BBC Watchdog: Swift Panoramic Roof Flaws

[Suzukikettle]

Swift on BBC Watchdog regarding faults with the panoramic roofs flying off while driving

 

[kingspeed]

Helmholz Resonance apart (and I'm thinking about that), I have long worried about the roof panels and planned to do something about it. Boosted into action by the number of people saying "me too" after the programme. There is a clear design fault in that there are two drainage channels under the valance which, when driving, channel air up under the valance and the panoramic window clearly creating a lifting force. Added to that, my panoramic roof panel has never fitted perfectly, even after the dealer did work on it after I complained. Air can clearly get under the front edge corners and lift the sides of the window. So I have created wind deflectors to direct the flow of air up over the valance and the window. I have also fixed the valance down at the edges with mastic. It definitely takes the edge off the look of the smooth lines, but I feel safer and the panoramic roof panel no longer vibrates. It didn't cost much either. Two offcuts of a gutter down pipe and two offcuts of aluminium sheet.

Hello,

I did consider fitting some kind of air deflector to my motor home roof just above the windscreen to divert the rush of air up the "vents" to the left and right of the black panel below the sky roof, but I will wait to see where this goes with the DVSA, as I am hoping that someone will take a closer look at Swift saying nothing is wrong.

Just a note for us all to consider. It seems pretty much a fact that someone in The Swift Group will be reading all our topics on all our pages.
So if you are reading this Swift, have the common decency to own up to your mistake, and at least have the guts to say something.

Regards,

Trevor.

 

[HKF]

Hello,

I have not heard of any other manufacturer having this issue that Swift have.

I would not be in a position to say you will not have an issue, but I would ask if you could let us know how many "lock down" points you have on each sky window.
The ones on the Swift sky view window have two. One to the left side, and one to the right side.

Regards,

Trevor.

Hi

Mine also have two lock down points as you mention; one to the left and one to the right. They also have a wind down mechanism on each, towards the rear of the MH. I don't have a picture of the locking points at the moment but they're like the ones on the windows, that rotate and click into place. I can get a picture of them, if you like.

 

[kingspeed]

Hi,

The ones on the Swift do not have a wind down on them.
The winding mechanism is electric, or at lest it is on mine.
Weirdly the motor is only just capable of getting it right to the top with a lot of help from me. It is just not man enough.
Other than that I don't have any more knowledge on your van.
By all means send a picture, and I will post one myself.

Regards,

Trevor.

Hi

Mine also have two lock down points as you mention; one to the left and one to the right. They also have a wind down mechanism on each, towards the rear of the MH. I don't have a picture of the locking points at the moment but they're like the ones on the windows, that rotate and click into place. I can get a picture of them, if you like.

 

[jerryz]

I cant understand that with the years and years of terrible reputation Swift has with faults, poor quality and lack of customer service ,, where do they find idiots silly enough to buy their crap products ????? are people that gullible or dont people do research ???

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[Paul Wilkins]

Bailey Autograph have also suffered this problem with the roof panels detaching from the cab at speed. It's a cr*p idea. I can see a market for supplying fibreglass replacements that are bonded to the roof.

 

[HKF]

Hi,

The ones on the Swift do not have a wind down on them.
The winding mechanism is electric, or at lest it is on mine.
Weirdly the motor is only just capable of getting it right to the top with a lot of help from me. It is just not man enough.
Other than that I don't have any more knowledge on your van.
By all means send a picture, and I will post one myself.

Regards,

Trevor.

Our winders are manual. A bit of a pain because, although I'm tall, I still have to stand on the front seats to do the front one and one foot on each of the bench seats to do the rear one. A strange set up but it does make the MH really light, with lots of high head room.

Here are some pictures of the ones I have;

 

[Ducatian]

Hi,

The ones on the Swift do not have a wind down on them.
The winding mechanism is electric, or at lest it is on mine.
Weirdly the motor is only just capable of getting it right to the top with a lot of help from me. It is just not man enough.
Other than that I don't have any more knowledge on your van.
By all means send a picture, and I will post one myself.

Regards,

Trevor.

My Swift Bessacarr 597 is a manual wind down mechanism. Handle in center of roof just behind the window.

 

[HKF]

My Swift Bessacarr 597 is a manual wind down mechanism. Handle in center of roof just behing the window.

Do yours look like mine, in the post above?

 

[Ducatian]

Do yours look like mine, in the post above?

Similar in concept, but my side latches are very different.

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[bobpaul]

Yip, I was one of the unfortunate ones to have this happen. Swift are doing everything they can to not own up to there being a fault with them. I wonder what the next course of action will be?

TA Steve

 

[bobpaul]

yup, same happened to us last June '23 whilst driving on French Autoroute near Geneva, 30 seconds of vibration, shattered and flew off. I'm a steady eddy driver, aprox 50 mph, we were going downhill, all windows shut, and roof correctly secured. Fortunately we had CMC red pennant insurance who directed me to a local garage who did a temporary scotch tape repair, which held all summer. Didnt know it was an issue so claimed on insurance as a glass repair and eventually repaired in October (waiting for part) We have a 19' plate Swift Bessacarr purchased Sept 22 from a reputable dealer with 8k miles at the time, this was our first long trip arround France. I now won't open the roof for fear of it happening again.
We like our van, and whether it had a pan roof or not was incidental to our purchase, but had we have known at the time of this issue we may have steered clear!
NB at no time did the supplying dealer, repairer, or insurance company suggest that this was 'a thing' it's only as 'funster' that I have realised that it is.

 

[SpeedyDux]

Slightly off-topic but it is relevant to the DVSA attitude towards what you might think ought to be mandatory safety recalls, like the Swift panoramic roof failures.

I don't undertand why the DVSA is refusing to make Honda (UK) carry out an official Recall for at least 3 models of hybrid and EV cars built between 2019 and 2021 and sold in the UK. Since about November 2023, a significant number of UK owners of CRV, Mk4 Jazz, and Honda-e cars are experiencing sudden brake servo failures that cause the hybrid braking system as well as antilock and other safety systems to shut down, making the cars not driveable. Many owners have complained about this failure that tends to occur soon after the manufacturer's 3 year warranty expires. The cost of repair alone is about £2k and the wait for the replacement spare part can be a long one. This problem features on all the Honda owner forums, including FB and Club Jazz, and other public blogs e.g. Honest John. The Club Jazz thread alone has had over 3.6 million views so far.

There is an official Recall for this Honda brake problem in Japan and China. About 525,000 Honda cars are potentially affected. But no Recall in the UK. Honda Japan's Recall web page admits the problem is "due to an inappropriate process" during the manufacture of this component, yet Honda (UK)'s position is that there isn't a manufacturing defect.

This brake failure issue and a complaint by an owner identified as "AW" was featured in an article in the Daily Telegraph of 1st June 2024 headed WHY IS HONDA BRAKE FAILURE SUBJECT TO A RECALL IN JAPAN BUT NOT HERE? by Alex Robbins. The slightly different online article dated 3 June is here:

Ask the Expert: Why is our Honda’s brake system failure subject to a recall in Japan – but not here?

As The Telegraph’s motoring expert, I weigh in on your car dilemmas to save you money and make your driving life easier

www.telegraph.co.uk

I did buy the print version for 1 June because I am one of those owners in dispute with Honda (UK).

Both DVSA and Honda (UK) are playing down this brake failure issue and sidestepping the calls for a Recall. I am not surprised that a similar lack of concern about the safety implications seems to affect the the Swift panoramic roof failures.

 

[Rozzer]

I bought a 774 Kontiki new end of 2022 having sold our Adria 670 XLPlatinum. No comparison in build quality. I had a ( sometimes serious) problem every trip including the too low water dump valves being torn off on an insignificant hump as mentioned earlier by another funster. Apart from very poor build, very poor design, including bumper level slide out draws with runners directly behind rear wheels with no protection, seized after first trip. Fitted protective screens to these, told Swift, no response of course. Push in tube fitting under sink not fitted correctly and detached, flooding van on trip to Scotland. Corner bracket on drop down bed fell off. Design of lower “bunk bed” in lounge - ludicrous, hand-over guy at Brownhills very reluctant to demonstrate… “ there’s a video on- line”, about 10 cushion and other pieces to arrange in an intricate pattern. Hand-over guy took about 10-15 minutes to get it right. Kitchen sink cabinet with just one draw flew open one trip, corner post detached at top, two tiny screws on top of pillar had fallen off, fitted a steel bracket. Interior panels hanging off where screws had missed the thin cheap wooden frames glued behind. I could go on… but suffice to say I won’t be darkening their doorstep again.
Just as the Japs stole the British motorcycle market years ago the Germans and other European manufacturers will take this industry, deservedly so, but how sad in a country with some of the best engineers in the world.

 

[Sandancers]

Just as the Japs stole the British motorcycle market years ago the Germans and other European manufacturers will take this industry, deservedly so, but how sad in a country with some of the best engineers in the world.

But get overruled by accountants !

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[kingspeed]

They are different to the ones on my Bessacarr. I hate to say this but ours look a bit stronger.
However yours may well be fitted better than the ones one the Swifts.

Our winders are manual. A bit of a pain because, although I'm tall, I still have to stand on the front seats to do the front one and one foot on each of the bench seats to do the rear one. A strange set up but it does make the MH really light, with lots of high head room.

Here are some pictures of the ones I have;



View attachment 946471

View attachment 946472

View attachment 946473

View attachment 946474

 

[mitzimad]

yup, same happened to us last June '23 whilst driving on French Autoroute near Geneva, 30 seconds of vibration, shattered and flew off. I'm a steady eddy driver, aprox 50 mph, we were going downhill, all windows shut, and roof correctly secured. Fortunately we had CMC red pennant insurance who directed me to a local garage who did a temporary scotch tape repair, which held all summer. Didnt know it was an issue so claimed on insurance as a glass repair and eventually repaired in October (waiting for part) We have a 19' plate Swift Bessacarr purchased Sept 22 from a reputable dealer with 8k miles at the time, this was our first long trip arround France. I now won't open the roof for fear of it happening again.
We like our van, and whether it had a pan roof or not was incidental to our purchase, but had we have known at the time of this issue we may have steered clear!
NB at no time did the supplying dealer, repairer, or insurance company suggest that this was 'a thing' it's only as 'funster' that I have realised that it is.

Maybe you need to inform swift its one one in that they will have to deny