thegov3

Getting intermittent sprays of the windshield wiper fluid when pulling on the stalk. Works fine for a few days, then all of sudden, and at the most inopportune time, no spray at all. Zilch. No matter how many times I try it. Then suddenly an hour later or the next day it may work for a few hours, then nothing again. I hear the pump working every time. Just no spray sometimes despite the reservoir having fluid (I can top it off and it still won't work sometimes).

It does this with reservoir full, half full or almost empty. No rhyme or reason why it isn't working every time. at first, I thought it might be frozen fluid, but it has done this when the temp is 40 and below 32. The fluid is rated to -25 below.

I am baffled. Is the pump failing? If so, why does it work for days on end, then just quit and restart?

Lextrician

I would first trouble shoot with a loose connection or a clogged or dirty nozzle.

thegov3

Thanks. I will look for the connection. Where is the pump?

When it works, all locations get fluid (including both headlights at night). When it doesn't, nothing, to the headlamps or the windshield.

Fhobbs

Faulty impeller in the pump?

hjones4841

I am thinking that something is in the bottom of the reservoir that is intermittently blocking the drain point. As you drive it around, whatever is in the bottom sloshes around and unblocks the drain for a while. Maybe taking the reservoir off and washing it down with a garden hose will fix it. Otherwise, maybe the main drain hose is kinked or has crud in it.

Devh

I have seen this kind of problem before and it is mostly due to cheap off the shelf windshield washer fluid. The good stuff is free of sediment and the fluid was mixed with demineralized water when it was formulated.
I now use concentrated washer fluid that I mix with distilled water.