Last Saturday I drove down to the store and back, I guess the trip was about 2 miles. When I got home I was just looking some things over on the car, when I noticed an area on each side of the car was wet and it was dripping. I looked closer and it was fluid from the windshield washer tank. It was running out the hose at the both wipers and would not stop, till I pinched each hose. I never used the wipers on this trip and it wasn't doing it before I left for the store. So what could cause this?
windshield washer empties itself
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On a car that's almost 20 years old? Gee, lemmee thunk..
dry rot, temperature cycling, mice, beavers, moose, little green rubber eating gnomes, etc...
If it's the pump, replace it. if it's the hoses, replace them.
Thanks I will check out the pump first. I didn't think that it was running at all. But then again it is a 1 year old Auto Zone product and the hoses are the same age.
"something" has to be pumping water from tank to wiper blades if that is where you saw fluid is coming out....that would be the pump. it would have to be getting voltage to do that so either the pump itself (or connector to it) somehow shorted making it "on" all the time or the switch is messed up and stuck on.
the small "paddle" part activates intermittant/wash function...maybe that part is stuck on...or wiring in column to it is shorted
the small "paddle" part activates intermittant/wash function...maybe that part is stuck on...or wiring in column to it is shorted
Thanks! That makes sence. I will dig a little deeper
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My wagon did this. It was a bad sealing o ring that one of the pumps sat in. Fill up the tank, have a look closely, it will be obvious.
the OP is stating the fluid is coming out of the wipers where the pump hoses are run to, not leaking out of the tank itself where the pump sits.
My $02 is "something" is triggering the pump to constantly be on as the wipers are definately "uphill" from the resovoir
if the pump or seal was lose than the tank would just piss fluid at that point as the tube that feeds the wipers comes out of the pump
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Same mistake here on the diagnosis, but thinking on it more and w/ the unusually cold weather...could be a weak solution froze in the hose itself and began leaking out upon thaw. Only other possible thing it could be other than the motor itself malfunctioning. Being a non-OEM part though, I'd lean more towards a faulty motor.
Before I got a chance to look into this problem, work called me to San Antonio for a week. But you guys are right, the pump is getting a signal from somewhere-somehow, so I will look into it next week. And thanks for all you guys input!
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Check to make sure the reservoir vent isn't plugged. In the middle of the windshield washer cap (where the windshield washer symbol is) is a tiny hole. If that gets plugged, it's possible to pressurize the reservoir. The water will go somewhere, and other than blowing the pump out of the bottom of the reservoir, out the squirters on the wipers is the second choice.
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