Hi all,

Just to see if anyone is having the same problem as me really... nearly a 15 mile trip to work and my washers are still frozen solid, the tank is full of screenwash and all I can hear is the motor buzzing.

Anyone elses taking ages to defrost?

Thanks.

I saw external temps of -12C in Scarborough this morning, so I doubt they'll defrost on their own. Try seeing if you can knock any external ice off the jets to get the screen wash flowing in the jet?

I saw external temps of -12C in Scarborough this morning, so I doubt they'll defrost on their own. Try seeing if you can knock any external ice off the jets to get the screen wash flowing in the jet?

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Thanks for swift reply

the jets themselves are clear now i think there must just be a freeze in the pipes or the tank. Yeah it was -11 this morning when i woke up. Incidiently if anyone is interested Skoda sell their own screenwash and it protects down to -70! Just been to purchase some this morning.

Incidiently if anyone is interested Skoda sell their own screenwash and it protects down to -70! Just been to purchase some this morning.

Yeah, they do 2 - pre-mixed (used in my Fabia), and concentrate (used in the relatives Octavia), both in 1L bottles - think the concentrate is about 2x as expensive per bottle. Not entirely sure what the mix ratio is supposed to be for the concentrate (it doesn't say), but the guy at TPS said one capfull per fill. Can't say we have had a problem with the washer jets freezing, but it's only been -6C here.

Edited 6 December, 201015 yr by martinch

Yeah, they do 2 - pre-mixed (used in my Fabia), and concentrate (used in the relatives Octavia), both in 1L bottles - think the concentrate is about 2x as expensive per bottle. Not entirely sure what the mix ratio is supposed to be for the concentrate (it doesn't say), but the guy at TPS said one capfull per fill. Can't say we have had a problem with the washer jets freezing, but it's only been -6C here.

The instructions for the concentrate are hidden behind the one of the labels on the bottle. From memory the recommended concentrations were 4:1 summer, and then 2:1, 1:1 or neat winter depending on temperature.

Yeah, they do 2 - pre-mixed (used in my Fabia), and concentrate (used in the relatives Octavia), both in 1L bottles - think the concentrate is about 2x as expensive per bottle. Not entirely sure what the mix ratio is supposed to be for the concentrate (it doesn't say), but the guy at TPS said one capfull per fill. Can't say we have had a problem with the washer jets freezing, but it's only been -6C here.

The instructions for the concentrate are hidden behind the one of the labels on the bottle.

Peel the bottom R/H corner of the label off and all will be revealed!

"1 capful per fill" will offer no protection against freezing at all!

Mix 50 50 should be fine for you, I also use distilled water to stop staining or odours.

The dealer just told me half a litre and top up with water and you should have no problems

Just went out in the car for my lunch there and it they have eventually thawed!

The dealer just told me half a litre and top up with water and you should have no problems

Just went out in the car for my lunch there and it they have eventually thawed!

Have you got headlamp washers? Reservoir capacity is 5.5litres so half a litre won't be enough in minus 10.

In winter I use the VAG stuff diluted 1:2 - ie 2 litres of water for every litre of fluid. Not had any problems so far but the coldest I have seen is minus 8.

In winter I always keep a litre of this mix in the boot - emergency top up if you run dry; or stop and pour it over the screen if the jets freeze.

Have you got headlamp washers? Reservoir capacity is 5.5litres so half a litre won't be enough in minus 10.

In winter I use the VAG stuff diluted 1:2 - ie 2 litres of water for every litre of fluid. Not had any problems so far but the coldest I have seen is minus 8.

In winter I always keep a litre of this mix in the boot - emergency top up if you run dry; or stop and pour it over the screen if the jets freeze.

Yeah I have got washers, it has xenons. Thanks for the advice

Have you got headlamp washers? Reservoir capacity is 5.5litres so half a litre won't be enough in minus 10.

In winter I use the VAG stuff diluted 1:2 - ie 2 litres of water for every litre of fluid. Not had any problems so far but the coldest I have seen is minus 8.

In winter I always keep a litre of this mix in the boot - emergency top up if you run dry; or stop and pour it over the screen if the jets freeze.

What's the VW stuff protect down to? Only reason I ask is that I have a VW dealer round the corner from work, but nearest Skoda dealer is 25 miles away!

What's the VW stuff protect down to? Only reason I ask is that I have a VW dealer round the corner from work, but nearest Skoda dealer is 25 miles away!

Its all the same stuff, has all the VAG logos on. and it protects down to -70 but thats undiluted.

Hi all,

Just to see if anyone is having the same problem as me really... nearly a 15 mile trip to work and my washers are still frozen solid, the tank is full of screenwash and all I can hear is the motor buzzing.

Anyone elses taking ages to defrost?

Thanks.

I have taped some insulation over the nozzles and that seems to help, but if your car stands out overnight I think the water in the system will freeze, try a stronger solution.

The other thing I do is carry a small jet spray bottle of washer fluid in the door pocket and if the washers freeze you can wind the window down (when it is safe to do so) and give the screen a fast spray, at least it stops you from not being able to see where you are going for a period.

Hope this is of some help.

I have taped some insulation over the nozzles and that seems to help, but if your car stands out overnight I think the water in the system will freeze, try a stronger solution.

The other thing I do is carry a small jet spray bottle of washer fluid in the door pocket and if the washers freeze you can wind the window down (when it is safe to do so) and give the screen a fast spray, at least it stops you from not being able to see where you are going for a period.

Hope this is of some help.

I was trying a simliar method to that but using my de-icer spray!

how much is the screenwash? I need some now so it would be handy to know - thanks

Use the correct concentration and make sure it is flushed through the pipes and nozzles first no amount in the resevoir will thaw the jets out. Readily available premix is OK for -16C. I bought Car Plan at the weekend on a tour down south.

No snow in Wiltshire and a load of southern softies were moaning away about 2" in Essex, at our hotel.

My tales of 2' snow and -9C in Chesterfield were met with open mouths and disbelief.

Edited 6 December, 201015 yr by gregoir

Use the correct concentration and make sure it is flushed through the pipes and nozzles first no amount in the resevoir will thaw the jets out. Readily available premix is OK for -16C. I bought Car Plan at the weekend on a tour down south.

No snow in Wiltshire and a load of southern softies were moaning away about 2" in Essex, at our hotel.

My tales of 2' snow and -9C in Chesterfield were met with open mouths and disbelief.

+1 for the advice on screen washer

I wish there was a smilie for over-exaggerated, pigeon-holed person from North of the Thames (AKA Northern ******) but we don't live in a perfect world.

The official VW/Skoda screenwash works down to -70C when neat and -17C when mixed with 2 parts water

I paid £3.38 for a 1 liter bottle from local VW dealer

For many years I've used the Car Plan concentrate from Makro. Regularly on offer at about £2.99 BOGOF (so that's about 30p a litre!).

Diluted 50:50 in current very cold weather and not had a problem with freezing as yet. I also put a couple of shots of the German-made 'screen cleaner' (as sold in Aldi and Lidl) in every 5L of mix. Keeps the screen sparkling clean.

The official VW/Skoda screenwash works down to -70C when neat and -17C when mixed with 2 parts water

I paid £3.38 for a 1 liter bottle from local VW dealer

+1 that's how much I paid

Accusing the washer jets of being "useless" is a little harsh.

All they do is direct the liquid you put in to the washer bottle at the screen.

If they aren't working because they've frozen then either your screenwash is too weak or it's too cold - non of which is Skoda's fault.

As it happens the washer jets are tucked neatly under the lip of the bonnet which keeps them out of the wind, a neat idea.

Think yourself lucky, I'm running my 306 on neat screenwash. Despite this the pump has frozen (not even pumping), the washer bottle has frozen, the pipes are frozen and the jets, on top of the bonnet, are also frozen solid.

Saying that it is quite cold here...

I'm using the stuff neat (5l jobbie from homebase) and its working fine - having said that we've only had -5.

I'd be careful running neat screenwash myself unless I was sure it wouldn't stain the paint-especially with headlight washers as they spray it all over the bonnet etc! I've seen nasty screenwash streak paint something terrible, requiring machine polishing to remove. At the very least it will strip any wax/polish off-it's designed to dissolve grease/oil/road film/insects from your screen after all!

I'm so glad I'm not the only one having real issues with this frozen jets!! I gradually kept upping the concentration of the screenwash, but anything below -3 its freezes again! On the way to work this morning, it was -1 leaving home, and the jets were fine....by the time it read -3, no water!!

Looking at the fuse box...the jets are supposed to be heated to prevent freezing in the nozzles...does this mean the headlamp washer jets or the windscreen ones?

Anyway, off to get some decent screenwash from the VAG dealer down the road.