Damn screen wash

[jherman]

2017 XC60 (new model)
Rear wash hasn't worked for months and months, and despite temporally recovering from a blip on the front screen wash, the front washers don't work either. In fact, now I cannot even hear the pump working.
Read on here about blocked non-return valve at the back and so I accessed the pipes and indeed the NRV was choked with white matter. Cleaned it, when to try it out.....blade swishes but no obvious sound from the pump (it used to audible in the early days). Checked the fuses and nothing blown. I wondered if the ?blocked from wipers were the cause of the pump failure, so tried to tackle the front wipers (aqua blades).
Foolishly I took the blades off, in service position and thought I'd see if some water come out the arms. Went to activate the wipers....as they went to move (in service position) they fouled on the bonnet and smacked straight down onto the windscreen (without any blades) and CRACK goes the windscreen!
So now I have no working wipers, no obvious noise from the pump and a cracked windscreen!

[nu11eaf]

Not a good day at the office, the white residue blocking the washers is a common problem with aqua-blades. Owners have been reporting this problem since they first came out and dealers have been cleaning the gunge out. Sorry to hear about your windscreen, its a timely reminder to all not to try that.

[Wizzpop]

I nearly did that when I had the wipers in service position. Have to say though that I have NEVER had any problems with a white residue. Both front and rear wipers have worked perfectly. Is the white deposit something left over from the manufacturing process? Perhaps my dealer cleaned the system out as part of the pre-delivery service.

[pilkers]

Would the dodgy motor and blocked pipes not be covered by the Volvo warranty as you say that it is a 2017 vehicle?

[ian77]

I don’t trust the wiper service position - set mine to wash the car once, then whilst I was washing the screen they parked themselves, slapping back onto the screen when they hit the bonnet edge (almost taking my arm off). Frustratingly all I got from the dealer was “we couldn’t get them to fault sir”... I feel lucky now though. Otherwise ive never had any problems with the aqua blades.

[Haldex]

Same here- zero issues with the aquablades. Mine are heated though- not sure if there's any design difference(s) between the heated and the regular ones..

[Clan]

white deposits are more common with heated nozzles , it is the salt deposits from cheap non volvo wash fluid ...

ALWAYS use the proper volvo fluid , it protects expensive jets, valves and pumps .. It Leaves no deposits whatsoever as it is spirit based
( like methelated spirit)

[Haldex]

Honestly, outside the single fillup on the annual service- can't say that I ever used the Volvo-branded stuff.. It's not like I carry a jug with me- and Volvo dealerships are never around when I run out And I do run out of the fluid quickly, due to the geyser-like auto headlight washers.. I guess I was lucky And on top of it- I'm still on the factory blades- they asked me if I wanted them replaced when I did the annual service- and I didn't, as they were flawless. I do however wipe the blades with window cleaning wipes every time I wash the car.

[Whiterdesign]

Sorry Clan, don’t agree with you. Mine blocked up within6 months of owning car, never even refilled washers it was as delivered. They blocked up when the weather got warm. Car now 18 months old and washers blocked again in warm weather. Have had to clear rear washer non return valve twice. Front blades now blocking and white deposits all over bonnet from headlamp washers. This seems to be a very common fault

[Clan]

Originally Posted by Whiterdesign

Sorry Clan, don’t agree with you. Mine blocked up within6 months of owning car, never even refilled washers it was as delivered. They blocked up when the weather got warm. Car now 18 months old and washers blocked again in warm weather. Have had to clear rear washer non return valve twice. Front blades now blocking and white deposits all over bonnet from headlamp washers. This seems to be a very common fault

You must live in a hard water area , try topping up with distilled water , It is certainly NOT the volvo fluid , spirit leaves no deposits whatsoever, I was in Ipswich a while many years ago and the water was so hard up there for example .