Front Windscreen Washer Jets not working - need Help

[morrismen]

My wife is a nurse and needs her car daily. We thought it was the icy cold weather and the windscreen washers had frozen up, but the washer fluid was ok and still fluid in the reservoir, not frozen.

But even today, the front washer jets are not working and it's 6 degs C today.

The wipers are wiping as expected when the wiper switch lever is on, but pulling back to make it wash the windows does nothing and the wipers just mess up the screen!

How do I begin to even diagnose such a problem? Need you Help please all!

It's rather odd this because the rear washer and wiper works perfectly!

With Thanks.

[CharlesStevenson]

If you've got some spray coming out of any of the four jets then it could simply be they're blocked with dirt, etc.

Take a pin and try cleaning the holes out.

It's worked for me on a fair few cars.

If no spray, can you hear the pump when pulling the lever?

It might be the fuse has blown, or the pump's died in the cold weather?

Before this, were all 4 jets working ok, or were they playing up?

If you've a few mins you could pull the pipe that goes into the T piece and check there's spray going up to there - if not that could indicate a bust pump.

On the 850's they were, sometimes, prone to having the return valve thingy in the T piece go bad and that would stop fluid getting onto the windscreen - that might be what's happened for you (just guessing)

good luck

BTW front and rear have separate pumps.

[morrismen]

I'll check out what you've suggested.

The problem with hearing the pump on the water bottle is it is inside the chassis somewhere and the noise of the wiper and headlight wipers going drowns it out.

What is odd also is the headlight wipers appear to be moving even with the headlights off when squirting the washer fluid for the front windscreen. I thought the headlight wipers only moved when the headlights were on.?

I'll check the fuses... should have thought of that :0)

I hope it's not the washer pump - that's not easy to get to and replace.
Just in case, does anyone know the part number for the front windscreen washer bottle pump on a Volvo V40 1.8 SE 2003 (Petrol) model please (with the Volvo engine - not Mitsubishi)?

Thanks!

[gatos]

Very likely it is the pump, or one of those one way connector valves. It's not that hard to actually get to the pump. Just raise the car and partially remove the undertray and you can just see it and remove it if need be

[gvmnt]

Originally Posted by CharlesStevenson

If you've got some spray coming out of any of the four jets then it could simply be they're blocked with dirt, etc.

Take a pin and try cleaning the holes out.

It's worked for me on a fair few cars.

If no spray, can you hear the pump when pulling the lever?

It might be the fuse has blown, or the pump's died in the cold weather?

Before this, were all 4 jets working ok, or were they playing up?

If you've a few mins you could pull the pipe that goes into the T piece and check there's spray going up to there - if not that could indicate a bust pump.

On the 850's they were, sometimes, prone to having the return valve thingy in the T piece go bad and that would stop fluid getting onto the windscreen - that might be what's happened for you (just guessing)

good luck

BTW front and rear have separate pumps.

i know it's a basic question - which fuse would it be if it's for the washer pump alone?

i have a similar issue - no water coming out from either front or rear. i do not think i can hear anything as far as the pump running. but the front headlight washers to their job every fifth or so time.

before getting to the the pump and changing it, if there is a separate fuse for the washer pump only, I would certainly like to check that first.

any guidance would be much appreciated.

[gvmnt]

i just realised that the thread is for "S40 / V40 '96-'04 General "

i am chasing info for 2005 v50 - apologies

[CharlesStevenson]

Originally Posted by gvmnt

i just realised that the thread is for "S40 / V40 '96-'04 General "

i am chasing info for 2005 v50 - apologies

Don't worry, most of us have done similar at some time in the past.

Hope you fix it.

[morrismen]

Had a chat with Gatos and it looks like the front windscreen washer pump is foobared after checking further.

Did a test check also by holding each motor front and rear of the bottle - the rear one operates, the front ones doesn't. So that was a pretty good sign.

Took the front pump off to check and test it and there was nothing!

The wiring to the pump is ok and the fuse is good which operates windshield wipers, headlight wipes (which work) and the front pump (which no longer works).
Note: the washer rear pump and wiper is a different fuse.

Thanks all. Another front washer pump is needed.

[clarkey1984]

If you're in a pinch and have access to everything, then as a temporary measure you could always swap the pipework around so that the rear pump feeds the front washers.

[magnuz]

Just reminded me that my rear washer pump packed up a few years ago.!
At the time i wasn't able to get the correct pump, so i left the pump in place & fitted a universal pump in to the pipe as a temporary fix. Still haven't got around to fitting the correct one, but this arrangement works ok, albeit with slightly reduced pressure.
I suppose it should work for the front washer as well, but you may need to plug the pipe to the headlamp washers,(if fitted) to give more pressure on the screen nozzles .
https://www.eurocarparts.com/p/unive...er-pump-BAR825