[JamesE]

I've just run out of screen wash for the first time. We did not notice a warning lamp or a beep. The book says there is a warning lamp though none is visible at switch on. Is this correct?

 

[f1geek]

I have noticed the warning on numerous occasions, not at switch on, but while driving. I believe it is accompanied by a chime. In either case, filling up the washer tank made it go away.

 

[Tooks]

I've just run out of screen wash for the first time. We did not notice a warning lamp or a beep. The book says there is a warning lamp though none is visible at switch on. Is this correct?

You only get a low washer fluid warning if you have the Winter Pack option, at least on UK spec cars anyway.

 

[Kansalis]

This kind of manufacturing decision baffles me. How can it make economical sense to have a different specification washer bottle that has to be installed if there is/is not a winter pack on the car? Surely if the rest of the car systems/software support the existence of the sensor the economies of scale make it a negligible cost to just install it as standard. I wouldn't be entirely surprised if it's actually there on all models and is just software enabled or just part of the winter pack wiring loom.

It's a small thing but I was quite annoyed the first time I ran out of washer fluid on my Octavia vRS, which didn't have a sensor. I had just moved from a much older Fabia vRS that had it as standard... I had assumed such a small convenience item would be standard in new cars these days, especially those at the top end of the range.

 

[Tooks]

I wouldn't be entirely surprised if it's actually there on all models and is just software enabled

I had a launch edition Mk V Golf that was missing the low fluid warning.

‘The internets’ reliably informed me you could software enable it, and the supplying dealer agreed with me.

At the first service they enabled it, but all that did was constantly shout the washer fluid was low, it did indeed require a sensor in the bottle that tapped into the loom.

I did eventually retrofit the sensor and bit of loom, after I’d had to remove the bumper to fit it.

I guess the washer fluid sensor just encourages up-selling to the Winter Pack.

Annoying, but I can see why they’d do it.

 

[Jayne]

The rate it goes through washer fluid it feels like I've barely filled it before the low fluid warning is bonging at me again.

Looking forward to summer when I can go back to cheaper screenwash rather than the stuff that's apparently good down to -20ish. I don't trust the stuff that says it's OK to -10. I've had frozen skooshers in an ICE car, multiple times, at about - 5, -6ish.

 

[JamesE]

@Tooks thanks for that info. I agree with Kansalis, it's daft. My previous 3 cars were 2xOctavias and a an A3. All the same floor pan all essentially the same car, all with the warning. Big black mark, VW.