Wiper washer stops working

[jackcramerr]

Is250.

 

Wiper washer stops working on motorway. I think it is due to cold weather. Very hard to drive. Anyone else experienced this?

[scudney]

Silly question but is it full or empty?was it filled with water or screen wash?

[olliesgrandad]

Sounds like you need to increase the amowof screenwash to a cold weather concentration. I'm using a halfrauds one 60% concentrate to approx 40% water. No problems down to minus 3,

[Texas]

99% gonna be frozen screenwash.

Been there, done that!

Don’t skimp on the quality screen wash as a split pump from being frozen is a right pita to sort out, and as you have found it is very difficult/dangerous to drive without a working Wash system when needed! It is all the road salt that causes the problem of having to clear your screen more often than just plain rain.

paul m.

[Hazzo]

My washers were the only thing not working on this car after buying it, I took the fuse out which was OK, put it back and the washers now work. I've worked on my own cars for forty years, attack the easy things first, in the case of fuses or other lecky bits its green corrosion causes most problems and a cleanup with a little emery cloth on the contacts and a smidge of vaseline or dielectric grease will usually sort it.

Once the weather warms up I intend to go over every electrical connection I can find on this 15 year old beauty as it'll save me grief in the future.

[jackcramerr]

Thanks for replies.

 

I have always used Halfords premium stuff berry scent -10c. Weather low side is -5 and on motor way dash says -1 outside. 

Topped it up recently. I will try -20C.

 

Seems as if the jets freeze. Or motor is weak. Not sure yet. 

[Hazzo]

Top it up with what you like isn't about to make it work, find its fuse and check that before you buy more washer fluid. The fuse for mine in the drivers footwell kickpanel, three rows of them, the cover has a diagram of which is which, WSH is the one you're looking for and a fuse is 10p, pull it, check if its blown as you can see the 'wire' and replace it if it has, any auto shop will have these fuses in stock.

[Texas]

When the switch is operated ( might need a second person to help) does the screen wash pump sound like it is running somewhere? 

If not then yes fuse may be gone as the pump was full of ice and motor stalled causing fuse to blow. 

If yes then pipes/jets are prob frozen, small bore plastic hose and metal jets will be more susceptible to freezing than the actual reservoir.

paul m.

[Linas.P]

Even summer screen wash would stay liquid up to ~ -5C. Assuming jack is in London, we had no such temperatures yet where it would have frozen over.

Once I had "-50C" screen-wash freeze over in -17C and that destroyed the pump. I have done a quick guide how to replace it... but search here is terrible. Cannot even found what I have posted myself (my "started topics" only have 3 pages - have they been archived?). Anyhow, when I was pressing screen-wash the pump was barely clicking, where it should make humming noise like electric motor, something like 3x stronger noise then aquarium pump if that helps to imagine how it should sound like.. 

 

[normski2]

I can't find it either Linas. But I did archive your detail and save it as a pdf on my pc at work. Figured, you never know, may need it one day!!

Here ya go.

How to Replace Windscreen Washer pump is250.pdf

[Linas.P]

Just for some context - correct way is to remove front bumper, washer fluid bottle, filler and if I not mistaken headlight. That takes undoing like 100 bolts, nuts, clips and ideally 2 people. 

The guide above is bit of hack, but requires 20 minutes and 10 times less fiddly. + Top job for keeping it safe @normski2

[normski2]

Linas ... found your original post. Had a link saved on my pc at home.