Windscreen washers (front and rear) stopped working

[SUP-chick]

Hi gang!

Appreciate if one of you lovely people could advise. I have a late 2020 A4 saloon and bought a 2 year service plan last month. This includes 2 years of warranty. It just so happens that the windscreen washers (front and rear) have stopped working. When I pull the lever, there is no sound so, after speaking to a couple of guys in the office, they said it sounds like the windscreen pump after they checked the fuse. Problem is that the warranty notes talk about Audi not fixing the item if they believe the fault could have happened prior to the warranty starting. I'm assuming the car would have recorded a fault as to when it failed. If so, I don't need to worry. Anyone know if Audi are likely to argue the date of the fault as I've had an issue with a different manufacturer in the past and find it a bit daunting dealing with main dealers.

 

Thanks!

A. 

[Steve Q]

Audi are bound to say that to get out of paying for it. For you to take out a service plan did they do a health check at Audi prior to the washers stop working. 

Definitely could be the pump. 

[SUP-chick]

Thanks for your response, Steve - that's a good point. On 6 November, I had the first of 2 services as part of the service plan (the washers failed sometime after 30 November when I returned from abroad). The invoice paperwork's final sheet shows they ran an "Audi Health Check". On that, it shows green (OK) for "Internal" and "External". On the former, it says they checked wipers and washers and clearly didn't see an issue. However, my warranty says there is a 30 day window where they won't fix anything until that time has lapsed. So, seems like they can't argue a case unless the car has somehow logged this as a fault prior to that 30 day exclusion window expiring. Key dates:

18 Oct: plan and 30 day exclusion window starts

6 Nov: service, including Health Check

30 Nov: washers not working

 

So, Audi might argue (especially if the car has logged a fault) that it failed between 6 - 18 November (roughly end of 30 day window). I guess I should just book it in and say they didn't pick it up on 6 November, so honour the warranty.

 

Thanks!

 

A.

[Steve Q]

You're welcome please keep us posted on how you get on 🙂 

[SUP-chick]

Will do, Steve - thanks again!

[Magnet]

Hello Amelia,

Sorry to hear of your issue.

The fact is, you can pontificate, assume, guess, the outcome between now and the time the fault is found. Hard fact is:- the car is currently unroadworthy, and it has to be fixed, and someone has to eventually pay. 
Priority will be to get the car booked in without delay ( good luck with that!). It could be as simple as a blocked filter in the pump/s so worth looking on the bright side. 
Meanwhile, carry a supply of multi surface cleaner bottles filled with washer fluid to be able to stay as safe as possible in these conditions. 
Warranties?? always a topic for discussion, but the devil is in the detail, and the detail has to be read, but seldom is! 
If you work on the assumption ( now it’s catching!) that warranty companies are very experienced in getting under a snake’s belly with a top hat on, to avoid paying, then you will  not be too surprised at the outcome. 
Perhaps you could keep us up to date Amelia.

Kind regards,

Gareth. 

[SUP-chick]

I'm definitely over-thinking, Gareth! Sure, will book in and update here.

 

Thanks!

A.

[Magnet]

Many thanks Amelia, 

Well worth putting on the back burner in terms of the worry file. It’s not uncommon for a variety of things to go wrong, and very often I find I just can’t worry about the latest one for a couple of months, because I’m currently too busy worrying about other thing! 
Take care, and have a great Christmas.

Kind regards,

Gareth. 

[Steve Q]

4 hours ago, SUP-chick said:

Will do, Steve - thanks again!

You're welcome 🙂