windscreen washer

[chrisg4.5]

Can anyone give me any ideas on how to make the windscreen washer work again? Pressing the button produces the requisite noise and sweep of the wipers, but no water. Yes, the bottle is full! Been looking in the on-line manual but can't seem to find any mention... Grateful for any tips - sure it's something very simple.

[volospian]

When mine stopped working I removed the fibreglass cover and found that the pipe had just kinked, blocking off the flow.

The other alternative is that the pipe has split, or melted where it runs near the headers.

When you run the washer, if there's water left under the car, it's split or come undone somewhere, if it stays dry the pipe is probably kinked or clamped somewhere... or the pump is blocked or knackered.

The cover isn't too difficult to get off, but it takes a bit of flexing

[cerbieboy]

is there a filter in the system, could be blocked up(this happens on some fords). but i do think probably a split or disconected pipe.

[Ireland]

Mine gave trouble as per the above post about the split pipe.

It made all the right noises but just pumped the water out onto the ground.

Worth checking.

[kevin63]

If there is no split or the pipe is crushed then try primming it, by this I mean disconnect the pipe as close to the point where is disappears and fill the pipe with water, then try the windscreen wash, if it starts then quickly reconnect and try the wash again.

[Mr M]

Happened to me a few weeks ago. The main pipe had just pulled out from where it connects to the two washer pipes. Just pushed it back in. It's a sort of a "T" configuration.

[Buffoon]

Mine drains back into the bottle after use, so when you press the button you have to wait a while for water to appear. 4 or 5 sweeps of the wiper and hey presto. Had to demonstrate to my MOT tester because he originally failed it.

[SlvrCrb]

Buffoon said:

Mine drains back into the bottle after use, so when you press the button you have to wait a while for water to appear. 4 or 5 sweeps of the wiper and hey presto. Had to demonstrate to my MOT tester because he originally failed it.

Sounds like you're missing the non-return valve.

[Ireland]

SlvrCrb said:

Buffoon said:

Mine drains back into the bottle after use, so when you press the button you have to wait a while for water to appear. 4 or 5 sweeps of the wiper and hey presto. Had to demonstrate to my MOT tester because he originally failed it.

Sounds like you're missing the non-return valve.

Is there meant to be one on there?

Mine drains as well and I was actually looking for a small enough NRV to fit on it.

I reckoned one off a commercial dishwasher chemical feed pipe should fit it perfectly.

All I have to do now is check the stores and see if we have one.

[mooey]

Have a look at the small holes in the rigid tube that fits to the blade. They can get blocked with sludge. Sorted mine out last weekend. Removed from the blade, removed the small plastic plug that blocks off the opposite end to the feed pipe and flushed out under a running tap. Clear the holes using a pin. Refit. Job done.

[oli_quick]

You may also need to hold that button down...I remember on mine it took a good 3-5 seconds for the fluids (Dr Stranglelove reference) to get up the system to the blade outlets

[bam50]

Ireland said:

SlvrCrb said:

Buffoon said:

Mine drains back into the bottle after use, so when you press the button you have to wait a while for water to appear. 4 or 5 sweeps of the wiper and hey presto. Had to demonstrate to my MOT tester because he originally failed it.

Sounds like you're missing the non-return valve.

Is there meant to be one on there?

Mine drains as well and I was actually looking for a small enough NRV to fit on it.

I reckoned one off a commercial dishwasher chemical feed pipe should fit it perfectly.

All I have to do now is check the stores and see if we have one.

Re NRV. For the sake of @£1.50 it's worth trying the type used by aquarium owners to stop the water syphoning out of the tank during a power failure. Here is an example of the type of thing I'm talking about. HTH

ETA. They're only a few CMs long and most reasonable garden centres, Wyevale etc, have aquatic areas/shops in them these days.

Edited by bam50 on Monday 31st March 13:12