[backeastirish]

I'm a first time owner and picked up an 89 300E the other day. I'd used the windshield washer several times with no problems until the washer fluid ran out yesterday. I filled the reservoir and now it won't spit out any fluid onto the windshield. I've tried it several dozen times thinking maybe it had to prime its way through the pump and tubing, but it's still a no go. I checked the headlight washers and they aren't getting wet either. I can hear the washer fluid pump going when I activate it, so I assume it isn't that. Any advice?

 

[sbaert]

Make sure the nozzles, pump pickup and related tubing aren't clogged.

If your windshield washer bottle looks anything other than pure white, that would be my first guess.

 

[neanderthal]

What he said.
If the bottle is near empty then the crud is what gets sucked into the motor when you activate the window washer.

R&R the bottle.
Use compressed air to clear the hoses.
Clean out the bottle.
Bench test the motor.

 

[NobleTruths]

It is easy enough to unplug the washer hoses from the two pumps. Then run them to see if water comes squirting out of both.

 

[LeftCoastGeek]

I bought some $#@$#$ brand of washer fluid a year or two back which on initial use seemed great, but it clogged up all my cars bottles within a month or so. had to take 3 of them out of their cars, wash out with hot water, unclog the pumps, and flush the lines. switched back to my traditional rather dilute 10-20 brand washer stuff, and have had no problems since.

 

[rollin560]

use only cleaner with alcohal in it (like windex) it will kill the algee that grows in the water bottle all summer. flush resivior and disconnect hoses and blow them out with air. there are one way check valves by nozzles unplug them and blow out nozzles backwards (air from outside of hood) then hook all back up and try

one more thing the headlight wipers will only squirt if the lights are on and you squirt the windshield:smile

 

[backeastirish]

Thanks everyone for the assistance. I drained the washer reservoir today and discovered that it was full of algae in the bottom 2 inches of fluid. I'll have to take it apart next week and flush everything out.