Windscreen washers

[DevilDamo]

Hi,

I have no water coming out of my windscreen washers

The water bottle is full, well just under. Even though there isn't a fuse for the windscreen washers, I checked the one for the headlight washers and that's ok. The windscreen wipers come on when I pull the stalk to but no water comes out.

Any ideas what the problem might be? Maybe a blockage? If so, how do you go about sorting it?

 

[Aluco]

unplug the tube that goes into the washer bottle, put it to your mouth and blow really hard.

 

[DevilDamo]

As to see if there's a blockage?

Does the plastic cover have to come right off in order to find where the tube connects to the bottle?

 

[Aluco]

Well i was actually joking

But apart from swallowing copious ammounts of halfords screen wash i guess it might actually work, if you have a really strong puff you might even clear the blockage!

I would in all seriousness give it a go you never know

as for the plastic cover im not 100% what your on about mate :dapprove: if you can see a tube going into it but not where it connects and theres a plastic cover over it then it would seem logical its under it but dont hold me responsible if you snap the cover or something :approve:

 

[DevilDamo]

I wouldn't have said you were joking. I've had to do something similar on a pipe blockage in the kitchen once upon a time. No stick could sort it so a hard "blow" (no comments please!!!) did the trick.

I'm talking about the plastic cover that fits under the windscreen wipers and around the water bottle. It's the grill between the top of the bonnet and the bottom of the windscreen. There's only so much of it you can pull off without having to remove it... and the wipers, etc...

 

[Aluco]

Oh the scuttle panel ?

Havent got a clue how to remove that sorry never needed to... i thought there was a pipe sticking out the side of the washer bottle tbh... maybe its different on the RS's ? to the 1.4 16v's ?

if you suspect the blockage to be higher up in the system can you disconnect the tube somewhere where its pinned to the underside of the bonnet ? (Where it connects to the washer jets.
You might be able to "blow" the blockage (if there is one) back into the washer bottle and fish it out

 

[DevilDamo]

I have no water coming out of the rear washer jet either

 

[How15]

it's probably the pump then. you should hear it whine when use the washers, if not, dead. The scuttle comes off easy, just look at the side, there's a little plastic screw like clip wher it meets the car. i found you could bend the scuttle trim up to show the bottle and youll see the small pump on the side. it's easier than tryin to remove the wipers!! when you remove it bear in mind water will pour out the hole in the bottle the pump should fill. new pump, £14 at halfords, cheaper than ebay! mine went a few weeks back.
it's worth adding, i actually bashed mine on the car, then reconnected it, and it's worked fine since LOL!

 

[DevilDamo]

So as the front and rear washer jets are not working, there's water in the bottle... it's more likely to be the pump than an actual blockage?

 

[ditz]

its obvious wether its a blockage or pump.. is the pump running.. when you operate the washers do you hear the motor running or just silence..
if nothing its more than linkely pump if it runs its more than like a blockage

 

[DevilDamo]

There's no noise at all. I bought a washer pump from my local parts place yesterday for £13. When I tried Halfords, the bloke said that they do the universal ones, which wont be any good so I'd have to get it from Renault. Hmmm.

 

[Fletcher]

Sounds like the pumps gone to me. I had mine replaced at around the 70,000 mark.

 

[DevilDamo]

Well I pulled the scuttle panel as much as I could earlier and it wasn't enough to disconnect the cable and then remove the pump. I tried taking the passenger side windscreen wiper off but the nut is solid. So will give it another go tomorrow. Unless there's an easier way of replacing the motor WITHOUT having to remove the windscreen wiper?

 

[DevilDamo]

Anybody?

 

[mark_clio2]

i just managed to get my hand in to disconnect pump and it pulled out quite easilly, try looseing the d/side scuttle trim and unclip from where it overlaps passenger side and with a bit wiggling and bending over carfefully you should achieve what you want

 

[fil_b]

mine works and stops at time

going to look at a new pump see what diff it makes

is annoying

just dont know how to get to the pump

 

[DevilDamo]

Update...

After a mate of mine pulled the old motor out at a meet on Sunday, I had a go at fitting the new one this evening thinking the old motor was faulty. Anyway, I took the motor out of the box and have realised I have the wrong one so that will have to be taken back.

To try and find the problem by a process of elimination, I thought I'd carry out a few tests. Firstly, I ran a voltmeter across the washer motor plug and no current was being picked up (just like it wasn't at the London meet). I put the voltmeter on both washer motors and a current was being indicated. So I then ran a couple of wires from the battery to each motor to see if the actual motor was faulty. Both were working fine but the old one seemed a little slow and is maybe knackered. So... that means there seems to be a fault from where the wire leaves the bulkhead (inside the car) and where it connects to the plug. Oh... and the fuses were checked, replaced, etc... to see if that made any difference but it didn't.

Oh and as for taking the old motor out... I had to remove the plastic screw/clip on the passenger side which pinned down the scuttle panel. I then pulled the panel up enough to get a screwdriver between the washer motor and the bottle. I pushed the screwdriver back and fourth a bit thus trying to prize the motor away from the bottle and it eventually gave way.

 

[Alastair.]

lol

 

[bearne1]

Have managed to dislodge the pump from the bottle but cannot squeeze it up and out. Is there a way of doing this?

 

[edde]

Have managed to dislodge the pump from the bottle but cannot squeeze it up and out. Is there a way of doing this?

You mean the pump is stuck in the bottle? or the pump is held in place with the wippers etc?

 

[iimushroomzii]

Are you sure its not just frozen mate? lol

 

[bearne1]

Definately not frozen!

Removed the old motor (it ended up splitting in two which made it easy to pull up) and now having problems fitting the new washer / pump. The design of this is dreaful, its driving me mad. Are there any ways to make this a tad easier!?

 

[bearne1]

Finally got the pump in place and pushed it back into the bottle but it now leaks, any ideas if I can get a new rubber seal which will hopefully cure it?!

 

[bing_17]

Sounds a right arse mate, mr back spray dont work, I think its a pipe blown off or something because when i try to use it you can hear the water running somewhere and get a strong smell of it in the car. Will have to remove scuttle panel and take a look.

 

[Clarkie172]

sorry to bring this back up fellas! My washers have stopped working. they worked about two times when i pulled the stalk then silence. It is silent when I pull the stalk now. If it was frozen would it still make a noise or not at all? It worked twice then stopped though so prob not frozen. My other question is, is there just the one, dual pump fitted? I seen some on ebay for around £15 Black with 2 outlets, one white. Is that the right part? 2002 1.2 clio. Its my sisters car and only borrowed it! argggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhh

 

[caz]

Kinda along the same lines but wondered if anyone had any ideas - when I spray my front window, works fine. When I try to spray my back window, it sprays the front but the back wiper goes! And yes, I am turning the right knob!
Any ideas what that would be?

 

[bearne1]

Hi Caz, I would imagine your pump is gone as it has a two way valve - mine recently replaced as it kept sticking and doing randoms things. Tip - make sure you remove the whole washer bottle rather than trying to take the pump out with the bottle in place.

Cheers!

 

[caz]

thanks for the advice! much appreciated! will get someone to have a look at that as i know where my screen wash is and thats about it lol

 

[pilton1.2]

Are you sure its not just frozen mate? lol

I'm having a problem with frozen jets, is there replacement heated jets you can buy or another solution? the jets are definately the problem.

P.S my first post be kind

 

[wingrat]

Having the problem on my Mothers 2000 1.4. The rear work fine but the front does not pump out effectively.
Able to get under scuttle plate and draw out pump to test the 2 outlets. Black one (front) is struggling to provide a constant pressure. White one (rear) pumps out fine.
Will get another pumf tomorrow from GSF.

ps* Will have to get a 2 arm puller if want to take arms off to remove scuttle plate completely to get fully at water bottle as arms are semingly on a spline tight. Prising up with a screw driver seems poor as the body is ver tinny and un solid. TG