How to Operate your VW Campervan
Volkswagen has been making the VW California for over 30 years and in that time they have had added many features to make your camping trips an enjoyable and stress-free experience. There is a lot to cover!
On collection day we will show you all the features of the campervan so that you can get the most out of your adventure, but with so many nifty things the campervan can do, it can take up to 45 minutes to do a proper walkthrough.
Whether you are just looking to do your homework on this amazing vehicle, want to try and reduce the hand-over time or simply prefer a social distance hand-over, we hope these videos answer your questions or satisfy your curiosity.
SWIVEL CHAIRS AND INTERNAL TABLE
Your campervan comes equipped with a clever internal table that stores out of the way next to the bench seat when not in use. It has a smart locking feature so that it keeps it nice and secure and prevents any annoying rattles whilst driving.
The two front seats spin 180 degrees so that you can face inwards when parked, never whilst driving please! Please always remember to open the door adjacent to the seat before turning it otherwise it catches on the door trim and damages it.
Once you have successfully rotated the seat please also ensure that it is in the locked position and remains locked. Leaving the seat unlocked can cause accidents when you use the seat to boost yourself up into the roof space, and again, it can also damage the door trims. Check out this handy video to become more familiar with this feature.
AWNING AND OUTSIDE TABLE
Those clever engineers at Volkswagen really have thought of everything! To enable you to enjoy the outdoors, the VW California campervan comes complete with an awning, outside tables and outside chairs.
The awning is attached to the drivers’ side of the vehicle and the hand-crank to operate it is located in the drawer under the bench seat. Please make sure you have any doors closed to prevent the awning fouling on them as you unwind it.
After you have unwound it to 0.5 metres, drop the legs on the awning to help support the weight. After the legs have been deployed you can unwind the awning to it’s full length. You will find tent pegs in the same drawer to peg it down if required. Use your judgement on the wind and retract the awning if necessary.
Top Tip – Have the rear awning leg lower than the front to encourage rainwater to run off to the rear of the awning. There is more to learn about the outside table and chairs, check out the video.
OPERATING THE ELECTRIC ROOF
The main event! This brings a smile to everyone the first time they see this completely automatic roof pop up!
It’s such an awesome feature but demands your full concentration to prevent any mishaps. Don’t leave anything in the roof space (however small) and remember to always have the roof-bed down and a door open and you will be fine.
Become more familiar with the operation of the roof by watching this video.
MAKING UP THE BEDS
Learn how to convert the bench seat into a comfortable bed. With the comfort sleeping mattress and black-out blinds all around, you can quickly convert the campervan into a cosy sleeping area.
Top Tip – To prevent the internal alarm sensors of the campervan activating whilst you are sleeping, lock the vehicle for night-time use with the padlock icons on the driver’s door. These lock the vehicle and alarms the doors but doesn’t activate the internal sensors ensuring a peaceful night’s sleep.
EVERYTHING ELSE
The remaining features of the campervan are covered in this video. The electric outlets, both those that run off the leisure batteries, and the one that only works on campsite hook-up are all covered here.
We will show you where the water is stored and refilled as well as how to access the gas bottle and use the vital gas isolation valves. Especially important if you are heading into Europe.
The icons and features of the dedicated camping control unit are covered in here, especially how they relate to operating the fridge and the amazing on-board heater.
NEED HELP?
We hope you find the information here and in the videos useful. We are always striving to provide our customers with a fantastic experience and to help them feel comfortable with their campervans.
If there is anything you think we should cover regarding the operating of the vehicle then please do drop us a message at info@southamptonvwcamperhire.co.uk
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