BBC Watchdog: Swift Panoramic Roof Flaws

[Suzukikettle]

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

 

[stuartholmes]

Our first chausson was quite dark inside but our more recent one a lot better largely because it had the over cab rooflight. I was very careful to take note of the sticker saying not the fully close the blind in bright sunlight I suspect it could get very hot in it's own little greenhouse.

''don't close the blind in bright sunlight'' ?!?!?
When else do you want to close it????

(Other responses come to mind but I don't want to get banned for obscenities.)

 

[Puddleduck]

''don't close the blind in bright sunlight'' ?!?!?
When else do you want to clore it????

(Other responses come to mind but I don't want to get banned for obscenities.)

Don't fully close in bright sunshine..... The heat does build up between the window and the blind. Our Adria had the same warning.

 

[The Wino]

''don't close the blind in bright sunlight'' ?!?!?
When else do you want to clore it????

(Other responses come to mind but I don't want to get banned for obscenities.)

It actually recommends you don't close the last 10 cm

 

[stuartholmes]

Don't fully close in bright sunshine..... The heat does build up between the window and the blind. Our Adria had the same warning.

That's still a bit weird. There's nothing about it on my Murvi that has a pretty big roof window.

And I've never heard mention of it in respect of the windscreen blinds many people swear by, or the cassette blinds I have on the side windows....

Why some & not others I wonder...

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[stuartholmes]

It actually recommends you don't close the last 10 cm

That's a better definition than 'not oompletely' but it's a bit weird. I think I'd open the roof a bit...

 

[Bramidan]

When we first got our motorhome the dealer told us to never close the blinds completely on the roof lights, including the large one at the front, to avoid condensation which could drop on the blind and stain it.
Never questioned it, had to much other information to try and assimilate, just went with it.

 

[Nomadics]

I sounds as though Swift do not know enough about aerofoils and their capacity to produce lift.

Perhaps their designers should watch a 200-ton aircraft lift off and contemplate how.

Or their designers could watch how Boeing windows dramatically fail and release at altitude due to insufficient fasteners being used to install them and Swift might think, " see, even aerospace gets it wrong"!

 

[bobpaul]

We purchased our 2019 Swift from a reputable dealer in Sept 22, and had no knowledge of this, we didn't open the roof at all, let alone drive with it open, although a previous owner might have done. However whilst on holiday in France during June 23 driving along the autoroute near Geneva it began to vibrate violently and shattered into many pieces before I had time to pull in to a service area, fortunately no vehicle was behind us at the time. All that was left was the metal mechanism and a few shards.
Fortunately we had red pennant insurance who were brilliant in directing us to a local garage, who with miles of water proof gaffer tape effected a temporary repair which lasted six months awaiting a replacement roof from Swift. Thinking this an unfortunate accident we claimed of our CAMC insurance who treated it as a glass claim.
I'm now quite wary about the roof, we will never open it for fear of it happening again.

 

[CAB96]

As a happy Chausson owner I had a cursory look at there new “narrower body” but still coachbuilt models (not PVC) and saw that the one I was viewing had nothing on the O/S apart from the fridge vent due to the layout. It’s just how it’s designed to maximise the reduced living space of this new size trend although does look a tad odd at first view. Easily missed due to the black body transfers though

Is that the X550? I thought the same looking at pictures, seemed very odd to have a large wall space in the lounge, which they jazzed up to break it up, but no window.

The latest version has a window there, presumably they had plenty of negative feedback on that particular (non)feature.

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[The Wino]

That's a better definition than 'not oompletely' but it's a bit weird. I think I'd open the roof a bit...

I would but not when driving! I thought not completely indicated I didn't mean at all!

 

[stuartholmes]

Or their designers could watch how Boeing windows dramatically fail and release at altitude due to insufficient fasteners being used to install them and Swift might think, " see, even aerospace gets it wrong"!
View attachment 998115

I'm sure aeroplane windows wouldn't fly off if they were properly hinged at the front so you can open them a Chinese & let the air move freely.....

 

[pelican]

Quite shocking. I am often overtaken on motorways by newer Swifts at Warp Factor 9 so they can't be doing themselves any favours by being in such a hurry. I haven't seen any lose their pan roofs (yet). Their diesel mpg numbers must be awesome! (in a bad way)

It's all in the name!

 

[stuartholmes]

I'm sure aeroplane windows wouldn't fly off if they were properly hinged at the front so you can open them a Chinese & let the air move freely.....

Damned self-righteous autocorrection has turned c h i n k into Chinese, thus maknng no sense out of what I tried to say, as well as implying that I would use the c word in an offensive manner..
Nothing to do with Swift or any other panoramic roof but I thooght I'd mention this & thank you CAB96 and anyone else who read it as intended not as it actually appeared.

 

[Suzukikettle]

On the 30/12/24 I was driving in my Bessacarr 596 which has only 6500 miles on it when the roof came off, it was 12 at night , today being the 6/1/25 I spoke to swift they have said it is owner fault stating that at sometime in the past the window has been left open and driven as I pointed out the mileage but this accounts for nothing nor the 69000 pounds spent on there product . I then asked if there was a sign on the window saying don’t us whilst driving the answer was it’s in the hand book I asked again but to no avails like other I feel let down by this brand and I will seek other routes to sort this

I had a new Kon Tiki 784 in 2022 it was atrocious the build quality of the think we took it to Spain and Portugal when we got it and everything that could go wrong did we had the numerous faults repaired and went to Scotland with it only to have more problems I sold as soon as we got home and bought a Rapido M96 a proper Motorhome Swift are utter junk

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[Nomadics]

I'm sure aeroplane windows wouldn't fly off if they were properly hinged at the front so you can open them a Chinese & let the air move freely.....

Air pressure is 1 bar at sea level, 0.2 bar at cruise altitude. fuselages are pressurised so that we can breathe. It is this pressure which is blowing the hatch frames out of the fuselage on some Boeings because of insufficient fixings, irrespective of which side the hinge is.

 

[The Wino]

Air pressure is 1 bar at sea level, 0.2 bar at cruise altitude. fuselages are pressurised so that we can breathe. It is this pressure which is blowing the hatch frames out of the fuselage on some Boeings because of insufficient fixings, irrespective of which side the hinge is.

I strongly suspect that the opening it a bit on planes was a joke!

 

[Nomadics]

I strongly suspect that the opening it a bit on planes was a joke!

A knowledge base of factual information is worth subscribing to far more than folks’ poor quality jokes, certainly to myself at least. That’s what Christmas Crackers are for.

But thank you for calling it out as a potential joke, as that could have easily missed

 

[stuartholmes]

A knowledge base of factual information is worth subscribing to far more than folks’ poor quality jokes, certainly to myself at least. That’s what Christmas Crackers are for.

But thank you for calling it out as a potential joke, as that could have easily missed

I'm very happy for you!

Did you know it's really hard to get crackers that actually crack nowadays?

Isn't this forum a wonderful place for the exchange of knowlege!
(Is it appropriate to use a ''?'' on a rhetorical question?)

 

[stuartholmes]

I strongly suspect that the opening it a bit on planes was a joke!

Well spotted. I was channeling Mitt Romney, who by all accounts was not joking. (Although that's another debate we maybe don't want here.)

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[Steve I]

Is that the X550? I thought the same looking at pictures, seemed very odd to have a large wall space in the lounge, which they jazzed up to break it up, but no window.

The latest version has a window there, presumably they had plenty of negative feedback on that particular (non)feature.

Tbh I can’t remember the model but took me back a bit for sure. It was a 2023 with virtually delivery miles from memory but not sure I can live with the size, got too used to a 1.6m wide drop down bed and two lovely long sofas to chill out on! Ha…

 

[Steve I]

Tbh I can’t remember the model but took me back a bit for sure. It was a 2023 with virtually delivery miles from memory but not sure I can live with the size, got too used to a 1.6m wide drop down bed and two lovely long sofas to chill out on! Ha…

Life’s just a compromise with Moho life but the 640 is still the best layout I’ve ever seen for me with a 7m limit.

 

[Sasbo]

Tbh I can’t remember the model but took me back a bit for sure. It was a 2023 with virtually delivery miles from memory but not sure I can live with the size, got too used to a 1.6m wide drop down bed and two lovely long sofas to chill out on! Ha…

It would have been the first iteration of the X550. The following years version of the X550 had the window placed in front of the hab door as there was a significant amount of negative feedback on the solid wall with the pinboard/mirror arrangement.