Washer Fluid cold issue bug

purevilpleasure

purevilpleasure

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I have an on going issue that seemed odd. In the morning in Iowa this last week it's been in the 20's. After the windshield is defrosted I hit the fluid button and every thing seems to want to work......but no fluid. It's not frozen, not low.....any ideas?
 
Can you hear the pump running when you do this?

If it's not running, I would bet on a poor connection at the wiper motor connector if you have a gen II.
 
Are you sure you have winter washer fluid? If you used any amount of summer stuff it freezes and clogs the line. Also check to see if the pump runs, if it does you have some sort of clog or hose fallen off. I assume there is no washer fluid under the car?
 
No washer under the car as I can see......I put more winter in.....living in Iowa I keep it in stock at my place. Now I swear I can hear the pump run. Everything leads me to think it's freezing as when I go out after work it works just fine.

It's a Gen1 01 LS.

I was looking through the Owners Manual to see if it's some weird safety thing that if it can freeze on the windshield it won't allow it to come out.

I'm going to top it off again tonight with more winter and run it over and over again to make sure any of the older stuff....which I don't know if it is actually winter is left over.

I'm wondering if the tips are freezing up? Never had this issue with any car I've owned.
 
purevilpleasure said:
...I was looking through the Owners Manual to see if it's some weird safety thing that if it can freeze on the windshield it won't allow it to come out...
Click to expand...

No such feature. If the pump is running, then there's solution frozen somewhere in the line or the nozzles.
 
That's what I kinda wanted to hear.....I'll purge everything out of it and get some good stuff in it.....I'm guessing the folks before me liked the 98 cent bottle more then the 1.65 one.
 
For years the Blue stuff worked fine until it got down to around 10F. About 8 years ago the blue stuff started freezing in the lines at temperatures in the mid 20s (fairly useless since this is when you need it most). Since then I stuck with Rain-X De-Icer fluid.
 
Hello I just got that same problem, although I'm from South Texas and it's no frozen line. I have a 2004 3.9 and a couple days ago I noticed washer fluid wouldn't come out when I pushed the button. I checked the reservoir and it was low but I did't get a low fluid warning. I topped it off and tried again but nothing. The wipers work great but no fluid comes out. I don't think I have a leak for the floor is dry. I'm not too sure what to check. Any help?
 
jlchavezz1 said:
Hello I just got that same problem, although I'm from South Texas and it's no frozen line. I have a 2004 3.9 and a couple days ago I noticed washer fluid wouldn't come out when I pushed the button. I checked the reservoir and it was low but I did't get a low fluid warning. I topped it off and tried again but nothing. The wipers work great but no fluid comes out. I don't think I have a leak for the floor is dry. I'm not too sure what to check. Any help?
Click to expand...

First, open the hood and listen at the washer fluid reservoir while someone presses the wash button. The pump is easy to hear. If you don't hear it, it's not running.

If the pump's not running, either the motor is bad or it's not getting power. If you have a meter, you can check for power at the motor while someone pushes the button. If you have power, then you need to replace the motor. It's pretty cheap and easy to get almost anywhere.

If you don't have power, then power to the pump is supplied by the windshield wiper motor assembly (yes, really). It's either defective or the wiring between it and the pump is bad. In my case wiggling the wires at the wiper motor seemed to fix it.
 
joegr said:
No such feature. If the pump is running, then there's solution frozen somewhere in the line or the nozzles.
Click to expand...

on the GEN I nozzles, are they not heated ?

everytime I have light snow by the time I have the engine running for a few minutes and make my way around with the snow brush, it's directly melted around the nozzles.

I thought they were heated.

... and when I say melted snow around it I don't mean from using the sprayer.
 
Gen II nozzles are not heated. AFAIK, gen I is not either, but I could be wrong.

The nozzles on my 325i are heated, but it never gets cold enough here for them to turn on (there is a thermostat controlling them).
 
Appreciate your response. I just tried it and I do hear the pump when somebody else presses on the button. I wiggled the wires and nothing
 
BigRigLS said:
on the GEN I nozzles, are they not heated ?

Every time I have light snow by the time I have the engine running for a few minutes and make my way around with the snow brush, it's directly melted around the nozzles.

I thought they were heated.

... and when I say melted snow around it I don't mean from using the sprayer.
Click to expand...

Nope, not heated. Lack of insulation around the nozzle?
 
jlchavezz1 said:
Appreciate your response. I just tried it and I do hear the pump when somebody else presses on the button. I wiggled the wires and nothing
Click to expand...

Run the pump for a little while. See if you have a puddle under the car. Near the windshield on the passenger side is a plastic L that joins the washer hose from the pump to the nozzle hose on the hood. It's known to rot and break off. If it's not that, disconnect the hose there and run the pump. If you get water out, then the nozzles or the plumbing to them is clogged. Still nothing? Disconnect the hose at the pump and try the pump again. If it works, you now know which hose is clogged. It if only trickles out instead, you know that the pump is bad even though the motor runs.
 
joegr said:
Gen II nozzles are not heated. AFAIK, gen I is not either, but I could be wrong...
Click to expand...

LS4me said:
Nope, not heated. Lack of insulation around the nozzle?
Click to expand...

perhaps, some engine heat getting around nozzles before entire hood heats up.
giving the illusion that they are heated.

Fn thing punked me again !
 
Can you check for a clog in the line? If you unhook from the squirter can you blow back to the reservoir. I've had to run compressed air from the squirter backwards to get junk out before.

Mine was some really crappy fluid that was freezing in the line.
 
purevilpleasure said:
.... I've had to run compressed air from the squirter backwards to get junk out before.
Click to expand...


I had a 'squirter' once, she was blushing, I was stuck on the bottom yelling: Well That's Fantastic (WTF) !?!?

~ never again I tell ya. Fn mess.
 
LOL, no sorry, I never looked back on that one plus it's over 15 years ago I'm sure.
 
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