Windscreen washer pipework leaking?

[Quatrelle]

A couple of days ago the windscreen washer jets suddenly decided that they'd only spray the very bottom of the screen. My first thought was that they'd become partially blocked due to lack of use and not using VW's dedicated fluid (very naughty!).

However, while poking about, and running the washers, it soon became apparent that although not much was getting to the screen, I kept emptying the filled reservoir in very short order.

I'm now left with trying to find the route of the pipework from the reservoir to the bonnet. Because the wipers and washers won't work with the bonnet up it's impossible to see what's going on with the pump running (don't even know where it is!).

So two questions: first, can anyone advise me on where the pipework and pump are (Haynes doesn't help), and second, is there a way of fooling the system so that I can at least run the washers with the bonnet up - I'd prefer to disable the wipers as well, since I don't like running them on a dry screen and have to keep wetting it, which doesn't help when looking for any leak.

Any advice gratefully received.

[DMitch16]

A couple of days ago the windscreen washer jets suddenly decided that they'd only spray the very bottom of the screen. My first thought was that they'd become partially blocked due to lack of use and not using VW's dedicated fluid (very naughty!).

However, while poking about, and running the washers, it soon became apparent that although not much was getting to the screen, I kept emptying the filled reservoir in very short order.

I'm now left with trying to find the route of the pipework from the reservoir to the bonnet. Because the wipers and washers won't work with the bonnet up it's impossible to see what's going on with the pump running (don't even know where it is!).

So two questions: first, can anyone advise me on where the pipework and pump are (Haynes doesn't help), and second, is there a way of fooling the system so that I can at least run the washers with the bonnet up - I'd prefer to disable the wipers as well, since I don't like running them on a dry screen and have to keep wetting it, which doesn't help when looking for any leak.

Any advice gratefully received.

You are in luck my good man - just replaced mine with 2m of rubber tubing. The original corregated hose runs under the scuttle cover and into a loosely wrapped electrical loom - yes, what better place to put a stiff plastic water hose but inside an electrical loom, really VW you are taking the Michael!!? The loom passes through the bulkhead slot which has a plastic locking plate (you'll need to remove driver wiper and driver scuttle plastic to see this). From there the whole loom drops down under a plastic junction box joining the loom rising from the inner wing area routing itself around the shock mount pillar outwards towards the wing. The now slightly thicker wrapped loom then disappears replaced with larger diameter plastic corregated outer tubing - look inside the join and you'll see wires and the washer tube! This larger corregated loom routes around the coolant reservoir dropping down alongside the washer reservoir and then along the front frame rail disappearing into the frame space under the headlight. It then follows the frame back out towards the wing then down finishing as a loop up to the reservoir motor connector under the bumper cover. Bumper has to come off to replace tube (I undid mine and pulled it away slightly onto some support to reveal the motor area as it saves disconnecting the awkward front bumper loom supplying the spots etc.).

You can fool the mechanism by locking the bonnet latch - a medium flat screwdriver can be used to release the lock. I have cut some of the original pipework out but will recover the rest from the looms, retaping them separately, at a later stage.

I have some pictures if you want to PM your email and a raw short video of the route.

[Quatrelle]

Hi Mitch, thanks for your time, it's appreciated. I'll PM you my email.

[Crasher]

That convoluted plastic pipe is rubbish, on Mrs Crashers 9N Polo I (well we as I delegated) had to replace the entire length of the front to rear as it was cracking when you tied to repair it yet my Octavia has been fine with the old smooth plastic stuff.... progress! I hope the cooling systems of Lithium Ion batteries are designed to NEVER leak!