VW Golf MK7 - Dodgy washer jets - 4th Time Now
Discussion
Following on from a previous post earlier this year.
My 68 plate Golf's windscreen washer jets have gone again - Only one of the 4 jets (2 x 2 v shaped jets) is just about working.
This is despite using VW screen wash as stated by a Staffordshire VW dealer, who then charged me £70 to sort it out (wouldn't do it under warranty).
When they went again 2 months later, I took it to Mansfield VW who did it for free (or under warranty) as part of an oil service.
I really can't be bothered to make the near 40 mile round trip back there (no reflection on that dealer at all) so have booked it in to my local (walkable) reputable garage tomorrow morning.
They laughed when I told them about "you aren't using VW screen wash Sir"
Despite me saying this again before I bought the Golf, this is definitely my last VW. Vastly over rated and nowhere near as reliable as their perceived image.
Oh...and the fuel filler release flap does not open anymore with the usual push on it, you have to prise your nails under it and pull it open. On a 2 year old car that has just done 20k.
My 68 plate Golf's windscreen washer jets have gone again - Only one of the 4 jets (2 x 2 v shaped jets) is just about working.
This is despite using VW screen wash as stated by a Staffordshire VW dealer, who then charged me £70 to sort it out (wouldn't do it under warranty).
When they went again 2 months later, I took it to Mansfield VW who did it for free (or under warranty) as part of an oil service.
I really can't be bothered to make the near 40 mile round trip back there (no reflection on that dealer at all) so have booked it in to my local (walkable) reputable garage tomorrow morning.
They laughed when I told them about "you aren't using VW screen wash Sir"
Despite me saying this again before I bought the Golf, this is definitely my last VW. Vastly over rated and nowhere near as reliable as their perceived image.
Oh...and the fuel filler release flap does not open anymore with the usual push on it, you have to prise your nails under it and pull it open. On a 2 year old car that has just done 20k.
Cheers Andy, I hope so too.
Will post an update when it's been to the garage.
I have another couple of years on my bank loan so changing it now would not be that easy.
Have no idea what I would go for next time. I used to be a bit of badge snob, but found out that BMW and Audi are no more reliable than a Ford, Vauxhall, etc.
They may be better built (?) and have more style, but I prefer my money to stay in the bank not the hands of the main dealer.
Will post an update when it's been to the garage.
I have another couple of years on my bank loan so changing it now would not be that easy.
Have no idea what I would go for next time. I used to be a bit of badge snob, but found out that BMW and Audi are no more reliable than a Ford, Vauxhall, etc.
They may be better built (?) and have more style, but I prefer my money to stay in the bank not the hands of the main dealer.
just back from the garage - KAM in Belper Derbyshire.
They checked the fluid bottle, pipes and blew out the jets with compressed air.
All 4 jets now working.
VW dealer charged me £70 odd earlier this year (said it wasn't covered under warranty as it was "an external matter")
KAM charged me £14 for pretty much the same work.
They also checked my rear lights as the warning light had come on. Gave me some advice on making sure VW are informed about it whilst still under warranty.
They checked the fluid bottle, pipes and blew out the jets with compressed air.
All 4 jets now working.
VW dealer charged me £70 odd earlier this year (said it wasn't covered under warranty as it was "an external matter")
KAM charged me £14 for pretty much the same work.
They also checked my rear lights as the warning light had come on. Gave me some advice on making sure VW are informed about it whilst still under warranty.
Do you regularly top up your washer bottle with cold water from your domestic supply?
It's a well known issue on newer VW's with the spray pattern type washer jets, they easily get clogged up with impurities from regular tap water.
Use whatever screenwash you want, doesn't have to be VW branded, but dilute with supermarket own brand mineral water, can bulk buy it very cheaply.
Edit - re: sticking fuel flap
With the fuel flap open have you checked inside the locking mechanism for any trapped grit or dirt?
I had this problem once in my old Golf R (pulled onto petrol station forecourt with an empty tank, flap wouldn't open as usual when pushed, had to release it manually from inside the car) and it turned out to be some grit stuck in the catch. Cleaned it out and all worked again for the next 2 years until I sold the car.
It's a well known issue on newer VW's with the spray pattern type washer jets, they easily get clogged up with impurities from regular tap water.
Use whatever screenwash you want, doesn't have to be VW branded, but dilute with supermarket own brand mineral water, can bulk buy it very cheaply.
Edit - re: sticking fuel flap
With the fuel flap open have you checked inside the locking mechanism for any trapped grit or dirt?
I had this problem once in my old Golf R (pulled onto petrol station forecourt with an empty tank, flap wouldn't open as usual when pushed, had to release it manually from inside the car) and it turned out to be some grit stuck in the catch. Cleaned it out and all worked again for the next 2 years until I sold the car.
Edited by Kompressor89 on Wednesday 23 December 14:44
Well here we go again.
Washer jet failure number 5, or is it 6, I have lost count now.
Driver side down to a feeble dribble, passenger side down to 1 jet from 2.
Will take back to the last garage as it's a walk down the road rather than the 40 mile round trip to the nearest VW dealer (I can stand the £15 myself)
I tried the 80% water, 20% concentrated screen wash suggestion made by the garage and other people on here.
Will try the mineral water mixture post repair (hopefully just the compressed air job again)
My bank loan still has nearly 3 years to run, so stuck with this pile of crap for a while.
No idea what I would buy next - just needs to be family sized, well made, a bit of go, and sensible running costs.
I would probably steer clear of VW Audi group (are Skoda as bad ?)
People say go Japanese - maybe a Mazda 6 ?
Like the new facelifted Insignia despite it's boring image.
Anything with a "badge" is off the list - too expensive to run and no more reliable in my experience.
Washer jet failure number 5, or is it 6, I have lost count now.
Driver side down to a feeble dribble, passenger side down to 1 jet from 2.
Will take back to the last garage as it's a walk down the road rather than the 40 mile round trip to the nearest VW dealer (I can stand the £15 myself)
I tried the 80% water, 20% concentrated screen wash suggestion made by the garage and other people on here.
Will try the mineral water mixture post repair (hopefully just the compressed air job again)
My bank loan still has nearly 3 years to run, so stuck with this pile of crap for a while.
No idea what I would buy next - just needs to be family sized, well made, a bit of go, and sensible running costs.
I would probably steer clear of VW Audi group (are Skoda as bad ?)
People say go Japanese - maybe a Mazda 6 ?
Like the new facelifted Insignia despite it's boring image.
Anything with a "badge" is off the list - too expensive to run and no more reliable in my experience.
My 2 most reliable cars have been 2002 Honda Accord (owned for 2 years) and a 2005 Honda Civic (owned for 7 years). Accord - no faults. Civic - one fault - new drive shaft UJs at just under £300 fitted.
However, my Skoda Octavia vRS diesel (owned for 6 years) only fault was 2 failed rear wiper motors (common fault) replaced under warranty.
Current Seat Leon FR (owned for 16 months) only water pump under warranty.
Perhaps I've just been lucky.
However, my Skoda Octavia vRS diesel (owned for 6 years) only fault was 2 failed rear wiper motors (common fault) replaced under warranty.
Current Seat Leon FR (owned for 16 months) only water pump under warranty.
Perhaps I've just been lucky.
It sounds like there is a leak somewhere in the system thats slowly letting air in & preventing everthing working as it should. You go to the garage, they flush it all out, fill it back up & everything seems fine / jobs done, bu they are all failing to get to the source of the issue because it probably isn't obvious.
It's one of these unfortunate issues that may be very difficult to diagnose - no apparent water leak & no apparent air ingress during testing as the leak is minimal. It could be an issue with the bottle, lines, manifolds or pump, a hairline fracture or such like.
Although maybe an odd & difficult to diagnose the issue, a clean windscreen in fundamental to safe driving (& an MOT), so it obviously need resolved. You really need to stick to a single garage & persist until the issue is resolved. shifting from one to another may not get you anywhere.
It's one of these unfortunate issues that may be very difficult to diagnose - no apparent water leak & no apparent air ingress during testing as the leak is minimal. It could be an issue with the bottle, lines, manifolds or pump, a hairline fracture or such like.
Although maybe an odd & difficult to diagnose the issue, a clean windscreen in fundamental to safe driving (& an MOT), so it obviously need resolved. You really need to stick to a single garage & persist until the issue is resolved. shifting from one to another may not get you anywhere.
This was an issue for me on a Mercedes C Class. Local garage blew through with compressed air which cleared it for a few days then came back. Went back in and they had to jack car, take passenger side wheel and wheel arch liner off to get to tank. Took tank off, problem was small filter on top of tank getting blocked up with crap from tank. Tank, filter and system purged and cleaned. All fine afterwards.
I'd also try escalating the issue to VWUK. They may be prepared to intervene and make sure their is a total resolution to the problem. I'm sure it would be of interest given the amount of times it has now happened, and the costs incurred.
I've had four MK7/7.5 Golfs now (GTD, GTI, R and now R estate), and I've genuinely not had a single issue with any of them.
I've had four MK7/7.5 Golfs now (GTD, GTI, R and now R estate), and I've genuinely not had a single issue with any of them.
I have the car booked into VW Mansfield early February. It's a weekday so they can have all day to diagnose the fault.
My wife had a Polo and a Jetta, both were pretty poor in terms of reliability.
I had a couple of oldish Golf Drivers back in the day, there were ok.
I think most cars are a bit of a lottery. Some swear by one make, some hate it.
My wife had a Polo and a Jetta, both were pretty poor in terms of reliability.
I had a couple of oldish Golf Drivers back in the day, there were ok.
I think most cars are a bit of a lottery. Some swear by one make, some hate it.
May not be the same thing but I had a washer blocking problem on my S4 but it was combined with a rotten egg smell so I assumed that some kind of bacteria or similar was growing in the tank/lines?
I flushed it all out several times but it would always return after a week or so, especially if the car was not used much.
I got some Milton Sterilising tablets (as used for Baby's bottles etc.) and dropped one of those in the tank and it's been fine since, I'll drop a new one in every few months or so just to be sure but it's been a couple of years now with no more bother - cheap solution too.
I flushed it all out several times but it would always return after a week or so, especially if the car was not used much.
I got some Milton Sterilising tablets (as used for Baby's bottles etc.) and dropped one of those in the tank and it's been fine since, I'll drop a new one in every few months or so just to be sure but it's been a couple of years now with no more bother - cheap solution too.
When my Saab was standing for a few months, the washers seemed clogged on recommissioning it. I ended up peering into the tank to find this: 
All the pipes needed blowing clear & I vacuumed all the gunge out of the tank. It appeared to be some weird sort of algae or bacterial gunge it smelt very unpleasant as well!
All the pipes needed blowing clear & I vacuumed all the gunge out of the tank. It appeared to be some weird sort of algae or bacterial gunge it smelt very unpleasant as well!
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