Windscreen washer jets not working!

[Fat Audi 80]

Hi all,

What is about these bloody Passats. It is the newest car I have ever had and the most unreliable so far. I love it, but it is starting to frustrate me.

This weeks problem is the windscreen washer jets.

At the weekend they did not always respond to a "pull" on the stalk, (The head light washers are perfect though) Now today, they windscreen washers do not work at all.

The rear washer / wipe is fine
The headlight wash is fine
The windscreen wipers work fine though.

The Haynes book of lies tells me the front and back work off the same pump, but that does not make sense to me as you cannot hear the pump "whirr" if you wash the windscreen, however it all works on the rear

Can anyone shed any light please?
Cheers,

Steve.

[caldirun]

Hi all,

What is about these bloody Passats. It is the newest car I have ever had and the most unreliable so far. I love it, but it is starting to frustrate me.

This weeks problem is the windscreen washer jets.

At the weekend they did not always respond to a "pull" on the stalk, (The head light washers are perfect though) Now today, they windscreen washers do not work at all.

The rear washer / wipe is fine
The headlight wash is fine
The windscreen wipers work fine though.

The Haynes book of lies tells me the front and back work off the same pump, but that does not make sense to me as you cannot hear the pump "whirr" if you wash the windscreen, however it all works on the rear

Can anyone shed any light please?
Cheers,

Steve.

Take the pumps out of the reservior and clean it really well, flush the pumps and check them, its probably gunge got into change over valve!

[Fat Audi 80]

Take the pumps out of the reservior and clean it really well, flush the pumps and check them, its probably gunge got into change over valve!

So are you saying there are two pumps?

I cannot hear a pump running for the windscreen, but one runs for the rear window...

I am still confused.

Cheers,

Steve.

P.s. what is the changeover valve???

[caldirun]

So are you saying there are two pumps?

I cannot hear a pump running for the windscreen, but one runs for the rear window...

I am still confused.

Cheers,

Steve.

P.s. what is the changeover valve???

If a pump was blocked and could not turn, would you hear it running?, it could be a single pump with 2 outlets and a change over valve for front or rear wash according to run direction.

[snapdragon]

Looking at the parts diagram and lists, it seems to suggest that there is only one pump assembly for the rear and front washers (two pumps in one unit), but a completely different bottle and pump for the headlights. Maybe it is even the wash/wipe relay. Getting to the pump is really hard.

[Fat Audi 80]

Looking at the parts diagram and lists, it seems to suggest that there is only one pump assembly for the rear and front washers (two pumps in one unit), but a completely different bottle and pump for the headlights. Maybe it is even the wash/wipe relay. Getting to the pump is really hard.

Thanks Snapdragon, that is more what I was looking for, facts or confirmation of fact/theory.

I think I need to investigate the relay. I am convinced the switch is working as the headlamp washer still fires. I am working my way through the wiring diagram in the Haynes manual, which is much better than their old ones but still fairly difficult going for a mechanical engineer!

I will post up when I get some further news.

Cheers,

Steve.

[STEWY L]

has it just stopped with the recent cold weather?
is it not just the front jets frozen?
my van has been frozen up all day today,mind the jets are half way down the bonnet
and the wind chill factor will affect them.

[caldirun]

Thanks Snapdragon, that is more what I was looking for, facts or confirmation of fact/theory.

I think I need to investigate the relay. I am convinced the switch is working as the headlamp washer still fires. I am working my way through the wiring diagram in the Haynes manual, which is much better than their old ones but still fairly difficult going for a mechanical engineer!

I will post up when I get some further news.

Cheers,

Steve.

You should have said you were a mechanical engineer, sorry.
Take the fuse out, put the multimeter prongs into the fuse receptacles, set the meter on Amps DC, range above the fuse rating, wash rear, make note of reading, wash front, make note of reading, post for instructions!

[caldirun]

Hi all,


The rear washer / wipe is fine
The headlight wash is fine
The windscreen wipers work fine though.

The Haynes book of lies tells me the front and back work off the same pump, but that does not make sense to me as you cannot hear the pump "whirr" if you wash the windscreen, however it all works on the rear

Can anyone shed any light please?
Cheers,

Steve.

The Haynes shows the saloon set up with one wire to ground on the pump, the estate probably has 3 wires, pump fwd, pump rev, ground, or 2 wires both connected back to the relay (so each wire can be +ve or ground). If you check the diagram there are 2 outlet fittings on the pump, if the pump runs fwd it turns the impeller which rotates the stator and delivers water to the one fitting (maybe the front washer jets),.If the pump runs rev, the impeller turns the stator in the opposite direction delivering water to the other fitting, hey presto, one pump 2 points of delivery.
The stator can get gunged up and stop rotating, clean the reservior and filter (sorry but its a hands on job). I just called it a change over valve to simplify things!
This is theory as I have a saloon

[sherlockuk]

It is a bumper off job to get to them. I have a saloon, and there are two pumps on my reservoir. One for the headlamp washers and one for the windscreen.

To remove the bumper there are three screws in each wheel arch, and then you take off the trim with the VW badge on, and there are some Torx screws under that. You will also need to undo a bolt or two under the front of the car.

To me it sounds as if you have a bad connection. Perhaps one of the connectors pins is corroded, as the others say it is a bi-directional pump, so one of the supply pins may need a clean..

Tom.