Today I was driving down the road and got a bunch of overspray on the windshield. Hit the washer button on the end of the stalk and nothing. No fluid and the pump definitely wasn't working. Got to the house, turned the engine off, and key to on. Tried again and the pump is not making a sound and no fluid. I'm thinking a fuse but after searching the manual, can't find where it's located. Is it piggybacked with another accessory on a fuse and just not labeled? Haven't had time to try to get inside to the pump yet and just trying to check the simple things first. Thanks in advance folks.

 

It's probably on another circuit. I'd guess possibly a low value fuse that's only powered with the key on.

 

Yeah, I've been checking all of them but haven't found anything yet. It gets better though. I called my buddy that's the service writer at my local dealership and was asking him about something unrelated. While I'm talking to him, I mention this and he talks to one of his techs. The tech tells him...are you ready? The washer fluid they use and filled my truck up with a few weeks ago, turns into a "toilet paper" consistency after it's been in the reservoir for a little while! WTF?! If that's the case, I'm gonna just have to keep a squirt bottle in the cab and reach out every now and then and give her a little spritz. The washer fluid I use is supposed to be good to -20 F. How the he*# does washer fluid turn into toilet paper? This dealership has always been great but I'm starting to wonder if they went employee shopping with Larry the Cable Guy.

 

That is odd. I thought all of the commercial washer fluids were methanol and water with a drop or two of soap. Maybe he meant at low temperatures the water freezes or comes close to it, kind of like a frostie. The higher the percentage of methanol, the lower it should take to freeze it since methanol (most alcohols) need extreme cold to freeze. If it is just a low methanol mix, you can probably get away with adding denatured alcohol to sure it up.

 

Well I checked the reservoir and all appears okay - no freezing yet. Right now it's 9F outside and supposed to get to -4 F tonight. Having said that, it may be frozen up in the hoses or in the pump. Would this cause the pump to not work? I mean when I hit the washer control, there's no noise like usual when the pump sprays the fluid. Called my buddy a little while ago - taking it in to the shop first thing in the morning. Got to get it fixed to go to Charlotte Saturday. Thanks ReAX.

 

the washer fluid pump runs off a relay. the relay is under the hood the the fuse box. I can't remember what number it is but if you open the fuse box it is in the row closest to the driver side fender. there are three that look alike and of the three it is the closest to the bumper. I know that may be hard to decipher but i work outside in the freezing cold and just got home so i really don't feel like going back out there to check. BUT i did find it in my manual so double check that if my directions are no good. it is not on the first page with the fuse locations, its a couple pages after.
this is way too easy to fix to take it to the dealer. its either that relay or the pump itself. to get to the pump you will have to take the battery off and the tank off. it was about $35 or so when i changed mine. good luck!

 

Thanks! I'm gonna try to check it tomorrow before taking it to the dealer if it gets warm enough. 3F outside now and dropping. Anyways, I'll try to check it out myself first. Thanks again for the info.

 

so what was the fix? I’ve got same problem (without the cold) and I cannot find my manual.

 

there is a 30A fuse under the hood for the wiper motor (I have to replace it regularly because it blows when using the wipers), I wonder if the washer motor runs off it also. Seems a bit over kill for just the wiper motor.