I was driving home yesterday when something odd happened with the Windscreen wipers on my Fabia. I tried to use my front windscreen washer and my back windscreen wiper moved. I soon found out that moving the wiper control up and down did nothing and trying to use the back wipers did nothing either.
After some research on the internet (Google is my best friend) I found that this was due to blowing a fuse. This happens when you try to use your windscreen washer when it is frozen. If this happens to you then don’t worry, you can just swap the fuse and you will be fine.
Skoda Fabia Fuse Panel
Skoda Fabia Fuse Panel Ledgend
The fuse box on the Fabia is located behind the driver side door on the main dashboard panel, next to the stearing wheel. To open it just find the little notch in the bottom half, pop your key in there and twist it. The whole thing should come off, but it is a little tricky.
To get things working again just replace fuse 21 with a 10 amp fuse. If you don’t have a fuse handy you can swap the broken one (make sure it is broken) with fuse 32, which controls the back windscreen wiper. This will mean that you can drive to your local fuse shop and pick up a fuse even if it is raining.
To get the fuse panel cover back on just put in the panel by lining up the three hooks on the straight edge and push it towards the front of the car. Once you have it nearly in place you can either hit it in with your fist or just close the door on it.
To stop this fuse blowing you need to make sure that your washer fluid is not frozen before you use it. You can always increase the concentration of the fluid to prevent this from hapening during the winter.
[Update: Images taken from Fuse Panel Layout fabia-vrs.com. If you have any Fabia problems then take a look, it's a good site with lots of information.]
This happened to me too. I think it was Tuesday evening. So I tried changing a different fuse 39 or so, which didn’t help.
Did you get it sorted in the end?
Should it be Fuse 41 that is replaced (not 21?) – looking at the Fuse Panel Index, Fuse 21 is the Heated Washer Nozzles and 41 is for Front Window Wiper. Think I have the same problem since last night so thanks for your help!
Yeah, it is confusing, but fuse 21 being out means that the wipers are out too. I didn’t even touch fuse 41 and everything is back to working condition again.
swapped fuse 21 and 32 like you said and hey presto! wipers working again – thanks mate!
Brilliant – I had exactly the same problem, now fixed. Thanks!
No problem. I wrote post here as I thought other people might have the same problem. I was worried that my electrics had broken and it would cost me the earth to fix, but it only cost £1.20 in fuses.
Got it sorted now thanks to your advice. ‘Heated Washer Nozzles’?! Definitely counter intuitive.
Great! You saved my day… Grazie!
hey guys! i’m having this problem too! i need some help…i have an old w reg skoda fabia! and i had a look after using this page but i dont have the fuse 21!! because my skoda diesnt have any of the extras what fuse should i try….?
I wish I had had time to look on the web when this happened to me – it would have saved me a lot of time and inconvenience of rearranging a trip over the Pennines in someone else’s car!
Since this problem I have had another one occur and wondered if the problems are related. In the second case I have been unable to get a full screenwash to spray onto the windscreen. I have used the old needle in the nozzle trick both front and back but no screen wash is now coming out. Is there a fuse that pumps that’s separate from the one that drives the wipers?
@Bryn – My front screen wash is working just fine, but I do have a small issue with the back screen washer. I can hear the motor go, but no fluid is coming out. I haven’t had time to look into it yet but it is either an issue with a different fuse or it just needs cleaning.
My assumption is that it just needs cleaning, but it might be worth pulling out each fuse to check that they are ok – just make sure you put them back in the same place!
If you find a solution then post a comment and let me know!
Hi, can anyone help, just changed the fuses around to get the front wipers working again, but now the car won’t start at all. Any ideas anyone HELP. Thanks invance to everyone Richard
Many thanks for this, worked a charm!
Like so many others i never thought that fuse 21 and not 41 would be the culprit.
@Richard – I really am not a mechanic. All I know about cars is that petrol goes in and the little needles go up and down. I felt ok messing with the fuses because I’ve done that before on one of my old cars, but if the engine doesn’t start I phone the AA. Sorry I can’t help you any more than that.
I had a similar problem. During very cold weather my windscreen wiper system stopped working. Fuse 41 was ok. I tried taking the advice of this discussion to replace fuse 21 (5 amp in my manual incidentally) but discovered it wasn’t there – obviously I do not have heated windscreen nozzles. I tried replacing fuse 15 (Headlight cleaning system, window wiper) because it also uses the cleaning water. And IT WORKED. So there’s another counter intuitive thing about the Fabia fuse system.
I think this is a common fault with Fabia’s although I haven’t experienced this problem……….yet
I dont know how old your skoda is but last year a friend and I drove a Vitara to Kazakhstan (tried to get to Mongolia but the car died) along with a couple of mates who took a Skoda Felicia.
Your electrical issue sounds just like theirs, except not only did their issues affect the wipers, it affected just about every electrical item on the car! To turn the lights on the fan needed to be on, which was amusing as their heater controls were stuck on hot. Ordinarily this wouldn’t be a problem, but in all eastern European countries apparently by law you need to drive around day and night with your lights on. When it’s a hot summers day in southern Ukraine things could get a little uncomfortable!
Hehe, pics of the trip can be found here – http://www.teamfirstgear.co.uk/Photos_and_Videos.htm
the front wipers on my X reg Fabia stopped working along with the fluid pump last week. Tried changing fuse 41, but no success so drove to garage (in heavy rain!) who replaced fuse 15 instead of 41 and abracadabra, both wipers and pump working again
Maybe try changing this fuse if other ideas posted dont help…
Wipers stopped working this morning – could see a large garage bill for new wiper motors looming…
But now back to normal, thanks!!!
Hi.
Same problem / issue here.
I thought it was a problem in the switch behind the steering wheel…
Dismounted and checked the contacts in the connector, but same problem.
I was afraid I would have to replace the motor for the windscreen wipers (I could locate it but not get the plastic cover off).
I recheck the fuses 15, 21 and 41.
It was fuse 15 that was broken… So no big invoice or big work to get that cover away…
i had this problem tonight and this has been a massive help….my car is now back on the road and i can drive home for christmas!
Phillip Norton you are a total star!!
i swapped the fuses round from the back wiper to the front and its working fine!!
Cheers Philip, my manual shows a 5amp but it is actually a 10amp. It is a left hand drive diagram and that could confuse some. I had gone straight to fuse 41 for the wipers initially. Thanks to you and Google everything sorted. Have a good Christmas. Thanks again
same problem, had to replace fuse 15 instead of 41 and working a treat. Well no back wiper till I can get a new one.
Many thanks. I had exactly the same issue last night and was worried it was going to cost me money and, worst of all, time I don’t have at present. The fuse had indeed blown and simply changing it has solved the issue. The Fabia is a great little car but seems to suffer from a string of common faults that require something of the Dunkirk spirit from its drivers. People like you who share this sort of information help to make the internet more worthwhile.
So happy to have found this, we were able to fix my wife’s car so she can drive to the west country in the morning!
Thanks!
Philip, you are a star for starting this forum up. The rest of you I thank you. I had the exact same problem yesterday and I don’t have a Fuse 21 so replaced 15 and it works. Thank you all very very much. Have a great Christmas.
Thanks so much for this! I ran into trouble last night with this problem. Going to give it a go now.
Cheers!
My Vrs doesn’t have fuse 21, but has fuse 15. I replaced fuse 15 this cured the problem
Thank you sooo much. This forum saved the day & ended my head scratching too ! Changed fuse 15 as per the advice I found here & all is well with wipers now working properly. Thanks again
Thanks, Wipers failed but fuse 41 intact then read this and replaced no 15 as suggested and wipers restored. Thanks also for fuseboard diagram as the manual is the opposite way round and confusing when trying to count which is which. (Fabia 2005)
Thank you so much! Same problem here and replacing fuse 21 sorted it. Herself is very happy!! Greetings from Ireland and a Happy Christmas!
Thanks …would never have guessed that to be the reason . I know its cold today …but 6 more Fabias before us today !!!!
Please – do not take your car to a garage until you’ve tried this! It really does work, couldn’t believe it. Had pictures of a huge garage bill but all I need now is a new fuse. Needed to swap fuse 15 on a 57 plate Fabia 1.2 Ambiente. Thank you and Merry Christmas from Wales!
Thanks for the helpful advice. I have a K reg fabia and found fuse 15 had gone thus the reason why my wipers stopped working.
Thanks ! Im an English guy living in Slovakia with a Fabia Combi (the car manual is in Slovak so have to get my wife to translate it all), it was between -8 and -14 yesterday and sure enough my front wipers stopped on the way back from Vienna. I was already looking up bus/train times to get to Vienna today but Fuse 15 (not 41) has fixed the problem !
I had a similar problem. Went to use the front wipers and they didn’t work, but the rear wiper moved instead. Went to the Auto electrician who had a quick look at the fuses and told me they were all ok. I Googled the problem and after all the help and advice above I am back on the road.
In my case fuse 15 (Window wiper) had blown. I swapped the broken 15 with fuse 32 (rear wiper) and hey presto I can see again!
The Auto electrician hadn’t seen the problem, or was looking at the wrong fuse.
It is always a good feeling to know that you have sorted out these problems, instead of going to the garage, where they scratch their heads, suck air through their teeth and try and convince you that you need a new engine!!! ;o)
Hopefully there is a group on Facebook called ”Fans of Phillip Norton”
Thanks Philip. This is exactly what’s happened to my Fabia. I haven’t tried what you’ve suggested yet but it sounds like it should do the trick.
My Fabia is a great little runner but has no end of minor electrical problems. Sometimes the electric windows don’t work, sometimes the hatch won’t open, somethimes the stereo turns itself off and the heating/AC has a mind of its own! Any advice re these points would be very helpful!
Cheers
Ash
Thank you so much! I just had this exact problem and re placed number 15 and it works now! In this snow this is just what I needed, only problem now is that I need the raods to clear! You are a legend, thank you thank you thank you!!
Thank you. This is a great find! Everyone loves an unprepared British winter!
And secondly, fuse 15 was the bad one for me. I have a ‘W’ reg skoda fabia.
Thank You so much – Just managed to get my little sister on the move again. She was stuck in a layby in the snow unable to see without her wipers and a very long wait for a recovery man.
Thanks
Laina
Just had it happen to me, having never fixed anything in my life I Swopped 15 & 32 and it sprang back in to life, frozen weather, no garages open due to christmas holidays. Thanks for the site.
Just about to change the column switch when I found your info on the website fuse 15 did the trick cost 50p and saved £57 + fitting !!!
thanks for my early christmas present ..
Steve
The response to this post over the last few days has been amazing. When the problem started I had the same initial fears as most of you, that it would cost me lots to get it fixed.
However, after a couple of hours digging about in Skoda forums and service manuals I found the solution. I posted it here on the off chance that someone else might find the information useful.
I’m glad to have helped so many people fix this problem.
Remember, to prevent this problem around this time of year just increase the mix of your washer fluid.
Thanks very much for the advise, i had the same problem today and for me it was fuse 15:) Cheers!!
cheers m8 exactly as you say 04 fabia fuse 21 replace with fuse 32 you are a lifesaver. thanks again.
Thanks – my son just called when wipers failed on his Fabia. AA said it was a 4 hour wait. Saw your post and had him under way (via his Blackberry) in 15 mins. You are a star!
Thanks Philip, & everyone else, for the help found here.
The wipers packed up on my daughter’s 52 reg fabia on Monday & we couldn’t find the manual. Google came up with this page near the top. Sure enough fuse 41 was fine but 15 had blown. 32 was also blown so swapped it for no 4 as I figured the interior light was less important than working front wipers until I can get some spares (I had several of the larger fuses but none of those mini ones).
Thanks. Initially looked at fuse 41, but will now inspect 21 & 15.