Hi people.

One of my washer jets has started to fail so I purchased some new ones from the local dealer.

My question is how easy/difficult is it to change them. Skoda said the scuttle panel needs to be removed therefore 1 hour labour at £85

It can't be that hard? Can it?

Any tips or hints greatly appreciated as always

Google image search Octavia Scuttle Tray, loads of images to take a look at.

 

It does look as though access to the underside of the tray is required...

 

Looks like a job for the weekend then.

Will have to put up with poor washer jets till then

I will have a search on Google.

Be careful with your spanners once the scuttle tray is off, the lower edge of the windscreen is exposed.

 

If you hit it with a spanner it will crack very easily. I learnt the hard way!

On our mk1 Fabia I could change the jets in situ. Fiddly but doable. I can't remember what the O2 engine bay is like.

I know stick with VAG screen wash and in a combined 100k miles not had any more problems.

Be careful with your spanners once the scuttle tray is off, the lower edge of the windscreen is exposed.

If you hit it with a spanner it will crack very easily. I learnt the hard way!

I hopefully won't be needing the spanners, going by some videos I have seen (although they could be for mk1 as they're changing the pollen filter)

They look to just clip off, then push the washer jets out from below.

I know stick with VAG screen wash and in a combined 100k miles not had any more problems.

The dealer recommended to use genuine stuff and very kindly gave me a litre of it for free with the jets.

What quantities did you mix it in ratio to water, can't quite work out the measurements on the bottle.

Easy to change

 

pull the rubber seal away and lift the scuttle panel trim up a little and push upward on the jet from underneath

The dealer recommended to use genuine stuff and very kindly gave me a litre of it for free with the jets.

What quantities did you mix it in ratio to water, can't quite work out the measurements on the bottle.

 

I don't measure out; just pour I think I generally use 250ml to 5l in the winter. I just measure see how it is coming out of the jets and adjust. I've got used to doing it automatically these days. 

 

I also find a little goes a long way and so the cost is not dissimilar to the cheap stuff

Yeah - its a five minute job, no need for tools as Eddie-NL says.

 

Just make sure you hang onto the little clips, cos when they pop off, you are going to be hunting for them down the back of the engine. (Speaking from experience)

Yeah - its a five minute job, no need for tools as Eddie-NL says.

Dealer wanted £85 for 1 hours labour. Sounds like they wanted a nice profit. Weekend job I think.

After I get my new 12V socket auxiliary socket fitted in place of the (temperamental) cigarette lighter.

I don't measure out; just pour I think I generally use 250ml to 5l in the winter. I just measure see how it is coming out of the jets and adjust. I've got used to doing it automatically these days.

I also find a little goes a long way and so the cost is not dissimilar to the cheap stuff

There's some markings down the side of the bottle. I think I will premix a batch in a 5l bottle I have lying around to the quantity you mentioned and see how I go.

Based on that. I should be looking at getting 20 litres of screenwash out of 1 litre from the dealer.

Success I managed to change both jets in around 15 mins and didn't need to fully remove the scuttle panel.

Just peeled the rubber seal away from the front and prised the scuttle panel up enough to allow access to the white retaining clip of the washer hoses released those and pushed the jet out from the bottom. New jet pushed in and hose reattached and secured by clip :-)

I admit I did try to fully remove the scuttle panel but couldn't release the wiper arms from the car. Undone the nuts but they wouldn't budge