Hi all,

My wife was driving the Octavia yesterday and ran out of washer fluid without any warning. Our Fabia has this feature, does the Octavia not? Or could the sensor be faulty?

This would seem a strange oversight on the newer and higher specced Octavia, not to mention unsafe!

Cheers,

Dan

Unsafe? I'm not sure about that one!

You don't have a level warning light unless you have Xenon headlights on the Octavia.

Wow, okay fair enough. I do think it's unsafe from the point of view that you're not aware if you're running low before setting off. Running out on the motorway with spray could be quite dangerous.

I'm really surprised that this isn't fitted to the Octavia, despite the much older Fabia having it.

Surely you should be checking fluid levels BEFORE a light comes on or you run out though?

Do you ever check your oil or just wait for your light to come on?

IMO this is one of the many problems with more advanced and reliable cars - far too many owners get lazy and purely drive them, fill them with fuel then clean them occasionally, if you are lucky.

Tyres, bulbs and fluids never get checked from one service to another.

You need to have the head light washers to have the warning (also on non xenon cars).

You need to have the head light washers to have the warning (also on non xenon cars).

Ah yes, good point

Surely you should be checking fluid levels BEFORE a light comes on or you run out though?

Do you ever check your oil or just wait for your light to come on?

IMO this is one of the many problems with more advanced and reliable cars - far too many owners get lazy and purely drive them, fill them with fuel then clean them occasionally, if you are lucky.

Tyres, bulbs and fluids never get checked from one service to another.

I check oil and tyres on a regular basis, the oil has a dipstick that allows me to check the level, the tyres are easily accessible for the check. I have a set of spare bulbs in the glovebox...

I can't see the washer fluid level as the bottle is out of sight.

I think that all cars should have this warning as standard as in the current weather you can use it very quickly. I can't check the level, so I just top it up on a regular basis, but in the current conditions I have run out of washer fluid in 3 days and would appreciate the warning light so that I can pull into a service station and top the fluid up before it runs out...

There is a real inconsistency here:

You have a fuel gauge but they still feel the need to fit a low fuel light.

You have a dipstick but still have a low oil level light

You have a visible coolant header tank but still have a low coolant level light

You have a visible brake fluid tank but have a low brake fluid light.

You sit next to the door but still have a "door open" light

You have a temperature gauge but still have a high engine temperature light

You can inspect your light bulbs but still get a warning light to tell you one has gone out

You have a handbrake lever by your left (or right) hand but get a warning light to tell you it is applied

You have a gear lever by your left (or right) hand but new manuals get an indicator to tell you what gear you are in

The washer reservoir is completely hidden from view but unless you pay £1000(?) for Xenons or buy a high spec model you don't get any indication that the level is getting low. I too find this difficult to understand!

Having said that, I have had the light on my various cars for years but have rarely seen it lit. On my last Octavia I only saw it once in 3yrs and that was when I purposely ran the fluid down to see if it worked! I tend to keep a mental tally of how much I am using the washers and top up accordingly and always before a long trip. SWMBO's Micra doesn't have a light (at least I don't think it does!) but I top hers up whenever I top mine.

The sensor is in the bigger washer fluid tank and not in the smaller one. That is why you need to have at least the head light washers.

Or if you want to have it cheaper, change the tank (incl the sensor)

I hate too see those warning lights, that is why I try to fill up the reservoirs before my instrument panel lights like a christmas tree. (except for the fuel tank, I like to use all the fuel and not just part of it )

Most modern cars to be fair have the low level indicator.

We just have to accept that Skoda is the poor relation in the VAG and as such will also loose some normally expected features.

A situation I am prepared to accept for what is such a great, good value car.

Most modern cars to be fair have the low level indicator.

We just have to accept that Skoda is the poor relation in the VAG and as such will also loose some normally expected features.

A situation I am prepared to accept for what is such a great, good value car.

This is also missing off many VW cars as well though.

This is also missing off many VW cars as well though.

And also missing even from the likes of Audi unless you specify the "Driver Information System" option.