Re: semi-dumb windshield washer question (archive)

Are you pulling the switch towards you or pushing in the end? The former action will spray water whilst the latter will spray "intensive cleaner" which is supplied from the smaller reservoir up by the suspension turret.

There are non-return valves in the system. They can fail and then the motors will struggle to do much at all in a sensible time. These valves can be found clipped under the trailing edge of the hood and are not expensive or difficult to fit. At this point the water and intensive cleaner feeds are "teed" together.

If you have plenty of fluid in both reservoirs and both motors are working (take the plugs off in turn) then try disconnecting the pipes at this point (at the rear of the hood). If you now have plenty of fluid then the jets are blocked. These can get full of crud and even a needle poked well inside may not shift this.

However, it's unlikely that all 4 jets (2 per spray head) are completely blocked - you should at least get some flow.

These (heated) washer jets are not too expensive but they are a bit fiddly to fit - they are a push fit and it's awkward trying to push up the jet whilst depressing the plastic spring clip which retains the jet firmly in the hood. An extra pair of hands will help here!

There are non-return valves in the headlamp wash system too (one located just behind each pair of headlamps, again inexpensive and simple to fit)and if one or both of these has failed then most if not all of the fluid can siphon out of the reservoirs through the headlamp washer jets. This is usually obvious as you will see droplets on the bumper but it does mean you can run out of fluid when you had only filled it up very recently!

Hope this is of some help...

Regards

Steve Offley
'87 Euro M5

motor works, plenty of fluid, nozzles do not appear to be clogged( hard to tell) but nothing comes out to clean the windshield. Is there something else I should be checking?

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