Washer problems
A feeble amount of fluid was being emitted from the washer jets on this 2001 Renault Clio. The owner was under the impression that the fault was due to blocked washer jets and had been prodding bits of wire into them in an effort to clear the suspected blockage. Finally throwing in the towel, he brought the Clio to us.
Our first move was to disconnect the washer hose and operate the pump to check the supply of fluid. At this point we realised that the jets were not blocked and the pump was barely pushing fluid through the pipes.
On many modern vehicles, the washer bottle and pump are hidden away in a wheelarch. On this Clio, access is far easier because the unit is housed under the front scuttle panel. After washing out the old fluid from the washer bottle, a new £10 pump was fitted and tested. The fluid now shot out of the pipes at a decent rate and, once the pipes were reconnected, the jets delivered an even spray onto the screen.