Hi all,

Just a quick query I noticed yesterday that my Fabia had screenwash leaking out the front of the the car, I can only presume it is the same problem as the Fabia Mark 1 where a pipe pops off, on the chance I was in the area of my local Skoda Dealer I decided to drive it up there to see if they could fit me in. Upon getting there I found the garage looked shut, so I popped in and explained my problem, I was told it could be the washer motor and simple Skoda do not cover that under warrenty (which I find hard to believe) as it involves taking the bumper of the front of the car so basically I was told it would cost me £65 - £70 for the motor and an hours labour.

I was a bit miffed to say the least so I called another Skoda Retailer who said they could cover it under warrenty, so my question is does anyone know if it is covered under warrenty?

I'm calling Skoda UK tomorrow to clarify and if it is under warrenty I think I will be complaining to my Skoda Retailer about how they want to charge me when something is covered under warrenty.

Hope you can help?

Cheers

Davy

Warranty claims do seem to depend on the dealers attitude sometimes on my first VRS MK1 the rear screen exploded while the HRW was on & it was replaced under warranty, I seem to recall a few on here had the same problem around the same time but their dealer said it wasn't covered?

I can see no reason why a washer pump would not be covered as its not a consumable like brake pads etc is it?

Unless Skoda can prove neglegence on your part then how can they refuse. Providing you have been using Skoda appproved screenwash then surely they would find it difficult to prove you did anything wrong.

Yeah I've been using Skoda approved screenwash which they gave me with the car, I honestly think they are trying to chance their arm to get money off people who suffer this problem with the Fabia.

Just a wee update...

I called Skoda UK yesterday and explained my problem and they are going to contact the dealer to see why this won't be covered, hoping to hear back in the next day or two.

Any update on this one ?

Forgot all about this!!

Basically Skoda UK called me back to book the car into Skoda during the christmas break, so I had to drive around for two weeks without any screen wash at all until the car went in on Wednesday. My wife took the car in and the retailer advised that it had been damaged due to the weather (all it was was the pipe had popped off) and they charged me £37 for the pleasure, when she challanged this saying that this had happened in our previous Fabia and was fixed under warrenty, they basically shifted the blame onto us saying we broke it.

It was cheaper then we were orginally quoted so we just paid it but I'm in the process of writing to Skoda UK to see if we can get this back as I find it hard to believe that this will happen every winter and people will pay £37 for the pipe to be reattached.

For the time being I'm just going to take a bottle of water with me in the car and a sponge to clear the screen as I don't want to risk popping the pipe off the washer again!

It's always helpful to others using the site to get to know Skoda and their dealers reaction to these things. Of course the motor should be covered. It's becoming clear the screen washer system on these cars is not as strong as it should be. Skoda on the other hand can treat it as a 'consumable' by saying incorrect strength washer fluid could cause ut to freeze and fail. That would be a very poor way of treating its customers, especially as this is not a common problem on most other makes of car and indicates a design fault by Skoda. So come on Skoda and honour your customers plight.

Edited 7 January, 201115 yr by horkin

Sorry you had to pay, I think thats wrong. I hope you get it back.

Surely the heritage of these cars goes back to a country that has a colder climate than ours so it a shame to think a good old British bad winter/weather breaks bits of them :(

What annoys me is that I'm using the approved Skoda Screen Wash down to -70!! and I agree with your Bullyboy in colder climates how these parts survive.

I've never had this problem on any other make of cars that I have owned bar Skoda and I still can't understand why they would not honour it when they honoured the same problem on my Fabia vRS even when it was out of warrenty they sorted it for free!

IIRC when it happened on the Fabia vRS the service team at my retailer knew it was a common problem and I understand the Fabia II has a diffrent washer system to the Fabia I ie one piece as I was advised by another retailer who said they could do the job under warrenty but a wee bit further for me to travel to.

Will see what Skoda have to say when I write to them.

Good luck, although my feeling is your get your money back.

Keep us posted.

Surely a fault covered by the warranty.

Sounds like a design flaw and/or poor specification of tubing plastic if it comes off when the temperature is low.

Even if bottle had cracked or something else broke provided you had made screenwash so not to freeze down to -20C to me no reason not to be covered by warranty within 3 years / 60K miles.

Well well well lasted 3 weeks.

We decided to visit my father in law in respite in Dundee today so we left Edinburgh and got about 15 miles when the screen wash deciced to drop it's screen wash all over the M8 Motorway, got to the services and I decided to chance calling my Skoda retailer as I was about 5 miles away, explained my problem and was basically told sorry can't help bring it in next week and we will investigate! I said to them you had fixed it three weeks ago and I expect it to last longer thatn that especially when the put the screen wash in neat and done by your mechanics, I said well that should be covered if it's the same problem only to be told that is another matter and it might cost you again.

To say I was angry is a understatement, and I'm losing my faith in the retailer and the car at the moment.

I think a strong letter/e-mail to Skoda is in order, as today we were going to see how my father in law was as he has not been keeping too great recently and it spoiled our day and we had to cancel our plans.

Will keep you posted on this.

Davy

Well well well lasted 3 weeks.

We decided to visit my father in law in respite in Dundee today so we left Edinburgh and got about 15 miles when the screen wash deciced to drop it's screen wash all over the M8 Motorway, got to the services and I decided to chance calling my Skoda retailer as I was about 5 miles away, explained my problem and was basically told sorry can't help bring it in next week and we will investigate! I said to them you had fixed it three weeks ago and I expect it to last longer thatn that especially when the put the screen wash in neat and done by your mechanics, I said well that should be covered if it's the same problem only to be told that is another matter and it might cost you again.

To say I was angry is a understatement, and I'm losing my faith in the retailer and the car at the moment.

I think a strong letter/e-mail to Skoda is in order, as today we were going to see how my father in law was as he has not been keeping too great recently and it spoiled our day and we had to cancel our plans.

Will keep you posted on this.

Davy

phone skoda customer servises they will advise you

The last time I phoned them the response I got was to the dealer will advise what the problem is before we can deal, once this has been sorted I think I will be contacting Skoda.

It does sound as if there is a problem with the way the pipe is secured.

On the anti freeze front, it is not just Skoda's antifreeze mix that does not meet its claims. I filled my washer with Mobil fluid that claimed it was good down to -40c.

It froze in the pipes at -8c.

Skoda approved screenwash

A wee update and a result.

Took the car into Skoda today and the washer motor/pump was replaced under warrenty, no questions asked, my old washer motor/if pump must have been faulty or beyond repair for them.

Upon asking if this should happen again I was told to bring it straight back to Skoda and they would do the warrenty work again.

Nice surprise for the day as I thought I was going to have to pay for this again.

Top notch customer service from my dealer.

Davy

Good job on the dealer, glad its sorted.