For a lot of reasons but partly to Covid and little use, the wiper fluid reservoir ran dry and sat that way for several months. So I bought some fluid, poured it in, but almost nothing will squirt. I thought that maybe it takes a while to get the fluid through all the lines, but I’ve tried quite a bit with barely a sprinkle coming out of one head. I can hear that the pump is working, and the fluid level does go down a little, but it is not working like it should. Does it really take a very long time for the fluid to get through the lines. I’m cautious to keep trying since I’m concerned that with so little fluid coming through that the pump might burn out.
Take a needle/pin and poke it in the holes of the spray nozzles.
Tester
1 Like
I had that happen once. Turned out the nozzle/spray head was broken under the hood, where the hose connected. Nothing came out of the nozzle, but the washer fluid was spraying all over my engine.
I replaced the spray nozzle, and it’s worked fine ever since.
If above does not work, the hose under the cowl could have a hole or crack in it.
2 Likes
Sometimes there’s a hose connector that comes apart. Sometimes routed through the fender. Have someone activate the washer and look for leakage anywhere between the reservoir and nozzles.
1 Like
Well I have had both. Disconnect the hoses and blow through them to make sure they aren’t clogged but I have had to replace the pump after running out once. Just because the motor runs, doesn’t mean it is able to pump.
1 Like
I do believe this is one of the cheapest and easy fixes that has been asked for a long time. Also all good advice given above.
3 Likes
When that symptom occurs to one of my cars it is usually just the nozzles are clogged. I use a piece of really thin insulated wire, like 30 AWG to clear the clog. If the insulation makes it too large to fit I’ll remove the insulation, but prefer to leave it on if possible as the plastic insulation helps protect the nozzle from deformation.
If cleaning the nozzles doesn’t do the trick, could be another problem, post back for more info.
If cleaning the nozzles doesn’t work, and the hoses and fittings aren’t leaking, try disconnecting the hose coming out of the pump and see if the pump works when activated. Could be a bad pump.
I do have the bad memory of the dealer saying my pump was shot, when all it needed was wiper fluid. 
2 Likes
Got into failed motor for the fluid pump, found a dish detergent squirt bottle worked quite well for squirting washer fluid, though your hand may get a little cold in winter weather!
The WW pump motor on my Corolla stops working if I don’t use it frequently enough. It’s a bit of a challenge to get it working again, requires a specially made (by me) tool. So far I’ve alway been able to rejuvenate it though.
Get a pump spray bottle, fill it with warm soapy water, spray a stream into the head for a few minutes. You should loosen a tiny bit with each spray. Or get a piece of vinyl tubing that’ll fit snugly over the head, fill it half-way with warm water, blow and suck alternately. I’ve never done either: I’m just guessing.
@Tester has given the answer most likely to work. The old fluid evaporated in the lines and nozzles, leaving a solid residue. The nozzles are the choke point and therefore most likely to clog.
1 Like
Guitar strings come in a variety of gauges - 0.010" and thicker are common. A few inches of excess get cut off when a guitar is restrung. They are handy for this kind of thing.
1 Like
Just saying I ran out of fluid on the way to work one morning. Put fluid in but the pump would run but not pump fluid. I know the new pump was less than $20 and not that big a deal to put in. Don’t know if a wire would have fixed it or not but it wasn’t the first pump I replaced.
If your tap water is hard, it is common to get mineral buildup in the nozzles. A thin wire or needle should clear it. To prevent future clogs of that type, use distilled water in the washer. This will also reduce the hard water spots on your windshield and paint.
I have also had the failures mentioned by others here - cracked and disconnected hoses, failed pump. Also, there is usually a check valve in the line to keep the lines from draining back to the reservoir. On older cars, those check valves can fail.
Also mentioned above - I had the nozzles just fall to pieces on my MKZ, never had that happen before.
Most people don’t use tap water for washer fluid.
Tester
3 Likes
most people SHOULDN’T use tap water for washer fluid, but I bet a fair amount do.
1 Like
I don’t know of a single person that would be stupid enough to do that.
Some washer fluids are designed to be diluted with water, whereas others are intended to be used full strength and others are sold in powder form to be mixed by the consumer. When water is added, distilled water is recommend for mixing with washer fluid as tap water often contains minerals that can clog washer jets and leave deposits on glass.
Tester
1 Like