at the front and handle at the back so that in case of being left open accidentally it wouldn't get wind under it and blow off-ie is closed in direction of travel? If this is the case, I would expect it to be covered by warranty. We had a bit of a shock a couple of years when we left Germany and my wife had left the roof window open at night because it was so hot but we had the bug net closed so consequently never noticed when we set off. As we joined the motorway in Luxembourg the was an almighty bang from above and on inspection saw the wind had forced the window down. Luckily we had no damage but this I believe was due to the design of front hinges. I would certainly try it on warranty with the dealer if you've got 12 months guarentee as it will not be cheap to replace and fit-especially as it's German! Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 I met a British motorhomer on site at Obernai, in Alsace, two or three years back who had a similar experience with his Burstner in a rainstorm. He retrieved the roof window and somehow managed to tape it in place. I suggested he contact the Burstner factory, which was only the other side of the Rhine a few miles distant, and they immediately arranged for him to take his van in for repair, I think the next morning. He was delighted with the service (and breakfast!) he received when he came back with all put right. So, yes it has happened before, and in his case it was a warranty issue. However, you'll need to look at what your Burstner guarantee says, because I think it may by now only relate to water ingress. If your one year warranty came from the selling dealer, the defect may be covered, depending on what is excluded. If the dealer is a Burstner agent, and you aren't happy with their response, see if you can get Burstner UK to accept part liability as Burstner's opening cab roof windows do have some "form" in this respect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leake Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 The similar window on our AutoTrail has two extra catches half way down the length of it on the side. I don't know if your Burstner has the same arrangement but if it does were they closed and locked? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 Brian Kirby - 2012-02-05 1:35 PM I met a British motorhomer on site at Obernai, in Alsace, two or three years back who had a similar experience with his Burstner in a rainstorm. He retrieved the roof window and somehow managed to tape it in place. I suggested he contact the Burstner factory, which was only the other side of the Rhine a few miles distant, and they immediately arranged for him to take his van in for repair, I think the next morning. He was delighted with the service (and breakfast!) he received when he came back with all put right. So, yes it has happened before, and in his case it was a warranty issue. However, you'll need to look at what your Burstner guarantee says, because I think it may by now only relate to water ingress. If your one year warranty came from the selling dealer, the defect may be covered, depending on what is excluded. If the dealer is a Burstner agent, and you aren't happy with their response, see if you can get Burstner UK to accept part liability as Burstner's opening cab roof windows do have some "form" in this respect. Sorry, quoting my own post, but have just found the earlier incident referred to above. Link here: http://tinyurl.com/89owj3d Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hallii Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 My over cab window doesn't open, I was thinking of trying to get one that opens or some sort of conversion. I have just changed my mind! H Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drransom Posted February 5, 2012 Author Share Posted February 5, 2012 Thanks for everyone's replies. Especially the link about the 2007 delphin, makes me wonder if there is an issue with the 07 model roof window(assume the same in the delphin and the solano). There's was a rainstorm and ours was a snow storm!! Weather issues seem to be a problem. Unfortunately we didnt find our roof and had to leave open till we travelled 20 miles to our destination and bodged it up with duct tape and an old groundsheet before returning home and dropping it to the dealer. There are no side catches, it hinges from the front and is secured from the rear, there would be no possibility of it being left open as it was minus 5 when we were camping in it the night before and it was firmly shut. Witnessed it coming off too, felt a draught , looked up and saw the front part lift up, the catches at the back held for a couple of secs and then ripped off. Dropped it at the garage, not discussed warranty issues yet as it was a Sunday, only salesmen present, though he did say 'was it windy' which was rather unhelpful as so what if it was, you can legally drive this van at 70mph so should withstand winds of that speed and higher! Love the van and I know it can be fixed but won't this always be in the back of my mind that it could happen again with maybe worse consequences, its a pretty big piece of plastic, flying around at 70mph could be fatal for other drivers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilf Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 I have a 2008 Burstner Solano and you don’t appear to be taking about the curved Skyroof skylight with the built in Roman shade and Insect screen. I can assure you that this skylight has a hinge across the total width of the front edge. Two catch lever locks one on each side and a third catch lever lock at the rear. All of these have to be opened before you are able to crank open the skylight using the hand crank handle. The skylight can only be opened a small way as there are two metal stays; one each side that prevent further opening. These metal stays are connected to a metal channel, the stays moving along the channel until maximum opening is achieved just 3 or 4 inches. I can see no way for this skylight to come adrift as you describe. So I assume that when you say. “….There are no side catches, it hinges from the front and is secured from the rear…..” The roof window you are talking about is the square Heki skylight. I have just looked in my Burstner handbook and the two are displayed as being fitter to their models. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilf Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 Hello Julie (Drransom) I have just been looking at your time line with this forum. First registered on MMM forum 8:45am 05/02/2012 First Post 9.02am 05/02/20112 "...Last night driving along the M50(in the snow),…" From this I conclude that you were at home on that Sunday morning and before you attempt to sort anything out with your van, you register on the Forum and make your first post. Second Post 10.39am 05/02/2012 "....Guess its just persuading them it was a fault…." From this I see that two hours after your forum registration you are still at home and have yet to visit the dealer; but think that you must persuade them it’s a fault. Third Post 11.40am 05/02/2012 "....we travelled 20 miles to our destination and bodged it up with duct tape and an old groundsheet before returning home and dropping it to the dealer….. …..Dropped it at the garage, not discussed warranty issues yet as it was a Sunday, only salesmen present,…" From this I conclude that within the last hour you have visited the dealer and only the salesmen was present. Was he the salesman that sold you the van and the one year warranty? Forth Post 1141am 09/02/2012 on your other string "…Our main issue was whether this was a warranty issue (we have a one year warranty with a dealer having bought the van 2nd hand)…" Now after 4 days you start another string and tell us that you have a one year dealer warranty, Is this warranty issued by the dealer or it this some kind of warranty issued by a third company and sold by the dealer as part of the deal when you first purchased the van? If this is the case have you or the dealer contacted the warranty company and have you read through the warranty agreement that you must have to see if the roof light is covered in these circumstances? Your posts in both strings are posing more questions than answers to me. But one question I have to ask myself of all the vans that are produced with large front sky lights of various makes; if this is a fault and a possible common problem how come it has yet to be discussed on this forum like the X250 gearbox fault? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 what Wilfs forensic investigation of OP's time line is suposed to reveal is beyond me...Drransom are simply having problems and looking for some advice on here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brambles Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 Especially when the 3rd post was at 11:40PM not AM so a lot more than 1 hour later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 Wilf - 2012-02-11 8:47 AM............................... But one question I have to ask myself of all the vans that are produced with large front sky lights of various makes; if this is a fault and a possible common problem how come it has yet to be discussed on this forum like the X250 gearbox fault? Ah, yes. Because this is the first one Wilf has heard about (despite my link to the post from the man I met at Obernai), it can't have happened. That's OK then! Julie can now just relax! :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drransom Posted February 15, 2012 Author Share Posted February 15, 2012 Interesting I have just read Wilfs post. Does he take so much time and effort doing everything, he must have an exceptionally busy life!! I'll explain things a little more. The incident happened when we were on our way to visit family some 100 miles from our home. It happened 20 miles from their house so it was more convenient to drive there for the night than return home in what was becoming heavy snow with no roof!! So the driving to the destination and bodging up the hole meant getting to the family's house!. The plan being to return the following morning weather permitting. The posts and registration(i have registered before but nothing was working) to the forum were made whilst waiting for a sleeping hubby to wake up and also the snow to thaw so we could leave the steep drive. We then drove the 100 miles home, where we immediately dropped off the dog picked up a car and took the van to the dealer, we were tired and had not had time to read the warranty info so did not want to get into any discussions with the salesman but simply report the issue and ensure the van was safe. I hope this is now satisfactory Mr Holmes. My apologies for the confusion over which roof light it is, I misread someone elses post and made it sound like the Heki. I can confirm that it is the large curved roof light fitted over the cab, with the fitted blind and screen , exactly the same as on your van Wilf, and as you point out "it has a hinge across the total length of the front edge" and in your opinion " cannot come off in the way I describe". Well it did and it has! As I have said I looked up and saw the front edge curl upwards(where the hinge should be) whilst still attached at the back before the force was too much for the catches to hold, it then ripped off completely! Maybe a little more time checking the safety of your roof light rather than analysing my post could be helpful! And as Keith says just because it's not happening every 5 mins doesn't mean its not a fault (or perhaps in issue with a faulty batch of windows). When the starter motor in my car went up in flames and the fuse box melted on my feet the manufacturer declared this has never happened before, does this make it not a fault!?? Plus there have been other incidents, one identical to ours( i have e mailed the chap and he describes the incident in the same way as ours ). Also if Burstner didn't agree it was a fault with his why did they replace it for free without argument? Will I be forever concerned when the new roof light is fitted that this could happen again. Will I check the hinge before every journey. Yes of course I will. Hope this is now satisfactory Wilf. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilf Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 Hello Julie I have just read your latest post to this thread and to be quite frank I wasn’t going to bother to respond. My initial thoughts were “The lady protests too much!” But then thinking about it I am concerned that you have felt obliged to provide some explanation for your actions on this an open forum. I feel I must have in someway upset Shaun or yourself. So to explain:- Why do I take so much time and effort in everything I do; well my answer is if you are going to do something do it well. The small things if done well tend to leave the larger things to fall in place with less effort. Do I have an exceptionally busy life? No not particularly. A well-organized life; where I don’t run around like a headless chicken like I see others do. Will I spend a little more time checking the safety of my own roof light rather than analysing other posts and what other people say? I doubt it. Am I cynical? Yes I am I never take things on face value. I always question and then corroborate things. As the old saying goes. If something is too good to be true it generally is. You call me Mr Holmes. Am I suspicious? Yes I am, having spent thirty years investigating crime; some of that being fraud. It’s a habit that is difficult to stop. You see if I and I feel sure many others had been in your position. The first thing I would have done before all else having returned home, would be to read the warranty agreement that was purchased with the van. If the dealer is only two miles from home why would the van be safer there than where it is normally kept? A quick telephone call to the dealer that Sunday morning would have reported the issue. Sorry here I go again analysing and being suspicious. I must stop this trait. All I can say is I offer my apologies if I have inferred that your story is not the truth, the whole truth and nothing bout the truth. All that remains to say is that I hope you have many years of trouble free enjoyment from your new purchase and its new Skyroof skylight. Regards Wilf AKA Sherlock (It’s elementary my dear Ransom) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drransom Posted February 16, 2012 Author Share Posted February 16, 2012 Really you must stop this inquisition Wilf. Here, simply is the answer. You may recall I mentioned it had been snowing. We had 100 miles to drive home. After waiting for the snow to thaw we managed to leave the in-laws steep drive arriving home at 3.30pm. The dealer closes at 4.00pm, so just enough time to pick up a car and get to the dealer. The reason for us needing to get the van to the dealer would, I assume, with your investigative nature been quite obvious to you. As you own one of these windows you would, I assume know, it being missing leaves a gaping 5 foot hole in the roof therefore 1. As mentioned the weather was bad turning to sleet, no matter how well covered we didn't want it out in the open. 2. The gaping hole, and a ladder on the back leaves the van insecure, as you are aware, an insecure van means no insurance. We had no choice but to risk the Saturday night and managed to place a car behind it and hope it was safe, the dealer has huge garages where they can store the van securely. At the end of the day I came on here for help and advice.Everyone else has given this. I'm still not sure what you are implying by your posts. Why mention you used to investigate fraud for instance? Do you think we would want to rip out our seemingly perfectly good roof window to have it replaced with exactly the same thing, and if we did would we have picked the coldest, snowy nights to do it!!!! We have had this van less than 6 months and paid a lot of money for it, I'm sure you would be quite upset if it happened to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flicka Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 Hi Julie You don't need to explain yourself to born cynics. maybe Wilf was an Insurance Fraud Investigator in a previous life :-( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drransom Posted February 16, 2012 Author Share Posted February 16, 2012 Thanks John, Good to see a friendly comment!! Wilf could hardly profile me as an insurance fraudster though as I have never claimed on any insurance ever be it car, home, sickness or phone!! Or ever had to use a warranty of this type, hence my inexperience and quest for advice!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brambles Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 Sorry, but Wilfs posts give me the impression he is the hoax poster and fraudster, Just ignore him completely as I envisage a group of school age kids sittng around a computer toying with you. Sorry Wilf, but that is the impression your posts give. Respond what you like towards me, I will be ignoring any response. Drransom, you are amongst friends here who support you and the really awkward situation you are in with getting repairs done. I certainly agree with you going to Burstner dealer. I also wonder if the insurance company are mistaking this as a glass repair, hence the limit of £1500. Is it now a possibility they will process this as such and you will have a glass repair excess to pay and the reduce costs come within the £1500 and you will not lose your NCD or count as a incident against you...same as a windscreen replacement unless frequent. Just my idle thoughts. Good Luck with getting speedy repairs. Jon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 Agreed. Forget Wilf. He works for the dealer you bought your van from, and he's on a fishing expedition! :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brambles Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 Brian, that thought had also crossed my mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 Brambles - 2012-02-16 11:42 PM Brian, that thought had also crossed my mind. Great minds...........................................or two sad old cynics! :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brambles Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 sad, less of the old please, cynic. :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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