Windscreen washer pump for your car

Rain, bugs, soot and thrown-up dirt can soil your car windscreen up to a point that you can hardly see through it. Fortunately every car is equipped with a washer system, spraying a cleaning fluid on the windscreen which is subsequently spread all over the windscreen by the wipers. A non-functional wiper installation is nuisance. Although it might not seem very urgent, in extreme cases this could lead to the driver's view of the road being impaired, potentially causing a safety risk.

Where is the washer pump situated?

• Generally it can be found in the engine compartment in the immediate vicinity of the windscreen (windshield) washer tank, possibly hidden, e.g. under a cover in the wheel arch or under the wiper mechanism.

How does it function?

• The washer pump has a suction end hanging in the washer tank sucking in the fluid and conducting it via a hose to the spray nozzles, located right under the windscreen. If the car has a headlight cleaning system, this either has its own separate pump, or the washer pump additionally provides the headlights with cleaning fluid.

What happens in case of a defect?

• Initially the pumping performance starts to deteriorate, which is apparent as less cleaning fluid is generated with each pumping action. Gradually it could get worse, up to a point where no washer fluid reaches the windscreen at all. So wiping is no longer possible.
• If it is an electric defect, unexpected behaviour of the installation due to leakage current cannot be excluded. Different symptoms could occur.

Possible causes

• In many cases, age or material fatigue affect the washer pump. Sometimes, accumulating dirt clogs the pump, adversely affecting its function.
• In case of mechanical stress, cables and hoses can rupture.
• When spray nozzles are clogged, the pump attempts to compensate, causing extra strain which adversely affects the pump's life span.

To the garage or DIY replacement?

• If the washer pump is difficult to access and you cannot reach it without using special tools, a visit to the garage is necessary, although only a few cars have this problem. Nevertheless it might be hidden under a cover or housing.
• The actual installation is child's play even for laymen. Therefore you can easily replace this component yourself.

Tips for assembly:

1. If you have trouble locating the washer pump, follow the hose from the spray nozzles. Somewhere along the line, the pump is found. 2. Prior to replacement, empty the washer tank and collect the water in a bowl. 3. Along with the pump, the gasket must be replaced as well. Generally it is supplied together with the pump but can also be purchased as a separate component in many shops. 4. To prevent new defects, hoses and cables must be installed without kink.

The right cleaning fluid for the right season

By using tap water with household detergent (dish soap)not only you risk affecting the paint and plastic parts, also the cleaning result will not be satisfactory. Much better are the special cleaning fluids. They are available as a ready mix or as concentrate for DIY mixing. There are two versions adapted to different seasons:

• The summer windshield washer fluid is especially suitable for removing bugs and dust. It requires higher temperatures to deploy its full functionality. These temperatures particularly occur in spring and summer.
• The winter windshield washer fluid is a combination of a special solution and anti-freeze, guaranteeing that nothing freezes even at low temperature. A favourable additional effect: a slightly frozen car window can be made ice-free with the windscreen wiper water.

The fluids should not be mixed. If there is just a tiny bit left in the tank, filling with the other fluid is no problem.

What is the cost?

The price margin for washer pumps lies between 15 EUR and 50 EUR (c. £13 - £45), whereby a higher quality implies a higher amount of metal rather than plastic, which extends the life span of the washer pump, lying somewhere between two and ten years. The actual life span depends for a great deal on manufacturers, considerably influencing it through production processes and specific use of materials. If you do not want to end up repeatedly having to replace your windshield washer pump, search for high-grade products. You can prevent excessively high costs by taking a look in our shop. You will see that we can offer premium products very cheaply thanks to existing floor prices and daily offers.