Passat B5 estate screen wash system

[Robcatt]

My B5 screen wash was empty, filled as usual. Very cold snap in weather! Drove forty miles rear screen jet would not pump fluid. Front fine. Warning came on when i stopped, bottle empty. Think blockage may have blown off pipe on header. Filled again slight leak on underside of car, underneath header. This is the second time this has happened in 4 years. maindealer biffs fixed it first time. ? Is it easy to get to the header tank connections or is it remove wheel and wheel arch trim!? Any advice would help. Cheers Aircraft techie

[kenney]

remove wheel and wheel arch trim

[gibbonm]

I have exactly same problem on 07 model. This cold weather must have froze up bottle ansd cracked it or pipe but I need to get at the bottom of bottle. Is wheel arch easy to remove?

Neil

[kenney]

Yes just a few screws

[Robcatt]

LH wheel off, then star drive socket to remove the inner wheel arch. Takes about an hour start to finish.

[gibbonm]

Thanks guys. I'll get to it once the snow clears!

[macquatic]

Thanks guys. I'll get to it once the snow clears!

That'll be March then!!! LOL

[MrShades]

Please have a look at my new "Please help: Rear washer", etc. thread, and pictures, as I have a VERY similar problem - the rear washer pipe has obviously popped off somewhere under the bonnet and I'm just squirting water into fresh air (well, under the bonnet).

I've peeled back the liner (a few torx screws and a bit of force), without even removing the wheel - just to see what's what, and have found the end of the pipe but can't see where it should route to.

If you can help at all I'd appreciate it, though if in your "fixing" efforts you can help me find where my pipe goes (if yours is intact) then I'd certainly help me if you could let me know as and when...

Many thanks

Shades

[RBF]

Do you have a rear wash/wipe problem or a front washer problem?

Hope some of this helps as I have had many problems with both front and rear washers.

1. On the front, the connection to the left washer jet had popped off due to frozen washer jet, so water ****** out the base of the bonnet when lifted. Remove the oval covers on the inside of the bonnet (above the washer jets) and check to see if the connection has popped off. Afterwards, I had a kink in the washer tubing where the tubing runs around the bonnet hinge. All it required was to remove the plastic trim piece near the hinge (torx screw) and adjust the piping to remove the kink and take up the slack.

2. On the rear, water can leak from the wiper motor area. There is a brass tube which runs through the wiper motor and out the back of the car and has the washer nozzle on the end. It corrodes, and the tell tale sign is if when you activate the rear washer, the spray moves around the screen with the wiper arm, instead of remaining stationary. Also, in the LH corner of the boot where the cubby hole is, there is a 90 degree connector for the washer piping and it can disconnet pouring water into the cubby hole. Might just need reconnecting.

This may not be any help as I wasn't sure what your problems are. Just sharing my own experiences! They seem to be extremely common on B5/B5.5 passats.

[Robcatt]

RBF has it covered. Header tank has various connections if they are intact, you will need to chase the lines back. The front/rear screen system runs under the power steering on a tdi. Hope it helps

[MrShades]

RBF has it covered. Header tank has various connections if they are intact, you will need to chase the lines back. The front/rear screen system runs under the power steering on a tdi. Hope it helps

"chasing the lines back" is easy - but not if you have my problem and the 12 inch long pipe from the pump thar runs vertically just ends in a connector with nothing obvious to connect it to.

Any ideas or hints or advice as to where the rear washer pipe runs when it leaves the pump (other than the initial 12 inches, which I can see) would be much appreciated...

Thanks

Shades

[MrShades]

Have now fixed my rear washer issue - the pipe from the pump had become separated about a foot from the pump, behind the wheel arch liner.

See my thread for images and hints which may well help if you have the same problem.

Good luck!

Shades