The rear screen on my estate gets filthy really quick, never had a car like it. This, combined with the poor rear washer has got me thinking of ways to help reduce the muck.

Will fitting rear mudflaps reduce the vortexes of air and spray going up to the screen or are they just for protecting the bodywork behind the arches?

Opinions vary but in my own opinion and experience you won't notice an improvement.

 

No doubt spray will be reduced but not enough to notice.

 

On my Octavia the rear mudflaps didn't even fully protect the bumper beyond 3 inches from the flap.

 

Just a downside of the upright rear screen on the estate.

 

Saying that though the rear washer on our estate is very good, what is the issue with yours?

Edited 16 February, 201610 yr by silver1011

It's an estate, so no. The flat backend is the cause of the problem.

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Thought as much. Meh.

Rear washer is just poor, water comes out at a trickle when feels like it. I've had a go at it with a pin but needs to be taken apart and given a good clean. The way my luck is going with it (stone hit windscreen today, beyond 'repair' so needs a new screen) I'd rather not touch it! (Of course I'm just being daft, I'll take it apart when have some spare time)

Edited 16 February, 201610 yr by UnderTheRadars

Thought as much. Meh.

Rear washer is just poor, water comes out at a trickle when feels like it. I've had a go at it with a pin but needs to be taken apart and given a good clean. The way my luck is going with it (stone hit windscreen today, beyond 'repair' so needs a new screen) I'd rather not touch it!

Check the spare wheel well and boot carpet for washer fluid. Could well be the connection in the boot is leaking.

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Check the spare wheel well and boot carpet for washer fluid. Could well be the connection in the boot is leaking.

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Have checked this already (though thanks for the heads up) thanks to searching this forum, it's dry

Edited 16 February, 201610 yr by UnderTheRadars

Have checked this already (though thanks for the heads up) thanks to searching this forum, it's dry

It's worth lifting the carpet then the bottom of the side piece as there is a metal rail in the floor which can stop the water going into the wheel well. Instead it drains out a hole at the back of the wheel arch.

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Oh? Shall do, thanks!

Oh? Shall do, thanks!

When mine went the carpet etc was dry and so it wasn't until the boot lights and top brake light went gaga that I found it was leaking.

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As others said, the rear screen dirt is because of aerodynamics issues with the estate shape.

However, I found FRONT mudflaps kept the sides cleaner.

I found a cheap set of front+rear mudflaps on Ebay for cheap and mounted them and they're quite OK.

Just to be a bit more detailed... It's the shape of the roof+back window line which is important.

In saloons or hatches with a gently sloped rear, the air comes down from the roof and sweeps the rear window, keeping it fairly clean.

In estates/MPV/hatches with a vertical rear window, the air coming along the roof just curls down and against the rear window, hitting it "hard" and depositing all the dirt it brings along.

Not a cure but try using Rain-X which keeps it cleaner for longer. The wifes BMW coupe has a similar problem and no wiper at all. Rain X helps. 

Rain-X or better still, one of the nano-sealant glass products.

 

The old wagons (not skoda) used to have a "reverse spoiler" you could fit that directed the air downward to keep the window cleaner.