The dreaded Swift crack.

[woodsieboy]

We arrived on site today,and set up, all good, bit of light rain,so pulled up blind on panoramic front window to find a crack running half way down the window on the outside. Yes the roads were terrible on the way, but they have been terrible before when we have been away.

Caravan is 2019 Swift dealer special based on Challenger, seviced annually from new but 5 years old in August this year. Supplying dealer is no longer trading so no option to contact them.

Window does not seem to be leaking so current plan is to cover crack with clear tape, van is booked in for service end of July.

Would welcome any suggestions as to best way forward, or if anybody knows the cost of replacement, suspect it will be horrific.

We are booked to go to France August/September, so either need to get it fixed before then or travel with it temporarily repaired and get it fixed before winter.

Also would like to hear from other victims who have had window replaced and their experience

Thanks in advance

 

[Mel]

If you are still within the 6 year water ingress warranty ( and it sounds like you are) then the pano window is covered. Ours has cracked and we are getting it fixed by a Swift approved warranty workshop. The guy there has submitted the warranty claim and it has been accepted. Now waiting for the part.
Where are you in the country. I can pass on the name of the people doing ours if you are near the East Midlands
Mel

 

[woodsieboy]

Hello Mel

Thank you for your reply,sounds encouraging, we are in Wiltshire,but away until Wednesday,,once we get home I will email Swift and see what they say, also see what our service guy says as he has done all the previous services on the van,fingers crossed we can get it done under warranty

 

[Buckman]

Hello Mel

Thank you for your reply,sounds encouraging, we are in Wiltshire,but away until Wednesday,,once we get home I will email Swift and see what they say, also see what our service guy says as he has done all the previous services on the van,fingers crossed we can get it done under warranty

If you had any finance on the caravan then the finance company is responsible for resolving any issue as they are the supplier.

 

[RogerL]

If you had any finance on the caravan then the finance company is responsible for resolving any issue as they are the supplier.

Does that apply to all forms of finance? I thought some forms of leasing were excluded.

 

[Mr Plodd]

If you are still within the 6 year water ingress warranty ( and it sounds like you are) then the pano window is covered.

I am not so sure, as most caravan water ingress warranty specifically state they only cover permanently sealed joints and a window pane isnt one of those.
As always, I am happy to be proven wrong of course.

 

[otherclive]

I am not so sure, as most caravan water ingress warranty specifically state they only cover permanently sealed joints and a window pane isnt one of those.
As always, I am happy to be proven wrong of course.

That’s the same restriction imposed by after sales insurer backed warranties too.

 

[Buckman]

Does that apply to all forms of finance? I thought some forms of leasing were excluded.

Not sure about leasing, but does apply to Hire Purchase. I thought that if you leased something, the leasing company is responsible for the maintenance of the unit?

 

[Dustydog]

Swift Warranties are pretty good. This is a condition of their Body warrarranty. Mel and Woodiesboy must read their own documents .

• Windows: the functionality of the opening and closing system (stays, handles and catches) and a warranty against the cracking of the acrylic. Excludes fading.

Looks reasonable and explains perhaps Mel's success?
Good luck

 

[Mr Plodd]

Swift Warranties are pretty good. This is a condition of their Body warrarranty. Mel and Woodiesboy must read their own documents .

• Windows: the functionality of the opening and closing system (stays, handles and catches) and a warranty against the cracking of the acrylic. Excludes fading.

Looks reasonable and explains perhaps Mel's success?
Good luck

Looks like the window IS indeed covered, I am happy to have been proven wrong.

 

[ProfJohnL]

As DD wrote in #9 you must check the wording of the warranty that was given with YOUR purchase.

 

[Dustydog]

Looks like the window IS indeed covered, I am happy to have been proven wrong.

No not totally wrong as most of the time especially Elddis you are correct😉. There seems to be no continuity between manufacturers

 

[Mr Plodd]

No not totally wrong as most of the time especially Elddis you are correct😉. There seems to be no continuity between manufacturers

Likewise with Bailey, joints only.

 

[Mel]

Hello Mel

Thank you for your reply,sounds encouraging, we are in Wiltshire,but away until Wednesday,,once we get home I will email Swift and see what they say, also see what our service guy says as he has done all the previous services on the van,fingers crossed we can get it done under warranty

In the meantime Clear Gorilla tape is holding our crack together! From what I read about parts supply; it may be there for some time 😀

 

[Mel]

I am not so sure, as most caravan water ingress warranty specifically state they only cover permanently sealed joints and a window pane isnt one of those.
As always, I am happy to be proven wrong of course.

The crack in the Swift Panoramic window is a well documented fault. Because the window does not open it is classed as a permanently sealed joint and is most definitely covered by the water ingress warranty as I and a thousand other Swift owners will testify. You do get dealers who want to argue the toss but they are soon proved wrong.
Mel

 

[woodsieboy]

Thank you to everybody for your input,my warranty book does appear to say the acrylic is covered against cracking, I have decided to e mail Swift on Tuesday morning,with photos and ask them to recommend a replacement repairer of their choice to do the warranty work, and see what response I get, fingers crossed it is positive,will keep you updated

 

[Mel]

If Swift are slow to respond; look on the AWS website as some of the approved Worksops will also declare themselves approved for Swift Warranty work; as is the case with the guy doing ours. No way was I going back to the dealership that sold it to us.
Mel

 

[Oscarmax]

We arrived on site today,and set up, all good, bit of light rain,so pulled up blind on panoramic front window to find a crack running half way down the window on the outside. Yes the roads were terrible on the way, but they have been terrible before when we have been away.

Caravan is 2019 Swift dealer special based on Challenger, seviced annually from new but 5 years old in August this year. Supplying dealer is no longer trading so no option to contact them.

Window does not seem to be leaking so current plan is to cover crack with clear tape, van is booked in for service end of July.

Would welcome any suggestions as to best way forward, or if anybody knows the cost of replacement, suspect it will be horrific.

We are booked to go to France August/September, so either need to get it fixed before then or travel with it temporarily repaired and get it fixed before winter.

Also would like to hear from other victims who have had window replaced and their experience

Thanks in advance

Swift warranties are very good ours did not crack it just started to lift and part company at the top corners, no arguments did not ask for photos, dealer change panoramic window during its annual service, be aware there there is a bit of a waiting list. Dealer advised as a temporary fix Gorilla tape, as yours is cracked I would probably use some Sikaflex windscreen sealant as a temporary repair.

 

[woodsieboy]

So arrived home and dug through our documents and e mailed Swift, copied the original invoice from dealer together with 2 photos of crack in window, got an automated reply saying I can expect contact from them , so now will wait and see what happens, in the meantime Gorilla is working

 

[Oscarmax]

So arrived home and dug through our documents and e mailed Swift, copied the original invoice from dealer together with 2 photos of crack in window, got an automated reply saying I can expect contact from them , so now will wait and see what happens, in the meantime Gorilla is working

The replacement is much better than the factory fit, really impressed.