Technical Front Screen Washer doesnt work..Rear works fine

[johnmcc1983]

Hi,

I have been searching round the web but cant seem to find anyone else in the same situation.. Before I take my punto (2004 model) to the garage I thought I would ask here.

When I try to use the screen washer on the front, the windscreen wipers move but no water comes out of the sprayers. I cant even hear the pump make a noise.
However, the rear windscreen washer works perfectly. I thought that the front and the rear used the same pump and fuse?

Can anyone point me in the right direction?

Many thanks in advance

John

 

[flisko]

if rear washer works and front doesnt, it may appear motor works, probably just clogged somewhere

 

[oXRUSSXo]

Hi,

I have been searching round the web but cant seem to find anyone else in the same situation.. Before I take my punto (2004 model) to the garage I thought I would ask here.

When I try to use the screen washer on the front, the windscreen wipers move but no water comes out of the sprayers. I cant even hear the pump make a noise.
However, the rear windscreen washer works perfectly. I thought that the front and the rear used the same pump and fuse?

Can anyone point me in the right direction?

Many thanks in advance

John

Mine was exactly the same when I purchased my car. What I did was disconnect the pipe to the rear washer and then connect it to an air compressor and it cleared it straight away and I've never had a problem since

 

[johnmcc1983]

so if the pipe is clogged will the pump no even attempt to pump the water?

Flisko: the pump works fine as the back windscreen washer works perfectly.

oXRUSSxo: should I disconnect the pipe at the pump and under the bonnet and blast it will a compressor to clear it?

Cheers for the reply

 

[Ziggy122]

The pump only has 2 connections on it

The polarity is switched to allow it to work in reverse

The pump may work one way - but not the other? possible

If it was a 3 pin pump, i'd blame a connection
But since its a 2, it MAY be the pump or a wiper stalk issue, as there is very little between the 2

I'd be half tempted to pull the pump out
(passenger wheel and arch liner out - drop bottle and pump / drain fluid) - Apply power to the motor seperatly from vehicle to confirm working both ways

I'd be half tempted to blow some sort of clean water through while i was there to confirm no blocked yets

When my pipework freezes up - the fluid cant go anywhere - yet the pump still works

Ziggy

 

[Andrewedwardjudd]

The pump only has 2 connections on it

The polarity is switched to allow it to work in reverse

The pump may work one way - but not the other? possible

If it was a 3 pin pump, i'd blame a connection
But since its a 2, it MAY be the pump or a wiper stalk issue, as there is very little between the 2

I'd be half tempted to pull the pump out
(passenger wheel and arch liner out - drop bottle and pump / drain fluid) - Apply power to the motor seperatly from vehicle to confirm working both ways

I'd be half tempted to blow some sort of clean water through while i was there to confirm no blocked yets

When my pipework freezes up - the fluid cant go anywhere - yet the pump still works

Ziggy

After searching on the problem on this forum, some people have solved the problem for the time being by swapping over the wiring on the stalk - which might be an easier test of the washer motor than taking the wheel off and so forth?

According to Haynes wiring diagram and my reading of it, if you swap over the pink wire and pink/black wire which are the only wires of that colour on the stalk the motor will work in reverse. Then all you so is operate the rear washer switch to get water at the front.

Edit. Argggh! so to get to the stalk you remove the airbag, and remove the steering wheel, and in the process throw away the steering wheel nut??....................................

 

[Ziggy122]

After searching on the problem on this forum, some people have solved the problem for the time being by swapping over the wiring on the stalk - which might be an easier test of the washer motor than taking the wheel off and so forth?

Depends if you like playing with airbags or not

Ziggy

 

[Andrewedwardjudd]

Depends if you like playing with airbags or not

Ziggy

Indeed! I only saw that later when I went to look at how I would apply my supposedly easier method!

 

[Ziggy122]

Indeed! I only saw that later when I went to look at how I would apply my supposedly easier method!

to me - wheel arch off and drop tank and inspect motor is alot easier

Ziggy

 

[Andrewedwardjudd]

Well to be honest I did not think much of the motor only turns one way theory, but now having seen how difficult the alternative stalk job would be I can easily believe it could be created by the motor!

 

[johnmcc1983]

Hi All,
I have done a bit more investigating and now im quite confused.
I took the wheel and arch off the car and got access to the washer pump.
I took the cable out of the pump and put a multimeter across them. When I activate the back washer I got -12volts and when I activated the front washer, I got 12 volts. Which tells me the cable and fuses are all ok.
I connected the pump again and with the multimeter and activated the back washer.. The pump activated and I got a -12v reading. However when I activated the front washer, the pump still did nothing and I got 0 volts.
Now the really confusing thing. I disconnected the pump and connected it directly to the battery with some spare cable, it worked. I then reversed the cables on the battery and it worked again.. I have also got a spare pump from the scrap yard and got the exact same issues.
Could this be an ECU issue? Is the ECU even involved? I was under the assumption that the pump worked with off the 12volts with a relay switching the flow for front or rear??

Can anyone shed some light?

 

[judderbar]

Hi All,
I have done a bit more investigating and now im quite confused.
I took the wheel and arch off the car and got access to the washer pump.
I took the cable out of the pump and put a multimeter across them. When I activate the back washer I got -12volts and when I activated the front washer, I got 12 volts. Which tells me the cable and fuses are all ok.
I connected the pump again and with the multimeter and activated the back washer.. The pump activated and I got a -12v reading. However when I activated the front washer, the pump still did nothing and I got 0 volts.
Now the really confusing thing. I disconnected the pump and connected it directly to the battery with some spare cable, it worked. I then reversed the cables on the battery and it worked again.. I have also got a spare pump from the scrap yard and got the exact same issues.
Could this be an ECU issue? Is the ECU even involved? I was under the assumption that the pump worked with off the 12volts with a relay switching the flow for front or rear??

Can anyone shed some light?

You have a bad connection somewhere that allows a small amount of current to flow to enable an apparently good voltmeter reading but collapses the voltage when the motor is in the circuit and more current can flow. According to the wiring diagram there are no other connections between the motor and the switch on the stalk. The flow is switched at the stalk. Because the pump works ok in one direction the wiring must be good all the way to the steering column.