1993 Audi 90 - windshield washer problem

[wench]

Hi. 1st time poster here.

My '93 Audi 90/CS will not squirt windshield wash fluid. I've only had the car a few weeks and everything else on it works fine. Initially the jets worked, but I thought they aimed rather low. There didn't seem to be a lack of pressure to the stream of fluid.

Today, I got just a small drizzle on the driver's side only, then nothing. I added a gal. of fluid but no improvement. When I got home, I added almost another full gallon of fluid and now I get nothing at all. With the reservoir being hidden in the fender, I can't tell if it holds that much or if there is a leak in the system. I don't see a specific puddle under the car, but the roads are very sloppy today and there's much snow melt, so yes, there is water under the car where it is parked.

I can hear the washer motor running when I activate the switch and am wondering if maybe it is weak, or if the system was so low on fluid that maybe the pump needs to be primed.

Here's a clue. When I bought the car, I was told that the wiper motor had just been replaced, but this shouldn't have an effect on the washer motor, should it?

Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks / Wench

[wench]

Me again. There does seem to be some blue fluid under the left front of the car. Not two gallons though. Here's a thought. It is winter in Vermont and perhaps the reservoir previously contained only H2o or a weak mixture. It's gotten down to about -10f a few nights since I purchased the car. Maybe the H2o froze, cracked the reservoir and is frozen in the line that feeds the pump.

Any thoughts?

[stuart]

Hi

Thanks for joining the site.

I was thinking along the same lines, if the fluid has froze, this could crack the bottle., and if as you have already stated, have filled the resovoir up with such a large quantity of water in such a short space of time, I think this is what has happened.

Another thought is, the motor for the washers sits in a small rubber sleeve/seal, if this has perished rhis would also cause water loss.

Could also be a leaking washer motor, if it does not pump when water is in the bottle?

I would be looking in the resovoir area first.

Stuart

[wench]

Well, it turns out that the hose that goes to the washer jets from the pump goes into small junction box just below the driver's side spray nozzle. From there it continues on to the passenger side one. The hose had become disconnected at the junction box leading out to to the passenger side.

When I turned on the washers, the fluid in the tube took the path of least resistance and just squirted out under the hood, accounting for the puddle under the car.

I reconnected the hose and it seems solidly in place. I have to wonder how it became disconnected, though. I'm thinking still that ice built up on the jets created a back log of pressure that must have pushed the hose off of it's base conection. When the weather warms, I will put a drop of glue at its base or maybe just wrap a small piece of duct tape around it.

Anyway, all is well and thanks for your response, Stuart. I'm sure Ill be back with more little things in the future.

Jim

[stuart]

No problem, Please do return, after all I can only make this site work if you as members want to use it.

Stuart

[diamonddave]

My window washer motor was audible but no water to windshield also when topping up water escaped immediately I removed nearside wheel an 2 plastic screws on plastic inner wheel arch where front of wheel was pointing , peel up plastic panel and rest on strut a small L shaped rubber connection blows off when there is a blockage ie ice this can be easily pushed back on total time for job half an hour ..i hope this helps regards davie

[brd]

Thanks for that diamonddave... just what I need to know too.

I had the same issue with the splitter pipes coming apart regularly just under the jets under the bonnet... with age, the seal is not as tight and kept blowing off. I changed the jets for new ones, with releaved the pressure on the system (dirty jets with age) and was much better.