I picked up my new Octavia estate 2.0 TDI on Saturday, and am really happy with it - loads of power and I love the DSG gearbox...

I was just a tad disappointed when the front windscreen washer stopped working yesterday... the rear one still works fine, as do the headlamp washers.

Whe I pull the stick forward to wash the windscreen, all I get is a pause followed by the wipers doing their thing a few times.

It was working OK when I collected the car.

It's booked in to the local garage on Wednesday so they can see what the problem is.

has anybody else come across this before?

Thanks

Sometimes the pipe blows off, it can be caused by not using the proper windscreen wash. Was it new when you got it or used?

Brand new when I got it.

I'm hoping it's something small like that...

Have you tried using the washer then looking under the car to see if there is a pool of water? If there is it would sound like a loose pipe. If there is no water then maybe a blockage in the pipe or the washer jet outlets (although being new I would doubt the jets are blocked so soon).

And how are you finding the engine/gearbox combo? I am due to collect my soon (when it gets off the back of a lorry at the dealer anyway!).

I did check to see if there was a pool of water under the car - but couldn't see anything obvious. I didn't want to keep doing it in case the water was leaking somewhere it shouldn't...

The engine / gearbox is excellent - particularly in sports mode!

Strangely enough the only car I have ever had a problem with the washers was a 2000 Seat Leon. Maybe VAG haven't spent enough on R&D for these parts ;-)

I presume the pump attached to the washer bottle serves all outlets-front windscreen, rear window and headlight washers?

Open and then shut the bonnet and try again.

Reason I say is that if the bonnet is up I think there is a switch to stop the wipers working.

Failing that have a look with the bonnet up under the scuttle panel to see if you can see a pipe off. Assuming you are using genuine screen wash it will all be covered under warrenty anyway.

Whe I pull the stick forward to wash the windscreen, all I get is a pause followed by the wipers doing their thing a few times.

Don't think they'd work if it were the bonnet switch but worth trying I suppose.

Don't think they'd work if it were the bonnet switch but worth trying I suppose.

Ahh, sorry I hadn't spotted that.

Mine did this. As mentioned lift bonnet and then lift black cover over wiper assembly. My hose had blown apart here and just required pushing back together.

Strangely enough the only car I have ever had a problem with the washers was a 2000 Seat Leon. Maybe VAG haven't spent enough on R&D for these parts ;-)

I presume the pump attached to the washer bottle serves all outlets-front windscreen, rear window and headlight washers?

My 97 Polo Saloon did the same. The big pipe used to blow off of the small one, and drain out all over the drive. Guess some things are too trivial to fix properly!

Phil

Thanks everyone for the advice...

Just to let folks know - I have just been to my local Skoda repairer. They spent an hour and a half looking at it, and eventually found out that the relay was broken. So they've swapped the rear wash relay for the front one (so I now have front washers but no back one), and have ordered the new relay. Should apparently be a quick job to replace once the part comes in.