Visibility Disaster! (Windshield Washer Pump Replacement)
June 20, 2021
Let's say you live in a cold climate where the snowy, icy weather challenges you to clear the salt and debris tossed up on your windshield. You push your windshield washer switch expecting a good stream of fluid so the blades can wipe the glass clean. Yet nothing comes out. Nada, zip. What's going on? You know you filled up the windshield washer reservoir within the last week or so.
Well, there could be a few things causing your windshield washing system to fail. One culprit? The hoses that are supposed to carry that fluid from the washer pump to the spray nozzles may be frozen, or maybe they're cracked and leaking. It could be the nozzles themselves are stopped up, either iced up or jammed full of debris. Your windshield wiper/washer switch could be worn out or the electrical system may not be conducting power to the washer pump.
It's important that this system work properly, especially on days when the sun may be in front of you and your windshield is covered with a cloudy, icy mess. Seeing what's going on in front of you may be like trying to peer through frosted glass, and that's not a safe situation for you or the drivers around you. You need to have this checked out by a technician as soon as you can.
Let's say the technician discovers it's not any of those components. Turns out it's the electric windshield washer pump itself that's failed. After replacing it, everything is working fine, and you can see again. As so often is the case with today's complex vehicles, figuring out the root cause of a problem can be tricky. Rely on your vehicle service facility since they have the know how and diagnostic equipment to make sure your view of the road will always be crystal clear.
Auto Lab Livonia
36251 Five Miles Rd
Livonia, MI 48154
734-432-6000
http://www.autolablivonia.com
Need Service?
More articles from Auto Lab Livonia

Timing Cover Replacement
June 14, 2026
Your engine has a lot of parts that need to work in harmony in order to keep you powering down the road. Some of those parts need to be protected in order to keep things running smoothly, and one that does the job is called a timing cover. It is in the front of your engine and shields components... More

Out of Joint (CV Joint and Boot Replacement)
June 7, 2026
If you have a front-wheel-drive vehicle, it has components called CV joints which enable you to turn your wheels smoothly. The CV stands for constant velocity. In essence, its a set of gears that connect a shaft that allows power from the transmission to be sent to the wheels. When you turn the ... More

Go with the Flow (MAF Sensor Replacement)
May 31, 2026
If your vehicle has an internal combustion engine, it depends on two things to make propulsion power for you to be able to motor on down the road: fuel and air. The engine mixes the two in just the right proportion so that they can be ignited, creating a series of tiny explosions that are coordi... More
