Windscreen washer problem
- Thread starter Derivative
- Start date
Derivative
New member
It's fixed.
The rear resevoir has a pump and a level sensor. The front reservoir (fed by the rear reservoir) has 2 pumps (screen & headlamps) and a level sensor.
When the level drops in the front reservoir due to usage the front level sensor sends a signal to one of the processors to let it know it needs more fluid which sends a signal to the rear reservoir pump. This pump will only run if the rear level sensor detects there's fluid in the rear reservoir (to saving running a dry pump).
A faulty level sensor (either) and the system will soon stop working.
Here comes the crazy stuff.
There were no error messages related to this fault that could be detected using Pathfinder.
Pathfinder couldn't interrogate or actuate these items (pumps or level sensors) individually to determine if they were functioning correctly.
After pulling wheel arches out and removing the rear bumper It was determined the the front level sensor was at fault by replacing with a new one and trying!
(Apparently the old SDD diagnostic system could interrogate/actuate individual components.)
3 hours later, on my way.
All under warranty (fortunately).
The rear resevoir has a pump and a level sensor. The front reservoir (fed by the rear reservoir) has 2 pumps (screen & headlamps) and a level sensor.
When the level drops in the front reservoir due to usage the front level sensor sends a signal to one of the processors to let it know it needs more fluid which sends a signal to the rear reservoir pump. This pump will only run if the rear level sensor detects there's fluid in the rear reservoir (to saving running a dry pump).
A faulty level sensor (either) and the system will soon stop working.
Here comes the crazy stuff.
There were no error messages related to this fault that could be detected using Pathfinder.
Pathfinder couldn't interrogate or actuate these items (pumps or level sensors) individually to determine if they were functioning correctly.
After pulling wheel arches out and removing the rear bumper It was determined the the front level sensor was at fault by replacing with a new one and trying!
(Apparently the old SDD diagnostic system could interrogate/actuate individual components.)
3 hours later, on my way.
All under warranty (fortunately).
Use rain x or equivalent Gtechniq. I have not had to use the washers in any of my cars for years. Rain blows away & the dirt does not stick. The occasional flick wipe is all you need. My washer bottle is always full & the annoying thing when the cars go in for a service is there is always a full bottle of screen wash lying in the car instead of them deleting it from the bill :evil:
FIX
So the rear bottle was clogged for me; cold weather not using the car the screen wash had gone mouldy.
I bought a syringe and catheter tube here https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08JTP3W3M/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 and drained the rear bottle, washed out with hot (not boiling ater a few times.
Then I droped 4 x Milton steralising tablets into the bottle with hot water and used a sysringe full of air to agitate the water repetedly. Left overnight then drianed, repeated over a few nights. Finally left a 8 tablet concentration in the water bottle for a week and hey presto, everything is dissolved, full pressure. Ran the bottles empty and washed the car to remove the washer fluid. No more issues.
So the rear bottle was clogged for me; cold weather not using the car the screen wash had gone mouldy.
I bought a syringe and catheter tube here https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08JTP3W3M/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 and drained the rear bottle, washed out with hot (not boiling ater a few times.
Then I droped 4 x Milton steralising tablets into the bottle with hot water and used a sysringe full of air to agitate the water repetedly. Left overnight then drianed, repeated over a few nights. Finally left a 8 tablet concentration in the water bottle for a week and hey presto, everything is dissolved, full pressure. Ran the bottles empty and washed the car to remove the washer fluid. No more issues.
Richard T said:
I think the poster used one of theseā¦.
https: // www.amazon.co.uk / Reusable-Catheter-Capacity-Laboratory-Industry /
[Iāve edited the link, so that it displays properly.]
I needed to clean out my reservoir and used a home-made siphon. I then filled with fresh warm water and Milton tablets and left it overnight. I also bunged a Milton tablet into the front reservoir (having removed the wheel arch linerā¦).
More siphoning the next day, then I pumped the remaining fluid through the system, albeit slowly, until it was running free.
I blame mixing washer fluids for coagulating the mixture and blocking the pumps from working. I now ask the servicing garage to leave well alone.
