One of mine isn't spraying properly - can't be fussed to get the car booked in for just this, but can't be doing with it long enough to wait until its next visit to a dealer...

This is basic but i get a bowl of warm water, submerge the jet end and suck and blow the other end until the bit come loose and end up in your mouth.

vinegar is a pretty safe thing to use to dissolve any calcium buildup....

What screenwash are you using?

What screenwash are you using?

Halfords stuff - work won't pay for VWAG Stuff...

Mind, i've never used VWAG Stuff apart from when it comes back topped up from a service - and haven't had any previous problems with it

I'd check your jets and see if you can see why they are clogging up. If they look a bit gunky or snotty the screenwash isnt suitable for fan jets.

spray some brake cleaner in there

Are the jets easy to get out?

Halfords stuff - work won't pay for VWAG Stuff...

Mind, i've never used VWAG Stuff apart from when it comes back topped up from a service - and haven't had any previous problems with it

the wanc stuff is pretty reasonable tbh

The stupid spray jets (designed so you can't see where you are going whilst the washer pump is running) will not function properly if you use hard tap water in the system. The hardness in the water just precipitates out on the fan jet and makes it even more useless.

The fix is to use rain water in the reservoir (I'm too mean to buy deionised water in these quantities). I live in a hard water area and after having my Superb for about 6 months the washers began to block. Changing to rain water has progressively unblocked the jets - they are now completely clear.

An alcohol and detergent based additive is no problem. Wilkinsons sell the dilutable stuff for 75p per litre - no need to use VAG money grabbing special stuff - the water is the problem.

rotodiesel.

I make up my own screen wash from the concentrated stuff you can buy - goes a long way.

Once had this problem on my Fabia. Took the jets off and placed them in a cup of hot water with kettle descaler. Used a toothbrush to work loose any resilent bits. Dont damage the rectangular orifices or else the spray pattern will be ruined. Vinegar would work as well.

now heres a thought, how about the water from a dehumidifier

Kettle descaler = ascorbic acid.

vinegar = acetic acid

any acid will melt away the calcium. Only problem with adding vinegar is that you get hungry when it rains....

Halfords stuff - work won't pay for VWAG Stuff...

Mind, i've never used VWAG Stuff apart from when it comes back topped up from a service - and haven't had any previous problems with it

But your Halfords stuff isn't working and VAG screenwash does!

now heres a thought, how about the water from a dehumidifier

Would be perfect - better than deionised and almost as good as distilled.

I think the hard water issue is the key to whether your fan jets block and explains how some folk can use tap water and Cheapowashermix with no problems where others block in 6 months.

The VAG stuff will contain chelating agents to ensure that hard water salts remain soluble and don't block the jets.

The VAG stuff is not really so expensive - about £3 for 1 litre that makes 4 litres of UK winter strength or double that at summer strength. A 5 litre bottle of premixed Carplan from Morrisons petrol forecourt is £2.50 so year round the VAG stuff is cheaper and smells good too

Edited 19 December, 200817 yr by eccleshill

A 5 litre bottle of premixed Carplan from Morrisons petrol forecourt is £2.50

£2.50? It's £5 everywhere down here in the smoke :(

I still get a blocked rear washer jet though. In fact I've got to sort it this weekend

£2.50? It's £5 everywhere down here in the smoke :(

I still get a blocked rear washer jet though. In fact I've got to sort it this weekend

I use the Carplan All Season Concentrated stuff at £4.99 for 5L and dilute it to between 10% and 20% strength which works out as 10 - 20p per L.

Which is alot cheaper than anything mentioned here. I dont have a problem with jet blockages but our water is soft judging by the complete lack of any scale in the kettle which is years old.

What's an easy way of actually removing the jets from the car?

Never had a problem with Halfords, diuted about 15:1 in summer, 4:1 in winter, but lately use water from our tumble dryer. Recycles the water and saves money at my water meter, plus the water is more or less distilled!

(It is a condensing tumble dryer though - not too many around.)

I live in a hard water area and have a water softener, never had problems with jets.

If anyone wants some soft water I could sell it for 5p Ltr:D

One can always boil and chill water if it is too hard. The calcium will deposit on the recipient's wall.

What's an easy way of actually removing the jets from the car?

Get somebody else to do it !

Seriously though they come out quite easily. Remove the hose feed then gently lever them out of the water box cover (the big plastic thing that holds the jets - thats what it is called in the Skoda work shop manual).

I warmed the hose with a hair dryer to make them more supple and easier to remove from the jets.

Whilst i keep cleaning the rear jets one problem i see is that the stream gets impeded by the plastic cover, these holes seem in direct line with the jets but when using it the jets only place water along the arm and not onto the rear screen. Is this the action they are supposed to do, i would rather they "jetted" like the front screen ones.

Whilst i keep cleaning the rear jets one problem i see is that the stream gets impeded by the plastic cover, these holes seem in direct line with the jets but when using it the jets only place water along the arm and not onto the rear screen. Is this the action they are supposed to do, i would rather they "jetted" like the front screen ones.

Sounds like a build up futher up the pipe just keep running decent stuff through it will clear eventually..

Hi Loco,,the jet is working fine but as i said its the plastic cover with holes in which is stopping the stream from going up to the screen. Does any one have simular problem?. I suppose if it is norm i could drill larger holes in the plastic cover.