I noticed that the tiny nozzles through which windshield washer fluid flows (both front and rear) are actually adjustable.

 

By inserting a pin you can adjust each of them individually both up and down...left and right.

 

 

--Damien

Another tip, if the tiny nozzle hole gets plugged up with crud, use a pin or needle to ream out the nozzle to get rid of the dirt. Works every time.

and yet another tip :-)...don't expect the adjustment that works when stopped to be the same when @ speed....find the 'happy medium'. Oh, and careful when adjusting. The nozzle (it's a ball) can be adjusted completely closed...and hard to get back! (somedays I just hate 'experience'!)

 

Td

Edited September 29, 201114 yr by wtdash

Thanks for the tip - I'm going to take a flashlight and go look at mine right now!

 

Now can anyone tell me where first to look when the rear washer doesn't work, even though there's no trouble with the front? I know there's a separate pump, but just thought I'd ask for the voice of experience as far as where the first place to look should be.

Thanks for the tip - I'm going to take a flashlight and go look at mine right now!

 

Now can anyone tell me where first to look when the rear washer doesn't work, even though there's no trouble with the front? I know there's a separate pump, but just thought I'd ask for the voice of experience as far as where the first place to look should be.

 

There's a pump on the bottle right next to the pump for the fronts. It's easy to tell which is which, the front one has a hose that goes up to the hood, the back one the hose goes into the depths of the car...

 

have someone push the rear wiper spray button while you listen to the pump.

Thanks for the tip - I'm going to take a flashlight and go look at mine right now!

 

Now can anyone tell me where first to look when the rear washer doesn't work, even though there's no trouble with the front? I know there's a separate pump, but just thought I'd ask for the voice of experience as far as where the first place to look should be.

 

What year is your car? Newer ones -'96?+ have both pumps on the tank under the hood on the driver's side strut tower. The older ones are in the back left in the cubby hole for the jack.

 

TD

There's a pump on the bottle right next to the pump for the fronts. It's easy to tell which is which, the front one has a hose that goes up to the hood, the back one the hose goes into the depths of the car...

 

have someone push the rear wiper spray button while you listen to the pump.

That sounds pretty sensible and I wish I'd thought of doing that myself! Thanks!

What year is your car? Newer ones -'96?+ have both pumps on the tank under the hood on the driver's side strut tower. The older ones are in the back left in the cubby hole for the jack.

Mine's a 2002 and as 987687 said, I've got the one with both pumps on the main tank. I could have used this info last month though when I was searching all over the back of the car looking for the rear tank!

Now that I think of it, the back pump is a bit higher up on the tank. Probably so when you get low on fluid you don't waste it on your back window.

My bet is the pump isn't used much and seized, it's happened to me. If you take the pump out and force the rotor around it'll free up and work again.

Say what you will... But I did that and it's been working fine for over a year since.

Now that I think of it, the back pump is a bit higher up on the tank. Probably so when you get low on fluid you don't waste it on your back window.

My bet is the pump isn't used much and seized, it's happened to me. If you take the pump out and force the rotor around it'll free up and work again.

Say what you will... But I did that and it's been working fine for over a year since.

 

If you determine that the pump is bad, and won't ever work again, they are rather a generic automotive items. Years back, I went to an auto parts store, and found a washer pump made for a Ford, was nearly the same as the one on my VW. It interchanged perfectly.

Now that I think of it, the back pump is a bit higher up on the tank. Probably so when you get low on fluid you don't waste it on your back window.

My bet is the pump isn't used much and seized, it's happened to me. If you take the pump out and force the rotor around it'll free up and work again.

Say what you will... But I did that and it's been working fine for over a year since.

Well I just went and checked it out and although the pump is running and the fluid level is almost full, there's none coming out onto the rear window.

 

Tried to see if there was fluid going anywhere else, but no signs of leakage that I could detect.

Well I just went and checked it out and although the pump is running and the fluid level is almost full, there's none coming out onto the rear window.

 

Tried to see if there was fluid going anywhere else, but no signs of leakage that I could detect.

 

you could try swapping lines for the front and back washers. If you turn on the rear and the front washers spray... you know the pump is working. If the front washer doesn't make the rear spray, you've just diagnosed a clogged line. Probably at the nozzle.

 

Or just blow through the rear line. If you can't blow through it, probably clogged.