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Troubleshooting windshield washers - a how-to Posted by Ari [Email]  (#2847) [Profile/Gallery]
(more from Ari) on Wed, 1 Jan 2003 15:02:49
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Or a partial how-to, anyway.
You pull the squirter lever, and the wipers go, but no fluid sprays out. OK, what now?
Easy stuff- make sure you've got fluid. Next, with the car stopped, turn the key to ON, and pull the squirter. Do you hear the washer motor running?
If the motor is running, check hoses for leaks, and make sure the one-way valves aren't in backwards or clogged up. I won't go much farther on this one (That's why it's a partial how-to.)
OK, you DON'T hear the motor running - now what? If the wipers work, the fuse is OK. There are two basic reasons why things aren't working now- the motor or the switch in the steering column.
Access the switch. This may vary by year, but it works for most of the early cars. Pull the column all the way out. Surrounding the column, behind the steering wheel, is a plastic 'clamshell'. Underneath the clamshell there are four torx screws - remove them. Drop the column locking lever all the way down and towards the back of the car. Turn the steering wheel 90 degrees to the right. There is a plastic tab holding the clamshell together, hidden by the wheel unless it's turned. Remove the top and bottom of the clamshell.
The squirter/wiper switch is on the right. Slide the connector off the back. Look inside the connector (wiring harness side) - you'll see six contacts. Turn the key to ON, and with a jumper wire, jumper the third contact from the left (BROWN wire) to the far right contact (YELLOW wire). Does the washer motor run? If YES, the problem lies in the switch. If NO, then it's the wiring or the motor.
When checking the motor, remember that there are TWO sets of connections into the washer fluid reservoir - one is the motor, the other is the reservoir level sensor. The motor is stuck vertically in the side of the reservoir; the level sensor goes in horizontally. If you suspect the motor, first check the wires to it - make sure you get 12-13 volts on the connections when you pull the switch. Apply 12 volts and ground to the motor - 12 volts to the yellow, ground to black. If the motor runs, it's a wiring issue. If not, the motor is toast.
To check out the switch - take an Ohmmeter and measure from the third from the left contact (marked "15") to the far right contact (marked "P") WHILE Pulling The Squirter. Ideally, you should get less than 1 ohm. If you see 2 or 5 ohms, the switch needs cleaning. If you get no continuity (megaohms), the contacts just aren't making it.
Open the switch. There are two sets of plastic tabs to release. The flat cover just under the lever arm slides away from the body. The squirter contact is up against one wall, away from the others. Clean the contacts with some fine sandpaper or a very fine file. If it wasn't making contact, GENTLY bend the contact. Just a little! Reassemble the switch, and (1) make sure there is NO continuity from "15" to "P" with the switch released, and (2) less than 1 ohm when the switch is pulled. When the switch is apart, it's very hard to judge how much to bend the contact, so often you'll overdo it, and the washer contact will be ON all the time. Check with your ohmmeter with the switch assembled before putting it back in the car.
OK, so why does this happen? The full current for the washer motor runs through the switch - there is no relay. Every time you use the washer, a small arc forms at the switch contacts, building up carbon and pitting. This eventually increases the resistance of the contact. I typically see 4-6 ohms with a 'bad' switch. Gee, 4 ohms doesn't sound bad, why doesn't the motor work? The washer motor pulls 2.5 to 3 amps running, a bit more to get started. 2.5 amps through 4 ohms is a drop of 10 volts. That leaves only 2-3 volts to run the motor, not enough to get it started. More than 4 ohms, and the motor has no chance.
This also explains why when you disconnect the connector from the motor and measure it, you get full 12-13 volts, yet the switch is bad. That's because your meter only pulls microamps; the voltage drop from the switch contacts is negligable. But the big current load of the washer motor is too much for it.
I hope this helps.
posted by 12.79.33...
, Wed, 1 Jan 2003 15:02:49 <-- Viewing This Message, Thu, 2 Jan 2003 11:44:14
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