Good afternoon all,

 

My car is currently at Bristol Skoda (1 year old MK IV Octavia) as nothing was coming out of the screen wash jets. 

 

I just got a video saying "The reason that it's not working is because there's a blocked filter screen on inside of washer bottle. Unfortunately this is not covered under warranty as used I've non-genuine screen wash (presumably guessing by the half empty bottle in the boot I bought from Sainsbury's). They want £85.00.

 

Is that fair, or right, that I have to use "genuine" screen wash to ensure the warranty remains intact? I wasn't made aware of this.

 

I need a response pretty quick as they are waiting for me to reply! Thanks all,

There are different types of screen wash fluids that can cause a gel like substance to form when mixed. You don't have to use the VAG branded stuff, but you do need to use compatible fluids I'm afraid.

Fair. No worries, at least I know for the future. A year ago I bought a Michelin thing which was tablets (that never dissolved properly). I'm sure it was that! Thanks Longship.

The issue has never happened to me, and I've not been keeping too close an eye on what brand I use over a few decades of driving. There's another school of thought that says having too week of a mixture can cause bacterial growth, and I do like to keep the mixture fairly strong, even in summer.

You seem to be unlucky - I have never in the past 30 years of Skoda ownership been persuaded to buy the unicorn tears VAG sell for screenwash. But I have mostly stuck with Sonax rather than chopping and changing supplier.

 

Your response depends on how much you value your time. I would be rinsing out the washer bottle with repeated fills of warm water to see if I could improve the flow. Emptying the reservoir should be easy enough with a suitable length of hose to siphon the contents out. Applying back pressure from the hose to the nozzles might also help dislodge anything on the filter. But I am a cheapskate.

The correct screenwash is unexpectedly important.

A friend with a BMW, who is also a cheapskate, got a message in his BMW scolding him for using the wrong concentration of screenwash.

(He was using plain water.)

I use Halfords medium strength stuff, and it seems okay so far, but I have had a little blockage in my rear washer jets which I cleared with a pin.

Thanks all. I never cheapskate and use just water, but different concentrations depending on the time of year! 

 

Fortunately when I got there, they only wanted to charge me £7 for the new fluid, so I think I got off that lightly without the £84 bill!

Edited 7 November, 20241 yr by jonboyuk

If you can drain it put some dilute bleach in the washer bottle and go for a drive to shake it up a bit.

 

Leave it for a few hours or overnight, drain & rinse, refill.

Thanks, I'll bear that in mind for next time (if it happens again)!

But do use decent screenwash, you can use a mild antibacterial thing like some white vinegar in the solution. 

 

I've used Halfords premixed for years and Prestone screen wash which you can get in larger Tescos and Costco. 

Milton is less aggressive than bleach and very effective at cleaning things like that.