Scirocco Central

Started my Roc on Friday morning for our trip home from the Lakes. Car was cleared of snow & windows were de-iced - first to let me in and before I switched the wipers on.

Switched the wipers on - nothing, front or rear. No washers either.

As the valley we were in had no mobile coverage and it was still dry, we drove 10 miles south to Windermere and pulled in to a local garage, just as the snow started coming down. Checked all fuses (Roc manual is most unhelpful in identifying fuses) and all appeared to be in good condition but still no wipers.

Snow gets steady so absolutely no way we're going to make it 200 miles to Coventry - even if it were 'dry', motorway spray would be impossible.

So at 11:00 I rang VW Assistance (who were very helpful throughout). 20 minutes later, technician called me back and identified the front wipers fuse (30A!) and asked me to check it just to be sure - it was fine. Technician agreed it was unlikely to be fuse if both sets of wipers and washers were gone so agreed to send out a mobile VW technician.

14:30 snowfall gets heavier, get a call from the mobile technician: "will be with you around 15:20."

16:00 another call from technician: "I'm 1.9 miles away and crawling in traffic trying to get up the hill from Ambleside to Windermere. Hope to be with you soon."

17:00 technician calls again: "now 1.5 miles away and traffic has stopped." Snow still coming down thick and fast. I ring VW Assistance and suggest they try again in the morning as it doesn't seem fair to keep the technician in a traffic jam only to suffer the seemingly inevitable fate of getting stuck overnight in the snow. VWA agree and put us up in a nearby 'hotel', VW tech turns around and heads home.

Next day, 08:00 RAC technician (as no dedicated VW available) turns up:

Checks all fuses, disconnects & reconnects battery - still nothing.

0900 technician & colleague on other end of phone admit defeat and call for a tow back to Coventry. Suggests problem with 'body control unit'.

1120 low loader (with LPG F150!) turns up and off it goes.


1230 VW assistance arrange for a hire car (Insignia) delivered to Windermere so we can drive home.

Latest - car at VW Coventry awaiting diagnosis...

I blew a 30amp fuse on my Gti mk5 few days ago changed both 30amp fuses on the car because none of them seemed blown to my bemusement ??!? And hey presto all working again! I tried the wipers but seems they had frozen and instantly blown a fuse but when I checked they were both fine?!? Changed them anyway.

That's bad luck SeventySix. A quick response given the weather. Hope they solve it quickly.

Sounds plausible that it is the Central Electrics controller 09 as the wipers are on two separate fuses for yours.

Front Wipers- Engine Bay fuse 19 - 30Amps
Rear Wiper - Driver's side dash fuse 41 - 15Amps
Front Washers/Rear screen washers - controlled directly by Controller 09

09 Controller is on - Engine Bay fuse 16 - 30Amps
With this blown I would expect other circuits "services" not to work though.

C.

Thanks guys - hopefully VW Coventry will get it sorted either way.

You're right RW1 - I really can't fault the service from VW Assistance, especially given the weather and the fact they were able to deliver a hire car to us from Lancaster just three hours after I phoned them on a Saturday morning. If I keep the Roc long enough, I will almost certainly renew that service.

It just grates having to have my 'new' car towed home.

Update

Car fixed by VW Coventry at 1600 today - steering column was stripped back and a loose connection was found on the right control stalk circuit. Part refitted and all working.



ECU update also applied under warranty.

good result