I should really pay attention to the manual when it says to de-ice the headlamp washers. They stopped working in the cold (about the only time you actually need them to clear salt off!). After wasting time under the bonnet checking a frozen hose hadn't popped off like on my old Ford I checked the fuse and it was obviously blown by the motor going over current trying to move frozen washers. They should have small fixed washers like a Porsche.

But for those like me who normally complain how much water they waste when not needed (eg every other day of the year when not salty!) then taking out the fuse can stop them easily.

Mine blew last week also, was a bit miffed that there were no spare fuses!

A useful warning, thanks. Did that fuse blowing take anything else out or was it just the headlamp washers?

Gosh, for a while I thought you were refering to your pumped up stero system!!!

Mine blew last week also, was a bit miffed that there were no spare fuses!

I know - ultimate in penny pinching, even the Skoda manual says to keep some spares - the cheek!

Simple remedy; take the fuse out - period.

Simple remedy; take the fuse out - period.

As long as you remember to put it back in for the MOT...

As long as you remember to put it back in for the MOT...

Got a couple of years to go yet for that; I might have forgotten by then.

PS> I carry a cleaning cloth and some Autoglym 'Fast Glass' in the car and give my lights a wipe most mornings before setting off to work to keep them clean.

If you take out the fuse, the washer pump also stops working...so no front or rear screenwash!

If you take out the fuse, the washer pump also stops working...so no front or rear screenwash!

Nope - my windscreen washers, front and rear still work normally. Just stops the headlamp washers.

Nope - my windscreen washers, front and rear still work normally. Just stops the headlamp washers.

+ 1

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If you take out the fuse, the washer pump also stops working...so no front or rear screenwash!<br />

This was my experience.  My washer stopped working completely until the fuse was replaced. Does this feature vary if you have xenons or heated windscreen or soemthing as to which fuse it goes on?

Does this feature vary if you have xenons or heated windscreen or something as to which fuse it goes on?

Maybe it does.

I have xenons and removing the required fuse merely cancels the headlamp wash; front & rear screen wash are unaffected.