Rear Screen Wash Doesn't Come Out Of The Jet

[rowanmoor]

My rear windscreen wash doesn't work properly. It doesn't come out of the jet. Just a blocked jet I thought, but when I looked at it the jet is not blocked, but the plastic cover over the arm that contains the jet does not seal onto the end of the pipe. All the water sprays out under the cover and onto the bodywork instead of through the jet and onto the screen.

Has anyone had this before?

How is it meant to seal on? Should it have a rubber seal of some kind or is it just tight fitting plastic to metal?

I tried o-rings, but they all stop the cover clipping on so don't help matters. Am I going to need to replace the arm? If so does anyone have a spare?

[Ciaran]

There seem to be general issues with that pipe disconnecting at various stages along it's travel. My S1 has a similar problem, the water empties out inside, and runs down the internal 2nd rear window! I'm guessing its split or disconnected at that point at the back of the headlining, where it leaves the roof compartment and enters the tailgate. Several people have had similar issues from memory.

I know its not the same area as your problem, but I'm thinking the whole run of pipe seems generally susceptible at any joins. Could you hold it on with small cable ties?

Ciarán

This post has been edited by Ciaran on October 20, 2007 08:39 pm

[techmanagain]

When I've had prblems with the rear wash it all turned out to be my fault for not giving the plastic cover over the jet a right good thump into position. If it still leaks, the only answer will be to replace the arm complete IIRC.

[rowanmoor]

The pipework is all intact up to the arm - with the cover off I get a good jet out the back. I will try giving it a harder thump just in case I am being too light handed with it.

[rowanmoor]

I gave it a good thump last night. Now it comes out of both the jet and where it did before. The jet doesn't have enough pressure to get to the screen though as most of it is going under the cover. I will try a firmer thump before I give up. Perhaps with a light mallet.

[rowanmoor]

Well... I tried with a mallet - hit it as hard as I dared, and it has made no difference. I think the plastic must be cracked. So it is new arm time. I will put a post on the wanted section if anyone reading this has a spare estate rear wiper arm going.

[beachcomber]

Hi there,

I've had the same problem with all of my XM's [ and my Daughter's and 2 friends ] - so I guess it must be a pretty endemic failure - ie bad design.

After going through the cleaning out with welding pricker, tapping with all manner of tapping tools up to rubber mallet, I took the following steps.

a. Acknowledge that the system is crap, and look for a long term solution.
b. My solution - fit a length of suitable diameter rubber pipe [ like carb vacuum hose ] directly to the nozzle. drill a small hole to suit the pipe in the side / top [ your choice ] of the hinged plastic cover to allow the pipe to exit the cover.

Drill a series of 1/8 'ish holes along one side of the pipe and then secure the pipe to the underside of the wiper arm with the holes directed at the window. Block the end of the pipe with a suitable object. I used a stainless steel self tapper.
The Mk 1 version lasted over 100K miles of daily usage and was a far superior cleaning system than the original feeble effort.
Just fitted a Mk2 version to my latest VSX Estate, again works perfectly.

Hope that helps.

beachcomber