Rear Wiper motor - is there a problem

[covehithe]

Rear wiper motor on my 2012 Fabia Elegance stopped working last week.

Dealer confirmed no motors in Uk and on backorder.

Assistant in service dept let slip another customers wiper motor packed up just before Christmas and is still waiting for replacement.

Any one else know if there is problem with these motors?

Pete

[mrbillabong]

Hi Pete!

I have the same problem. My rear wipers packed in (Fabia TSI less than four months old) and assumed it was a blown fuse. Took it to main dealer who checked it out and he told me it was the motor.

Booked it in for next day and got a phone call later that day to inform me no motors available.

I understand from the dealer from where I bought the car that there is an issue with these motors and the whole country is waiting for them.

Could be a waiting game!

John

[Almal]

Hi,yep this has become a common problem and therefore that's why they are on back order,bit of a waiting game

[vrs red]

Also on the waiting list, stopped working 27th dec ! Was told to ring in on the 19th of this month as there was a 70% chance of them receiving one ! Not quite sure how they can give a 70% chance, surely it's a 50/50 ! !

[mrbillabong]

So another two months have passed and I have had no further updates from D M Keith, Bradford.

Rang them this morning and they now advise me that Skoda have redesigned the wiper motor, and they are hoping to receive them in the next two to four weeks.

We shall see!

Is it worth me taking this up with Skoda UK?

[Ootohere]

Best chase them up due to the current weather.

*Suggest that they remove one from a Demonstrator,

then when someone is on a test drive the salesman can say it will be a car like this, but a New Car,

some things might not work for Several months tho. As an Example try the rear wiper!!*

A call to Skoda UK Customer Services would not go wrong to see if the 'back order' is as you are being told it is.

If there is a Supply Problem then Skoda need to move their Ar53s.

It appears that some on here had their Wiper Motor replaced very recently.

george

[vrs red]

Had a call from skoda UK, it's a European problem, water ingress into the motors. The manufacturer has now rectified. And they are now gearing up to make them. Production line cars will be first, then everyone else. Think there will be a recall for it. Been waiting 3 months now

:(

[SuperTurbo]

I had the same issue. Motor packed up on my demo vrs estate after a short period of time, went back to the dealer and was told that it was a known issue and they have lots of customers waiting for the new revised motor.

A week later they called me to let me know it was in so I went and had it fitted straight away which was 2 weeks ago now.

Anyone else had a result yet?

[Guest]

My Fabia Estate had the rear wiper motor fail the day I picked it up...last weekend in fact. It was a Skoda Approved car in this instance. As yet, the motor is on back order but I was told it should only be a few days! Have to wait and see. I'll let you know what happens. Funny but my last Fabia Estate which I owned from new never had a single issue so having a fault on my Skoda is a completely new experience. But so far so good. The supplying dealer has already sorted some compensation for me for the inconvenience. That's not something any other dealer has even considered over the years when I've bought other makes.

[The Plumber]

Only rear wiper motor problem we have encountered with the Fabia was with my son's previous Mk I at 8+ years old; water ingress from the wash fluid system but this caused it to wipe permanently, even when off, rather than fail.

TP

Edited 23 March, 2013 by The Plumber

[Guest]

Just an update on this wiper motor thingy. It looks as if my motor will be in stock at my dealers on the 9th April, along with two others. So should be fixed just after that date. Looking good. Anyone else had the phone call with similar info?

[Jabozuma]

Had the same problem, three months now... I was told a slughtly different story re motors. Cars produced from Nov2012 to Jan 2013 or so (don't quote me on that one!) had known issues stemming from motor supplier problems. I was told Skoda changed suppliers hence such a long wait. Still, it is beyoubnd resonable to be waiting 3 months for warranty repair and I will be after compensation for them being in breach of warranty agreement. Not to mention driving without any visibility through rear window...

[Legrun]

I collected new Fabia 1.2 last Friday and tried the rear wiper on Sunday and guess what? Didn't work.

Advised supplier (EA) on Monday and then the hassle started.

Eventually they advise new motor required and will take four weeks . I say take one off the other new Fabia which they eventually did.

First time I've bought from these people and likely to be the last.

We have W reg felicia and only replacement part has been temperature sensor cost about £8, plus normal service items.

Legrun

[Legrun]

Further to posting on 19th the sales manager phoned me and admitted that they were not only aware of the general problem with these rear wiper motors but that this particular vehicle had that fault identified at the PDI. And they had neglected to do anything about it.

Selling a vehicle with a known fault without telling buyer seems to me a con . but probably considered high achievement by car salespersons.

Have suggested they withhold any commission payments ( otherwise such conduct is not only seen to be profitable but is also condoned by EA).

They offer 3 service for no charge.

I'llprobably reject the offer as any further dealings with them should be kept to absolute minimum and ask for the equivalent money which will donate to charity.

Legrun

[Ootohere]

The 'Pre Delivery Inspection' is the responsibility of the Dealership Workshop & the Workshop manager

should be the one aware of mechanical defects and issues or faults and ordering.

Safety checks & anything needing removed from 'In Transit' and Trim like Wheel Nut covers put on, fuel added etc.

A salesperson doing the hand over should be aware of a hopeless Workshop, Technicians or Pre Delivery Preperation

and be checking on your behalf..

I hope you checked and set your own tyre pressures and set the TPMS, checked wheel nuts tightness, & Puncture repair or Spare Kit.

If they do some things half cocked you have to question their abilities generally and trust nothing they do.

george

[Andymod]

The 'Pre Delivery Inspection' is the responsibility of the Dealership Workshop & the Workshop manager

should be the one aware of mechanical defects and issues or faults and ordering.

Safety checks & anything needing removed from 'In Transit' and Trim like Wheel Nut covers put on, fuel added etc.

A salesperson doing the hand over should be aware of a hopeless Workshop, Technicians or Pre Delivery Preperation

and be checking on your behalf..

I hope you checked and set your own tyre pressures and set the TPMS, checked wheel nuts tightness, & Puncture repair or Spare Kit.

If they do some things half cocked you have to question their abilities generally and trust nothing they do.

george

In my experience the salesman would have been made aware of the problem by the workshop, but as parts are on back order, would have neglected to tell the buyer, to avoid problems at handover. Unfortunately there are many people like yourself who cannot wait to blame techs and the workshop.

[CRASH67]

Had the same problem, three months now... I was told a slughtly different story re motors. Cars produced from Nov2012 to Jan 2013 or so (don't quote me on that one!) had known issues stemming from motor supplier problems. I was told Skoda changed suppliers hence such a long wait. Still, it is beyoubnd resonable to be waiting 3 months for warranty repair and I will be after compensation for them being in breach of warranty agreement. Not to mention driving without any visibility through rear window...

3 months to change supplier test the product then presumably fulfill the backorders in Europe while being a long time should come as relief.

Surely it would been too easy to keep knocking out the old version.

It takes time to change suppliers and make sure all is to standard then start fullfilling outstanding orders.

Tbf to Skoda what more could expect??

Im sure had the backorder issue been a damnsite smaller they may of removed one from a "stock" car. But it sounds like this motor issue was beyond this.

[Ootohere]

Andymod,

and its right to blame the Tech & the Workshop IMO.

(Having served my time as a Motor Engineer (Mechanic)

"fault identified at the PDI, and they neglected to do anything about it."

Salespeople sell & do their job well or not and have possibly on job training.

Technical people are supposedly trained and supervised.

The General manager is responsible for lax staff,

and someone with training is responsible for signing off new vehicles.

This time its 'only a wiper motor' not written up for 'pointing out' to a customer at hand over,

who knows what else fails to get mentioned, or no action taken on.

A 'Post it note' on the dash or in the Service Book that the Tech signed and had Stamped is not exactly rocket science.

george

[Jabozuma]

3 months to change supplier test the product then presumably fulfill the backorders in Europe while being a long time should come as relief.

Surely it would been too easy to keep knocking out the old version.

It takes time to change suppliers and make sure all is to standard then start fullfilling outstanding orders.

Tbf to Skoda what more could expect??

Im sure had the backorder issue been a damnsite smaller they may of removed one from a "stock" car. But it sounds like this motor issue was beyond this.

We are getting into realms of a definition of what is a "reasonable time" to complete the warranty repair and what does it mean it "needs to be performed without undue hardship to the customer". I can be a very patient person but I'm no saint... The failure were known for a very long time, before I bought the car and it is only me waiting for that long but they had more than 6 months to sort it out. The blame is with the management for not acting quickly and decisevely upon discovery of the fault. It was not identified as a design problem, head in the sand followed hoping that it turns out to be a faulty batch - unacceptable

[Legrun]

After digesting the admissions of the dealer (EA) from their phone call last Saturday I formally requested that they refund the purchase price of the car and take it back.

They replied that they would deliver a cheque and take the car back and then refund the credit card for the deposit .

My guess this response is something to do with ' sale of goods' regulations.

Will it happen? I'll let you know.

Meanwhile I emailed Skoda last week asking what's happening with these motors and lo and behold it appears that they deliver a new item to the dealer yesterday and then phoned me. Hence I suggest if you have a problem on getting a new motor your best bet is to contact Skoda direct.

I would add that we have had no problem with our 56reg octavia and only the temp sensor on our W reg Felicia from new.

Legrun

[Jabozuma]

Legrun, just to make it clear in my head, you rejected your car because the wiper motor was noted as faulty at PDI and you were not told about?

[Legrun]

This was a straight money purchase , no trade- in , no loan , no discount asked for , no discount offered ,no test drive offered , no test drive asked for. They want £500 deposit and the balance of the money several days before the car can be collected and they want £50 odd for protective rubber sidestrips. This was all complied with. The salesperson subsequently asked my wife to declare that she had had a test drive!

When the defective rear wiper was reported to them ( on the Monday following the Friday collection) they want the car taken to them .I phoned them and asked that they collect the car androvide a courtesy car .( that was the only time I called them). They replied they can't collect before Friday and can't provide a courtesy car before next month , to which I say ' think about it'. Well they collected it on Wednesday and then phoned toreport defective motor and it will take a few days to which suggest they take one off the other new Fabia ; they comment 'that probably won't work either'. A further call from them amends the repair time to 4 weeks. They then switch motors and return the car.The service manager calls and when I ask if this is a common problem he says he wants to be honest and admits that they have had one previous example.

I report that I consider the service offered to be poor. The customer care dept. call and will look into things including any recalls. They call back saying it has been referred to management.

So then I consult the Internet .... and then there was light!

The admissions made by the sales manager together with what I take to be the sales equivalent of 'the bedbugs letter' re- forced the unwelcome feeling that we were considered as gullible smi-comatose dribbling geriatrics . We are both the wrong side of 79.

It is the total experience which I consider unacceptable as a result of which I requested the refund . As for any pleasure to be got from buying a new car that went ' down the toilet' at the time of about the tenth call from them the majority of which were to tell me what tneycouldn't do

Legrun

[Jabozuma]

Well, I am not surprised by your decision when you paint the whole thing in this light, would probalby do the same and head straight to the nearest Honda or Toyota dealership . It is trully appaling the way some care sales people treat paying customers....

I'd suggest you go to the Dealership section here on Briskoda and post your experiences as a warrning to others about to use the same dealership.

Are you going to stay with Skoda or moving your money elswhere?

[Legrun]

Today I received a cheque for the full purchase price of the car.

I hope that is the end of the story.

Legrun

[Guest]

Well, here's my update on the rear wiper motor thingy! It is correct that Skoda have had to resource a new motor for the Fabia as clearly there were some problems with the old version. There has been and may still be a short wait for some who still need one but Skoda is getting them out as fast as they can. Mine was on back order for 10.5 weeks. I also had a false start with the previous delivery date that was suggested to me for April, being a date Skoda were unable to meet. However, I have been kept informed by my dealer at every stage as to what is happening and yesterday my car went in to have a brand new rear wiper motor fitted. All went well and she's now working ok. I suspect anyone still waiting won't have too much more of a wait now. Cheers!