Windscreen Washer Jets - No Pressure

[debssuz600]

My Yaris went in for Service and MOT and my windscreen washer jets just dribble. I thought it might be empty, but there was plenty of screenwash. I thought, the nozzles might need adjusting, but they are fixed. Is the pump on its way out? The rear one is fine.

[Geoff Peace]

My Yaris went in for Service and MOT and my windscreen washer jets just dribble. I thought it might be empty, but there was plenty of screenwash. I thought, the nozzles might need adjusting, but they are fixed. Is the pump on its way out? The rear one is fine.

Operate the washer and have an assistant listen for the pump running, it is behind the offside wing at the front. If it is running it means that the switch and related wiring are OK. The tubing could be blocked or the jets blocked or the rubber vanes on the pump impeller stripped. If it is not running then it may be the switch, fuse, corroded contacts at the pump. Without testing the electrics it is difficult to say but if the jets are dribbling I would say the tubing is blocked or the pump is defective. I would start by examining the wiring plug at the pump. It needs accurate diagnosis as a new pump is around the £70 mark, yes I did say £70! Best of Luck.

Regards Geoff Peace.

[alfiejts]

When this happened to the rear wiper of my Audi - it was simply that the washer jet had clogged up and I cleared it with a fine pin.

I can't remember whether you can get to the back of the jets under the bonnet on the earlier Yaris. If you can, try pulling the washer pipe off the back of the washer jet and then operate the washers. If water pumps out well, then it is blocked jets...

If you can't get to the back of the washer jets, see if you can find the joint where the pipe splits two ways to feed each separate washer jet and pull the connection apart there to test the water flow instead....

Chances are that if it is dribbling, then its just dirt from the washer tank that's blocked the jets....

(Someone may tell you not to use a pin because you'll damage the jets. The alternative is to remove the jets and soak them in hot water to try and dislodge the dirt and/or to blow through them backwards to try and dislodge any dirt...

If you have "fan style jets" that spread across the screen like the latest Yarii, I wouldn't use a pin but assuming you have the old traditional style jets that simply squirt a small jet at the screen, then as long as you're careful not to force a large pin in to distort the jet but use a fine pin that simply clears the hole, then you should be OK.... I've done this successfully many times...)

So the first step is to disconnect the washer pipe under the bonnet somewhere to prove that everything else up to the point of the washer jets is working OK - and then assuming that's the case, you either try to clean them or you buy new ones....

[t-spiritpete]

I agree you need to be careful poking pins into the washer jets but I have found using a strand pulled from a large wire brush with pliers works very well .

Pete.