[figgy]

The other day I found that my rear nozzle wouldn't squirt, and one front windshield wiper fluid nozzle would not squirt.

I scrubbed them out with a toothbrush and some cleaner, and the front ones started to work again but the rear one won't.

Now, a while later, I get in and none of them will work at all! I don't even hear the pump trying to run when I twist the knob. It is dark now. I can't go check yet.

I am wondering if with all the nozzles blocked (for reasons yet unkown) the pump could have blown a fuse or worse yet busted.

Has anyone had problems with unusual blockage or wiper fluid nozzle problems?

I've never had this problem on any other car, so what is going on here?

It's not becaue of waxing. it's been outside for a while, but there is no sign of any unusual dirt build up nor has it been in the direct sun with the exception of some afternoon sun for the rear nozzle which is perhaps blocked up even more than the others.

The toothbrush routine didn't work, and now that I don't hear the pump going, I wonder...

 

[Yves M.]

Hi Figgy, it sound like there is no fluid in the reservoir. Sorry you did not write that you checked the level

Seriously, I do not think it is related to nozzle blockage. There are two pumps, each is connected directly to the reservoir but can be replaced separatly.

To test them you will need to remove the front inner fender, a zillion clips and bolts. The front pump is for the rear and the rear pump is for the windsheild. Put 12v on each to see them run.

But I would first check the fuse 26 or 3. Note that the wipers are on the same fuse as the pumps (3 for front and 26 for rear) so if the wiper runs than the fuse is OK

 

[Guest]

My rear squirter recently quit working as well. It turns out there was a kink in the hose under the headliner. It was fixed under new car warranty. The front nozzles continued to work.

 

[figgy]

It was dark and I was tired, so I couldn't check all the options. Now there is light. We'll see what's going on in the daytime. The wipers did work. I guess it is fuses 18, 6 and 3 according to the service manual?

I wonder if my rear hose got kinked as well.

I recently filled it, but didn't check it yet. That's first item. Since the fronts worked but the rear did not, maybe the rear hose popped off and then slowly drained out the fluid. Hmmmm...

 

[figgy]

It turns out for problems like these there may be an explanation which relates to the brain capacity of the owner or the lack of mental function of said individual. I went out to test Edwin (since he is closer) and his rear squirter worked fine but the front ones didn't squirt at all and the pump didn't make a noise. I figured I must be truly cursed! I tried again several times with the same result and was ready to fiddle with the fuses so I pulled the regular owner's manual (not the fancy service manual) and read about how you 'pull back on the stick' to do the giclee thing with the wipers and washers. Very interesting to read about the 'mist' option NOT running the squirters at all. I find that actually using the washer control stick how the manual describes really makes a difference. Odd that I've been driving the car for so long and successfully using the squirters for the entire time but this weekend that information fell out of my head. The moral of the story is that next time you think your car won't start and start to blame the battery, maybe it is because you are trying to start it by turning your house's door knob and not the car key. The mind works in mysterious ways.

The remaining problem now is that Jane's rear nozzle doesn't squirt, and I am doing that correctly. So I think. That will be examined in more detail in the future. Maybe I need to sleep for a while before taking Jane apart atom by atom. Thanks for the help!

 

[b1shmu63]

Thanks Figgy, you made my day! (I don't feel so alone) Like times when the "virus" on my computer turns out to be me.

 

[figgy]

By the way - the other day after my doing nothing at all the rear squirter in Jane started to work again.

 

[Resist]

I didn't have a nozzle clog but my washer fluid tank did have lots of gunk in it. Not sure where it came from because as far as I know, wiper washer fluid doesn't turn into gunk like some coolants do.

 

[figgy]

Excellent to know that. I never figured that should happen, but obviously it can.

Did you have to dismantle anything to see the sluldge, or was it obvious?

Maybe I have a similar problem? I wonder. Too dark to look now.

 

[Resist]

It was pretty obvious when I opened the washer fluid tank cap. I tried mixing it around in the washer fluid tank. So it's still in there as far as I know. The tank looks hard to remove to properly clean out.

 

[Rick]

Hmmm, that gives me something to check before my warranty runs out in a couple of days, though I don't use my washer fluid unless absolutely necessary (removes wax).

Anyways, I should note while having some various things apart on my car I noticed the tube for the rear wiper fluid runs through the inside under the carpet on the passenger side. It's just held in place by some stickey foam pads along most of the way. After a couple of summers none of these seem to actually be holding the tube in place any more. So I could see where that would cause a problem.

 

[b1shmu63]

Could the sludge be algae?

 

[Resist]

Could the sludge be algae?

No, it was a tan color.

 

[figgy]

There are brown algae, and green ones will turn brown when they die. I don't know what organic thing would grow in cleaner fluid, but if you used water it could have gotten something growing in it which then died and decomposed. It seems very odd, no matter what, if you had cleaner fluid in there. I don't see how dirt could get in, and I don't see what would grow in it. Very odd. Maybe the manufacturer of a bottle of fluid is to blame because it was a bad batch with crud in it?

 

[bug_girl]

er, an extremely stupid question.
There's a rear wiper squirter?? :shock:
how do I see if I have one?

 

[rsalmon]

its right behind the radio antenna. If you have a rear wiper, you should have a washer.
Twist the end of the wiper stalk(at the steering wheel right side)top forward-or some people might say clockwise.(as you look at the end of the stalk.

 

[Resist]

There's a rear wiper squirter?? :shock:
how do I see if I have one?

First off read your owners manual to learn about your car. But all Insights come with a rear wiper washer and squirter.

 

[Resist]

I took a closer look at that gunk in my washer fluid tank. There is more in it than I thought. Looks like the tank has to come out for a good cleaning.

 

[figgy]

Could it be that one brand of fluid interacted with another brand's formula and made some kind of gummy precipitate?

Can you tell if it looks organic (like some bugs made it) or inorganic (like precipitate)?

Has it always been filled with the same brand?

Has it seen extreme temps either not or cold?

Is this a brand of fluid we should avoid?

 

[Resist]

I've never heard of washer fluid doing this or mixing different brands causing this. I do know when I first bought my Insight the dealership only had water in there. I had to fight with them to get them to understand water isn't what is supposed to be in there. The stuff just looks like a gunky sludge. Almost like when water is slushy before it freezes. But no, that's not what it is as we don't get freezing weather here.