A3 07 Plate, Rearscreen Washer Fluid

[muckerg2002]

Hi,

I have an 07 Plate Audi A3 2.0 tdi S-line and my rear washer fluid has stopped working. It has probably frozen up, but it has now not been working for a week.

I went to Audi this morning, and they want £90+VAT just to look at the thing! :aargh4:

Is there any easy access to the pipe that supplies this so I can see if it has frozen or burst etc ? i.e from the boot

Thanks,

muckerg200

[Mike Foster]

The only access to the pipe is by removing the rear door card. Easy to do but a bit nerve-wracking first time !

Remove the two screws on the inside of the boot and the two cover pieces that cover the light clusters (sportback) then you have to firmly ( and I mean very firmly ) yank downwards from near the rear screen on each side.

It will come loose and then you have to go all round releasing the clips by pulling. Re-fitting is a reversal of the procedure making sure that the plastic clips are aligned correctly before giving each one a good belt with your fist !

To help it stopping freezing again you need at least 50/50 mix of washer fluid and water but the nozzles will still freeze in these temperatures.

See other post re hairdryer.

Cheers

[muckerg2002]

Thanks Mike, I will give that a try this weekend!

[Dr Mcr]

The only access to the pipe is by removing the rear door card. Easy to do but a bit nerve-wracking first time !

Remove the two screws on the inside of the boot and the two cover pieces that cover the light clusters (sportback) then you have to firmly ( and I mean very firmly ) yank downwards from near the rear screen on each side.

It will come loose and then you have to go all round releasing the clips by pulling. Re-fitting is a reversal of the procedure making sure that the plastic clips are aligned correctly before giving each one a good belt with your fist !

To help it stopping freezing again you need at least 50/50 mix of washer fluid and water but the nozzles will still freeze in these temperatures.

See other post re hairdryer.

Cheers

I'm not likely to break anything doing this am I?

My wife's boot fills with washer fluid on her 56 plate sportback when she uses the rear washer jets. It's annoying to say the least!

I have removed the six screws as advised but the darn boot card is firmly fixed. I can see two interlocking L shaped clips inside the boot card that's holding the two sides together.

I'll try the recommended firm pull and let you know...

Then I can see what damage there is to the washer pipe!

D.

[Mike Foster]

There are only two screws to remove, sort of behind the number plate but a bit lower.

Remove the two cover plates for replacing the inner light bulbs to give you a better grip and the pull hard downwards.

Edit - if you have removed any screws inside the two cover plates then you didn't need to and you can replace them with the card off !

[Dr Mcr]

There are only two screws to remove, sort of behind the number plate but a bit lower.

Remove the two cover plates for replacing the inner light bulbs to give you a better grip and the pull hard downwards.

Edit - if you have removed any screws inside the two cover plates then you didn't need to and you can replace them with the card off !

Hi Mike,

Thanks ever so much for the extra advice.

I have now put all the screws back into place as it is dark (including the two that I should have removed) and mopped up the pint of washer fluid from around the spare wheel :(

Before I put all the screws back, I tried opening the boot about a foot and pulling the trim towards me (i.e. away from the hinges).

I think I must have been pulling the trim in the wrong direction, looking at the "L" shaped pastic supports inside the trim: When you say "pull down" do you mean - with the boot fully open pull the trim towards the hinges of the bootlid?

Thinking about it now, I'm guessing I was pulling in the wrong direction.

Could you advise, please? Many more thanks in advance

[Mike Foster]

Difficult to explain but here goes :-

Remove two hex screws from behind (ish) number plate.

Remove two cover plates to bulb replacement areas

With boot lid fully open go to one side of lid and put a couple of fingers inside where you have removed the cover plates and 'yank' / 'jerk' vertically downwards.

The card will come off but it is nerve-wracking first time you do it.

Then go to the other side and do the same.

By then you will have got the hang of it but just make sure you don't lose any of the steel clips (6 I think) or any of the rubber type anti vibration bits that are fastened inside the boot card.

Like I said - difficult to explain but once you've done it then from there on you'll never look back !

Good luck

[Dr Mcr]

Difficult to explain but here goes :-


Like I said - difficult to explain but once you've done it then from there on you'll never look back !

Good luck
Thanks Mike. Hoping to get round to giving this a try next week. Had I done it this weekend I would have had 6 inch of rainwater in the spare wheel well rather than washer fluid! At least the car has passed it's MOT.

I'll let you know how I get on.

D.

[djgilson]

The other obvious explanation, of course, is clogged nozzles, but no doubt you eliminated that long ago. My own experience is that these rear nozzles freeze readily, but then remain permanently and completely blocked after the thaw. Not even a dribble comes out, suggesting something worse than simple blockage.

Anyway, unblocking the nozzles should always be tried first. I find the traditional pin is not the ideal tool - often too large a diameter. A better rodding tool is 15amp domestic fuse wire. Fortunately, these rear nozzles unclip readily for easier access (on the 8P A3 and the B7 A4 anyway, maybe on others also).

I assume the tendency of rear washer pipes to leak or burst is brought on by excess pressure following such a blockage?

[Dr Mcr]

The other obvious explanation, of course, is clogged nozzles, but no doubt you eliminated that long ago. My own experience is that these rear nozzles freeze readily, but then remain permanently and completely blocked after the thaw. Not even a dribble comes out, suggesting something worse than simple blockage.

Anyway, unblocking the nozzles should always be tried first. I find the traditional pin is not the ideal tool - often too large a diameter. A better rodding tool is 15amp domestic fuse wire. Fortunately, these rear nozzles unclip readily for easier access (on the 8P A3 and the B7 A4 anyway, maybe on others also).

I assume the tendency of rear washer pipes to leak or burst is brought on by excess pressure following such a blockage?

Thanks DJGilson.

The Nozzles were blocked initially but I unblocked them with a pin (it took some doing. Clipped the nozzle back on and tied again, but no look. Thats when I found fluid oozing from around the door card and then found the fluid in the wheel well.

I'm hoping that I've just blown the connector hose of the mechanism by building up too much pressure when blocked. :) Can't really afford to be spending loads to sort out the problem.

D.

[A3 Sportback]

I believe that this is an inherent problem. Two colleagues of mine both have A3 have had rear wash problems. The pipe is part of the rear wash motor and splits inside wreaking the motor. You may start to experience wiper problems next.
Only option is to have motor replaced.
Don't advise Audi though...arm and leg money.
Any decent auto electrictrician can do it....do a search on here where to purchase motor from.
Hope that helps.

[jonathanfenton]

Thats correct! Mine did it over the serious cold spell we had in December. The Nipple on the back of the motor split and water entered the motor and killed it like you said. My wiper started stopping in the middle of the window. Got home and the door car was dripping with fluid. Baught a new motor from Trade Part Specialist £90 for a new motor.

1. Strip the door card from the boot. Like its already been said take out the two torq screws and then i put one hand on the metal rim of the boot and one hand on the boot handle in the plastic and pull them apart.. Good firm pull... best to do it in the warmth as cold plastic is brittle and will snap things (not good)

2 There is a bolt underneath the wiper arm and washer nipple (they pull off) Undo the bolt and pull off the wiper arm... takes some brute force to remove it from the shanks.

3. There are 3 bolts that hold the motor to the boot and undo them and unplug the wire and water feed pipe.

4. The motor will fall away from the boot and then install new motor and reverse

5. When putting the door card on check the rubber anti vibration things as one came loose when i did it.

6. Another tip for the door car is to bash the door card with the bottom of your fist so all the clips engage and it doesnt move! install the torq screws and put your wiper arm back on and line it up by looking at the dirt on your windscreen so you know where it used to park... can take a little trial and error.


Hope this helps
:beerchug: