Visibility Disaster! (Windshield Washer Pump Replacement)
July 17, 2022
Let's say you live in a cold climate where the snowy, icy weather challenges you to clear the salt and debris tossed up on your windshield. You push your windshield washer switch expecting a good stream of fluid so the blades can wipe the glass clean. Yet nothing comes out. Nada, zip. What's going on? You know you filled up the windshield washer reservoir within the last week or so.
Well, there could be a few things causing your windshield washing system to fail. One culprit? The hoses that are supposed to carry that fluid from the washer pump to the spray nozzles may be frozen, or maybe they're cracked and leaking. It could be the nozzles themselves are stopped up, either iced up or jammed full of debris. Your windshield wiper/washer switch could be worn out or the electrical system may not be conducting power to the washer pump.
It's important that this system work properly, especially on days when the sun may be in front of you and your windshield is covered with a cloudy, icy mess. Seeing what's going on in front of you may be like trying to peer through frosted glass, and that's not a safe situation for you or the drivers around you. You need to have this checked out by a technician as soon as you can.
Let's say the technician discovers it's not any of those components. Turns out it's the electric windshield washer pump itself that's failed. After replacing it, everything is working fine, and you can see again. As so often is the case with today's complex vehicles, figuring out the root cause of a problem can be tricky. Rely on your vehicle service facility since they have the know how and diagnostic equipment to make sure your view of the road will always be crystal clear.
Gary Knurek GoodYear
1973 Livernois
Troy, Michigan 48083
248-362-0350
Need Service?
More articles from Gary Knurek, Authorized GoodYear Dealer

Catching Trouble Early
October 25, 2026
Your vehicle depends on wheel bearings. Sitting between the wheels hub and axle, they allow your wheels to spin smoothly, bear the vehicles weight and work in harmony to stay aligned with other parts. Wheel bearings can fail in several ways, and they may send the driver some pretty clear clues... More

Start Me Up
October 23, 2026
You have a nice road trip planned out. Youre all packed, sit down in the drivers seat, go to start your vehicle up and Nothing! You might hear a click, but thats it. What do you do now? Your problem may be a bad ignition switch. There are other symptoms you may notice. A failing ignition swi... More

Why is My Vehicle Overheating?
October 11, 2026
When it comes to your vehicle overheating, the signs can be loud and clear when you have a problem. You may see a thermometer-shaped warning light come on or a temperature gauge whose needle is pointing in the red zone. When either of those happen, its important to take quick action to avoid se... More
