Technical What I think of the windscreen washers on the 500

[eco sTAr]

Found both of mine had 'popped' this morning.
What a clever design, eh?!

Glad to hear about the new design though - I'll book it in

 

[frupi]

I thought we'd escaped the dreaded washer jet cylinder problem, but alas its curse has struck us too. Been carrying out the weekly maintenance check today, operated windscreen washers and by jimney jove! both washer jet cylinders popped right out of their washer body! I personally think this design is, well, umm, mmm!! Only car we've ever owned with this type of washer nozzle arrangement. Never had any issues on other cars, apart from the usual blocked washer jet. Clearly outside temperature has zero to do with the actual problem. Outside temperature at our place today, has been up to 10 degrees C.

So I felt I had no choice but to superglue them in place. They aren't moving now! Problem solved. Sod going to the dealerl!

 

[bgunn]

Funnily enough I'd noticed mine had moved adjustment and one of them was pointing increasingly more skyward and made a very good job of washing the rear window.

So yesterday, I had a look and found both adjuster 'barrels' very loose, so I pulled them out, gave the outer edge a good squish with some serrated pliers, and then fitted them back in.

 

[arorat]

Funnily enough I'd noticed mine had moved adjustment and one of them was pointing increasingly more skyward and made a very good job of washing the rear window.

So yesterday, I had a look and found both adjuster 'barrels' very loose, so I pulled them out, gave the outer edge a good squish with some serrated pliers, and then fitted them back in.

Get them replaced if under warranty and ask to keep old ones

 

[stu0710]

I had a 3 month old 500 1.2 lounge as a hire car in Belfast earlier this week and both washer barrels had popped........

 

[306maxi]

Clearly outside temperature has zero to do with the actual problem. Outside temperature at our place today, has been up to 10 degrees C.

Ummm, has anyone noticed that it doesn't happen during the summer? Food for thought non?

 

[frupi]

Ummm, has anyone noticed that it doesn't happen during the summer? Food for thought non?

Tbh when we bought our 500 toward the end of last August, the weather was pretty warm and as far as I can remember, the washers were hardly used. I suppose when the temps were in their 20's, the washer cylinders may well have expanded in the heat and so stayed tight in their housing. When they popped out the other day, it was 10 degrees C, which for me, isn't particularly cold. Both washer cylinders were very very loose in their housings though. Well like I said in my previous post, I've now superglued them in place and they aren't moving anywhere soon. Poor design imvho. I'm not even sure whether it's worth mentioning to the dealer when I take the motor for its service at the end of February. If they offer to replace them under warranty, gratis, FOC, I'll let them, if they don't, then I'm not particularly bothered.

 

[grimwau]

Had mine replaced under warranty (or so they say) yesterday when the car went in for its annual service.

 

[306maxi]

Had mine replaced under warranty (or so they say) yesterday when the car went in for its annual service.

Do they look any different?

 

[grimwau]

No! That is why I have to take their word for it.

Unfortunately, after the debacle on the service yesterday I am finding it difficult to believe anything they say.

 

[306maxi]

No! That is why I have to take their word for it.

Unfortunately, after the debacle on the service yesterday I am finding it difficult to beleive anything they say.

Lovely! What happened?

 

[grimwau]

Lovely! What happened?

You mean apart from noticing that I had spelt believe incorrectly?

When I booked it in for the second year annual service I confirmed with the receptionist that this service included the brake fluid change as per the Abarth service schedule. However, having had problems with them before I decided to also include a letter requesting this be done.

When I went to pick the car up I was told everything had been done but that there was one advisory, (I'm sure you know what I am going to say).

Yep! They advised that I should have my brake fluid changed. :shakehead:

To cut a long story short I asked to speak to the manager and he said that it wasn't part of the service schedule and brought out the sheet to prove it to me. Red rag to a bull time so I pointed him to the part that said; "Brake fluid to be changed at 36K, 72K, 108K OR every 24 months"

After a discussion with service reception, who wanted to charge me another £64 to have this done, the car was taken back into the workshop and the fluid changed as a "goodwill gesture" FOC.

Ironically, I was told that the plugs were listed as needing replacing despite the fact that the cars mileage is only 10,300 and replacing them is not required until 18,000. As it happens I wanted them changed anyway as part of what you term a "Full Fat" service but it just goes to show how they just haven't correctly identified what items require replacing at the relevant service intervals.

 

[306maxi]

You mean apart from noticing that I had spelt believe incorrectly?

When I booked it in for the second year annual service I confirmed with the receptionist that this service included the brake fluid change as per the Abarth service schedule. However, having had problems with them before I decided to also include a letter requesting this be done.

When I went to pick the car up I was told everything had been done but that there was one advisory, (I'm sure you know what I am going to say).

Yep! They advised that I should have my brake fluid changed. :shakehead:

To cut a long story short I asked to speak to the manager and he said that it wasn't part of the service schedule and brought out the sheet to prove it to me. Red rag to a bull time so I pointed him to the part that said; "Brake fluid to be changed at 36K, 72K, 108K OR every 24 months"

After a discussion with service reception, who wanted to charge me another £64 to have this done, the car was taken back into the workshop and the fluid changed as a "goodwill gesture" FOC.

Ironically, I was told that the plugs were listed as needing replacing despite the fact that the cars mileage is only 10,300 and replacing them is not required until 18,000. As it happens I wanted them changed anyway as part of what you term a "Full Fat" service but it just goes to show how they just haven't correctly identified what items require replacing at the relevant service intervals.

Abarth price, Fiat levels of service :bang:

To be fair to my dealer, they seem to be on the ball, but I just take the parts there and trust that they've fitted the parts I've given them and put the oil in that I've supplied.

 

[frupi]

When I booked it in for the second year annual service I confirmed with the receptionist that this service included the brake fluid change as per the Abarth service schedule. However, having had problems with them before I decided to also include a letter requesting this be done.

To cut a long story short I asked to speak to the manager and he said that it wasn't part of the service schedule and brought out the sheet to prove it to me. Red rag to a bull time so I pointed him to the part that said; "Brake fluid to be changed at 36K, 72K, 108K OR every 24 months"

After a discussion with service reception, who wanted to charge me another £64 to have this done, the car was taken back into the workshop and the fluid changed as a "goodwill gesture" FOC.

Your post reinforces my personal justification for giving dealers a thoroughly hard time whenever I have cause to visit one. Just goes to show, that even spelling it out in plain language sometimes has little effect. Personally I think it's downright unprofessional if this is what they did to you. I would absolutely write a letter of complaint to Fiat CS and the Director of the dealership. Over the top you might think, but with the prices these dealerships charge, they have absolutely no right to treat you that way. They should also be more than familiar with the servicing routines on their own marque.

I would never take my car to them again, find another dealer, even if it is 20 or 30 miles away. Programme a service around a day off and sample the delights of some town you'd never normally visit! You didn't say, but have you got proof that the brake fluid was actually changed? I'm sure they did, but after your fiasco, I'd really want to make sure.

 

[306maxi]

Your post reinforces my personal justification for giving dealers a thoroughly hard time whenever I have cause to visit one. Just goes to show, that even spelling it out in plain language sometimes has little effect. Personally I think it's downright unprofessional if this is what they did to you. I would absolutely write a letter of complaint to Fiat CS and the Director of the dealership. Over the top you might think, but with the prices these dealerships charge, they have absolutely no right to treat you that way. They should also be more than familiar with the servicing routines on their own marque.

I would never take my car to them again, find another dealer, even if it is 20 or 30 miles away. Programme a service around a day off and sample the delights of some town you'd never normally visit! You didn't say, but have you got proof that the brake fluid was actually changed? I'm sure they did, but after your fiasco, I'd really want to make sure.

I don't see the point in giving dealers a hard time. I have a really good relationship with mine to be fair. I supply all the parts needed and I agree a price with them so they don't have to deal with an irrate idiot who complains when they have to pay more than they expected when they didn't arrange a price in the first place. My dealer has always been good to me and when I've needed to have bits like the leather on my seat base and the airbox replaced, then they've backed me up.

 

[frupi]

I don't see the point in giving dealers a hard time. I have a really good relationship with mine to be fair. I supply all the parts needed and I agree a price with them so they don't have to deal with an irrate idiot who complains when they have to pay more than they expected when they didn't arrange a price in the first place. My dealer has always been good to me and when I've needed to have bits like the leather on my seat base and the airbox replaced, then they've backed me up.

I don't think people who stand up for themselves are 'irate idiots'. I personally always agree a price with a dealership concerning a service before I walk away from the counter and on the understanding that if they find something during a service that needs attention, they will phone me first. What I will never allow, is for myself to be 'mugged off' by anyone. You are obviously lucky that you have a good dealer and you seem to trust them. Sadly, there are plenty out there who think of customers purely as cash cows. I took my old MX5 to the same dealer for 6 years. I had a couple of spats with them, like charging for washer fluid that they couldn't possible put in the reservoir because it was brimmed prior to going in for a service. They came to know that if they crossed me, I knew how to deal with them and my money was more important than telling me to not come back again.

 

[306maxi]

I don't think people who stand up for themselves are 'irate idiots'. I personally always agree a price with a dealership concerning a service before I walk away from the counter and on the understanding that if they find something during a service that needs attention, they will phone me first. What I will never allow, is for myself to be 'mugged off' by anyone. You are obviously lucky that you have a good dealer and you seem to trust them. Sadly, there are plenty out there who think of customers purely as cash cows. I took my old MX5 to the same dealer for 6 years. I had a couple of spats with them, like charging for washer fluid that they couldn't possible put in the reservoir because it was brimmed prior to going in for a service. They came to know that if they crossed me, I knew how to deal with them and my money was more important than telling me to not come back again.

I said irate idiot.

The idiot part refers to someone who takes their car in, gives the service receptionist the key and trusts them to do what is in their (ie the customers) interest. Of course if you've called up and agreed a price then you're not an idiot. But, drop your car off and fail to ask how much it's going to cost, what parts are going to be changed etc etc etc and you deserve to be ripped off.

Obviously with me supplying my own parts and stipulating that if there's any extra work to be done, that they should advise me, the dealer knows not to screw me over and so far with 2 services and a few visits for warranty work, it's all been smooth sailing. I'll be booking my 500 in as well as a Ka belonging to a co-worker in the near future and I'll negotiate a good price for both to be serviced.

My wife had the fuel pump go in her Subaru a few years ago. She called the local Subaru "specialist" and had the car towed there and didn't agree a price or even ask for a quote, she got massively boned for £500 for a fuel pump and labour.

 

[grimwau]

You didn't say, but have you got proof that the brake fluid was actually changed? I'm sure they did, but after your fiasco, I'd really want to make sure.

Nope! just the DOT4 addition to the invoice.

 

[306maxi]

Nope! just the DOT4 addition to the invoice.

That's why I supplied my own brake fluid. Perhaps they just poured half a litre of it out, but they'd have to be pretty silly to do that!

 

[T14086]

Any garage would be foolish to say they have changed the brake fluid when they haven't, no garage wants bad publicity or reputation however sometimes it is necessary to stand up against a certain type of customer,

If some people are so paranoid about stuff not getting done on their cars then do the servicing yourself and buy a warranty policy....simples