Driving without a functioning windshield washer is dangerous, especially in the rainy season and wet roads. It’s much easier to drive a car with the proper wiper fluid spray because it cleans the windshield from smearing and smudge, as well as other outside elements you may encounter.
There could be many reasons why your wiper fluid isn’t spraying after refilling the washer fluid reservoir. It could be a cracked washer fluid reservoir, a bad pump or clogged wiper fluid nozzle.
How to Repair a Windshield Washer?
Why your windshield washer fluid won’t come out? Many possible reasons for your windscreen washer fluid not coming out.
First, make sure you fully understand that the washer fluid reservoir is full. There is no fluid coming out, you may have a clogged nozzle, a blown fuse, or a broken pump that would need to be replaced.
MORE: How to Change Wiper Blade?
Step 1: Check the Fuse
Park the car in a safe quiet area and run the window washer. Listen for the whirring pump noise.
If you don’t hear it, go directly to the fuse box.
If the fuse is blown, there is possibly a pump motor that has died or called it quits. If it blows again put in a new motor.
Step 2: Check the windshield washer fluid reservoir.
If you windshield washer won’t spray, it could because your washer fluid reservoir is out of fluid. We know it seems obvious but how many times do we miss the obvious in life. The windshield washer fluid reservoir is easy to find.
Most of the time there is a picture of the washers on the reservoir cap. Go ahead and open it and check your dipstick to check the fill level.
If you are needing to fill it up, you can use a premixed fluid so you can be certain you are using a proper solution. You do not want your fluid freezing up in the winter.
If you had to fill your washer fluid reservoir up, when you finish, check under the car (on the ground) for fluid. It could be possible the reason you are having a problems with washer fluid is a leak from the reservoir tank.
Step 3: Listen to see if you can hear the washer pump running.
You will be able to hear it better if you have the ignition key on, engine off.
Get a friend. Have them push or turn the knob, you listen. If you hear the motor running, good, if the windshield washer fluid will still not spray go to step 3…
Step 4: Check if the nozzles on the washer is clear.
The issue could be a windshield wiper nozzles are clogged. Wax can easily block these nozzles. The nozzles locations will vary from vehicle to vehicle. Check around the base of your front windshield for the nozzles.
If you are checking your rear washer jets, check the topside of the rear window. Use a straight pin to clear the washer jets.
Hopefully, that gave you some clues that pointed to the problem. If it did, congratulations you solved the problem!
Causes for Wiper Fluid Not Spraying After Refill
Let’s discuss some of the reasons for wiper fluid not spraying after a refill.
Unused Washers
A vehicle washer fluid is necessary to keep the windscreen clean. However, there are several possible reasons for a vehicle wiper fluid that is not spraying after a refill – all possible if the washers have not been used for a few weeks or months.
That said, if the wiper fluid has stopped spraying though you have just refilled it, there are two possible explanations: you have filled the wiper fluid into the wrong reservoir or the hoses which lead to the washer nozzles are frozen due to cold temperatures.
Holes in The Wiper Fluid Reservoir
Old wiper fluid reservoirs or those with no wheel arch lining or front wing lining (plastic or felt) will inevitably crack. Due to a hole leaking from the reservoir, the wiper fluid that has been refilled into the reservoir will drain out immediately creating a pool under the vehicle.
With a cracked or broken wiper fluid reservoir, fluid will spray for a minute or two after refill – this will vary depending on the size of the hole or crack.
To find whether the wiper fluid is not spraying after refill as a result of a contaminated reservoir refill it and leave the vehicle to sit for 30 minutes. If there is a pool or puddle underneath the vehicle the reservoir failure is confirmed. You can also check the problem via the reservoir level.
You Put Wiper Fluid in the Wrong Reservoir
Also, if you’ve put wiper fluid in the wrong reservoir, it won’t spray. It is usually the case that inexperienced drivers will put wiper fluid into the coolant tank. You can check to see if wiper fluid is in the wrong reservoir by the following steps:
- Open the owner’s manual
- Go through the instructions and illustrations for wiper fluid refill and coolant refill
After going through the manual to check for wiper fluid in the coolant expansion tank will be easier to identify it.
Frozen Wiper Fluid Hoses
One of the causes that could lead to wiper fluid not spraying after refill would be frozen wiper fluid hoses. Similar to engine coolants, wiper fluids also have freeze levels. It’s common for wiper fluid hoses to freeze in cooler temperatures.
In this scenario, the wiper fluid is not spraying because it cannot pass through the hoses that have frozen fluid in them. If your car wiper fluid is not spraying and it is cooler temperatures, frozen hoses could be the issue.
Clogged Wiper Fluid Nozzles
The wiper fluid hoses have a wide diameter tube. This is conducive to not having a clog. However, the wiper fluid nozzles that are located on the hood have a tiny hole, approximately a millimetre in diameter. This size increases the chances of a clog at the nozzle outlet.
When this happens, the pump cannot produce enough pressure to unclog the nozzles. Moreover, if the wiper fluid is coming out either just on passenger side or driver side it may be due to nozzles being clogged.
Wiper Fluid Pump is Not Working
Another reason the wiper fluid does not spray after a refill is a pump that isn’t working. To diagnose a broken pump, get someone to pull the stalk for wiper fluid when you listen for a audible whirring or buzzing sound from the wiper fluid reservoir.
If you do not hear anything then the pump is broken or there is a blown pump fuse issue.
Broken Wiper Fluid Hoses
Wiper fluid hoses and plastic junctions will become brittle and break over time. When this occurs the wiper fluid can escape through the crack because it needs less pressure than it would need to pass through the windshield washer nozzle.
Also with broken hoses, you will not find a puddle under the vehicle where the wiper fluid has leaked like in broken braided hoses.
To check if this is the cause of wiper fluid not spraying after you refill, get someone to pull the stalk and look for leaks in the engine bay. If you have broken hoses, the wiper fluid will be under high-pressure squirting from somewhere in the hoses so you can’t miss it.
FAQs.
Why is my windshield wiper fluid full but won’t spray?
If the fluid does not spray, the hose could be damaged. If washer fluid did not spray after completing this test, pull back the shield under the hood cover and inspect the hoses for looseness, a tear or damage, or a disconnection from the nozzle.
Why is my wiper fluid not spraying after refill?
If the wiper fluid is not spraying after refill it could be because: broken wiper fluid reservoir, broken wiper fluid pump or clogged wiper fluid nozzle.
How do you unclog windshield wiper sprayers?
Use a pin to clear deep blockages. If wiping blockages does not enough to clear the jets out for washer fluid to spray, use a pin or needle to clear the holes. You will press a pin into each hole on the jet, then remove and wipe any clogs that come out with the pin.
Why is my windshield wiper fluid symbol not going away?
The sensor that measures fluid level is not working. There could be a couple of reasons for this like dirty that settled in the reservoir, the foil cap coming off of the washer fluid jug into the tank or you did not use washer fluid and used straight water instead.
Is there a fuse for windshield wipers?
Before the wiper motor goes bad, you are likely to get a blown wiper fuse, this is intended. Blowing a fuse is a weak point in the circuit, to help protect the wiper motor, the fuse is the point that is designed to blow in case the wiper motor is overloaded.