Washer Jet Problem Found!!! Read if your jets lack power!

[aft981]

Well, driving home last night, with all the snow and spray on the roads, I REALLY needed to use my windscreen washers. And they didn't work, at all. Nothing came out. The same this morning when I was driving into work, so I swung by the Infiniti dealer on the way in. My car had been in the garage overnight, and I had been driving for 40 minutes, I was pretty sure they weren't frozen.

A mechanic came out to look at my car, lifted the hood, he looked in the washer fluid tank, then tried the washers, and lo and behold, they worked. More fluid came out than I'd ever ever seen. Great, I thought, he thinks I'm an idiot. So he said maybe its started to defrost now, he went away and came back with some super strength washer fluid, put it in the reservoir, closed the hood, and said it should be ok. I thanked him, he walked away, I got in, and washed the window. Apart from nothing came out. At all. Again.

I tried for a good 30 seconds and not even a dribble came out. I went back to get him, he came out, tried, and decided yes, that's weird. Lifted hood, they worked. Closed hood, they didn't work.

It would appear to be a poor design - where the tube carrying the washer fluid goes at the back left of the engine bay, and connects to the hood, it seems to get trapped when you close the hood. Not every time, but if you look at it, it's bound to happen 50% of the time. I think they really need to do something to make sure it doesn't get trapped. It looks like mine was trapped for so long, it seems to have a permanent indent in it, which would explain why the pressure has seemed so low. I was in a hurry though and couldn't wait for them to do anything else.

Next time I take it in for a service, I shall ask them to do something about it.

[EX35_bernard]

Maybe some tie wraps might help and secure the hoses to a safe spot where they don't kink. I'll look and check mine tomorrow. Although last time I used them they seemed fine.

[SteveTheTech]

I saw the same thing this morning at work on an 07 G sedan. Behind the little plastic cover on the passenger side hood hinge the little rubber tube was slightly pinched. I wonder if this has to do with the extreme cold freezing the fluid in the line causing it to deform (either the plastic or the hose). The jets in the EX and G are very picky when the fluid flow is compromised due to restriction in the hose or a clogged nozzle. I find that an extended common staple works perfectly to clean them out. Gunk, wax and other crap tend to bond to the surface of the nozzles and the require periodic cleaning for ideal operation especially in this weather.

[dividedhighw]

Thanks for the tip, aft981 and Steve!

I have this problem and the dealer said they "ordered a part" - I'm scheduled to go back in the shop tomorrow so I'll update everyone on what they did and how it panned out.

On cleaning out windshield washer jets, for any guitarists out there (or anyone who knows a guitarist), use a 1-1/2" piece of an old plain guitar string, cut from the end near the bridge. Fender "Bullets" work best because of the integrated bullet end.

Just hold the "nub" and work the string into the nozzle to free up any gunk. Depending on the size of your nozzles, a "B" string works well. If you have a lot of buildup and a nozzle large enough to take it, a VERY small diameter wound "G" string can provide some abrasive properties.

BTW, this also works great for lawn sprinklers that are clogging up due to calcium or other build-up!!

Cheers,David

[dividedhighw]

OK - got my car back from the shop today and they replaced both washer nozzles with ones that have a different spray pattern. Now each squirts three streams of fluid giving it better coverage, and with much better force. They claim the feeder hoses weren't changed - just the nozzles.

HTH,David

[SteveTheTech]

I did not know the they superseded the PN for the nozzles. Thanks for the update. I've seen many clogged washer nozzles in this rash of foul weather we have had. The washer jets in the EX and Gs tend to get clogged with wax or road film quiet easily.

EDIT~You know what I was thinking about this and realized that Infiniti has only used wiper arm mounted washer nozzles in several years, prior to that it was the standard above the hood design. This is actually something new for them. Huh I never thought of that.