Windscreen washers not quite right

[Laney760]

Hi to All! On the first occassion I needed to refill my washer bottle after the fitting of new LED headlamps a washer problem became apparent and I think the piping has been disturbed during the fitting of the headlamps?

The bottle is full and yet the dashboard washer warning lamp is lit up. The washers do work but the pressure is low and the water only hits the bottom of the screen. I have tried repositioning the jets with a fine needle but they are already facing upwards as far as they can be. I found some tubing with a piece which ends up going nowhere, I think this is the problem maybe, it has maybe become detatched from where it connects but for the lift of me I cannot see where it should go?

[Laird Scooby]

Is the bit of tubing you've found about 8mm bore Ellie? If so, it's not meant to go anywhere except up towards the slam panel, it's a breather tube.

I've recently had some trouble with my washers (front and back) and found the originally fitted NRVs (Non-Return Valves) had blocked up. I'd already replaced one with an aftermarket one a couple of years back and also the T-valve on the bonnet underside in the middle - turned out both the parts i replaced were duff after 2 years!

Also the remaining original Volvo NRV on the front washers had blocked, fortunately was able to clear it and replaced the T-valve with a normal T-piece, drilled out the aftermarket NRV and now have really good washers front and rear.

I don't know how or why your garage has caused a problem with the low washer level switch, could be the screenwash you used has gone snotty like mine did in the summer and caused me the problems i've had recently. I suspect your garage has done nothing wrong and the solution will be to remove the washer bottle and strip it down and clean it.





Hopefully a few pionters there, the only way to do it is to work methodically from the pump along the route of the hose, removing connectors/valves and checking the flow at each point by squirting the washers, time-consuming and tedious but you'll get there in the end!

Don't overlook anything as it could just be where the problem is. I upgraded my washer jets to those from an S/V40 to give a fan-mist, vastly improved cleaning! Uses less liquid too! If you have a deep 11mm socket or box spanner, slide it over the underside of the jet and push, it will compress the retaining tangs on the jets allowing them to pop out of the bonnet. Disconnect the hose and fit to the new jets then pop them back in. I usually clean under the jets on the bonnet if i remove them for any reason as well - that's optional!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2x-Windsc...0/283289602291

No adjustment on them, the fan hits the screen nicely!

Good luck with it all, however you manage to improve things!

[Ian21401]

What Dave has said and, the float for the washer fluid evel warning may have jammed at the bottom, or scuttled itself with a leak.

[Laney760]

Thanks guys. There was also an odd short length of tubing which fitted on something and appeared to be some sort of overflow but that has gone missing, that had a smaller bore than the piece I am talking about, for which 8mm would sound about right.

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by Laney760

Thanks guys. There was also an odd short length of tubing which fitted on something and appeared to be some sort of overflow but that has gone missing, that had a smaller bore than the piece I am talking about, for which 8mm would sound about right.

If you look at my first pic above Ellie, you can just see the stub on the neck of the reservoir where that 8mm bore hose fits on. Mine also made a bid for freedom so i bought a metre of 8mm PVC hose and fitted it on, running it along the inside wing towards the bulkhead between the strut top and the wing where it hides away nicely.

Don't think there are any other bigger bore pieces of hose floating around that area that are anything to do with the washer system.

[Laney760]

I will have to take some photos as soon as I am able and upload them because the length of overflow piping with the smaller bore, now lost, fitted onto that stub and the piping I have which appears to have come loose from somewhere with the bigger bore (and accompanied the start of the problem) does not fit onto that stub?