Do your blinds stick?

chockswahay · Feb 19, 2024

I have been meaning to ask for a while now. The roller Blinds for all the side windows need careful handling and encouragement to wind back up properly and without creases. We tend to hold them lightly and centrally in the middle of the window and then ‘jiggle’ the blind gently upwards

Does anyone have a better way of dealing with this? Is there a reliable mess free lubricant? What do you do? Or am I the only one with these issues?

Meoncoast · Feb 19, 2024

On T6 yes on the front cab ones but not on the side rear although do treat with care'

montyburns1982 · Feb 19, 2024

Kitchen blind on my 2015 sticks when it gets warm and then refuses to retract properly. Took some trim off to see how hard it was to fix then decided just to get some stick on insulated covers for the side windows…they keep the van warmer too!

WelshGas · Feb 19, 2024

chockswahay said:
I have been meaning to ask for a while now. The roller Blinds for all the side windows need careful handling and encouragement to wind back up properly and without creases. We tend to hold them lightly and centrally in the middle of the window and then ‘jiggle’ the blind gently upwards

Does anyone have a better way of dealing with this? Is there a reliable mess free lubricant? What do you do? Or am I the only one with these issues?

If you lubricate then they may not stay down or in any intermediate position.

AlfonzoBonzo1 · Feb 19, 2024

chockswahay said:
I have been meaning to ask for a while now. The roller Blinds for all the side windows need careful handling and encouragement to wind back up properly and without creases. We tend to hold them lightly and centrally in the middle of the window and then ‘jiggle’ the blind gently upwards

Does anyone have a better way of dealing with this? Is there a reliable mess free lubricant? What do you do? Or am I the only one with these issues?

Same issue in my brand new van, following to see if anyone has any ideas. Had thought of spraying some silicon spray in the sides but not sure that would even help, feels like the traction springs are not really strong enough to me

Corradobrit · Feb 19, 2024

The larger ones at the side need careful encouragement to retract, especially the sliding door and above the kitchen unit. The rear is the easiest. Completely given up on the fronts in the A pillars. What a nightmare they are to rehouse without creases or messing up the positioning of the rods.

chockswahay · Feb 19, 2024

WelshGas said:
If you lubricate then they may not stay down or in any intermediate position.

That's a point WG, I hadn't thought of that......

Hawthorn37 · Feb 19, 2024

AlfonzoBonzo1 said:
Same issue in my brand new van, following to see if anyone has any ideas. Had thought of spraying some silicon spray in the sides but not sure that would even help, feels like the traction springs are not really strong enough to me

Do not lubricate ! They move up easily- BUT don’t stay down easily !

Hawthorn37 · Feb 19, 2024

We had issues with the door blind. The VW tech managed to adjust the door pillar trim, and this was successful to a degree, but it still snagged a little when closing. So, I sprayed just a little PTFE lube into the channel that carries the blind cable. The results were that the blind came dow smoothly without snagging - hooray! But when closing the side door with the blind closed when parked up, the blind went up half way in its own. When inside the van, closing the blind needs a couple of goes. That was in November 2022. It’s pretty much the same today! Slightly less of a problem- but we’re still waiting for the lube to wear out.

So lubricate the blinds at your peril

Ch1pbutty · Feb 19, 2024

My rear blind failed, so purchased a replacement,3 hours to replace…30mins of which was a trip to screwfix to buy a rivet gun…as the blind is riveted to the boot trim with approx 16 rivets. Reckon I could do one in an hour now…good learning experience!

chockswahay · Feb 20, 2024

I’m beginning to think that there is a little bit of ‘form over function’ here

Classic VW

tobyprivett · Feb 20, 2024

I lubricated my blinds and they stopped staying down. The dealer replaced them under warranty. Was long job, taking out all the panels, etc. the new blinds are smooth but one doesn’t stay down without a little wedge.

Chordist · Feb 23, 2024

We also suffered from sticky blinds, solution for us was one tiny squirt of thetford loo lubricant, & I mean tiny, in lower part of runner, then work up & down a few times, now runs a smooth as silk.