Windshield washer won't spray

ian_red-zj

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All right, this is a lame problem for my first post but it's annoying and I want to fix it. Absolutely nothing happens when I push the windshield washer switch in, so I just replaced the pump but still nada. My wipers, blinkers and hazards work perfectly fine, so that eliminates the fuse or the whole multifunction switch being bad. Sooo where's my problem? Anybody had this issue? I have a cheap multimeter and I'm not real experienced using it, but I'm open to any tests I should perform to find the problem. Thanks in advance.
Btw: it's a 95 v6 5 speed base model bone stock
 

ttocs

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so you have checked all your fuses? That is step one and by ALL the fuses I don't mean just the one that the manual mentions but literally pull/inspect each fuse both under the dash and the hood. Trust me it takes less time then deciphering the manual and then we can be 100% sure there is no fuse issue.
 

kb1982

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Unplug the connector, have someone hit the switch while you are probing the connector with a multimeter. If you dont get any voltage, you have a problem with the wiring, a fuse, or the switch. If it has voltage, then chances are the pump is bad.
 
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ian_red-zj

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Ok, will break out the multimeter tomorrow. Just to be sure, unplug the connector at the washer pump, set the meter to dc volts, red probe on the connector black probe on chassis ground right? And I just put a new washer pump in :mad::(
 

ttocs

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There is two wires going to the pump and its better to use both of them rather then the one and a ground. This way you can be sure that the ground going to the motor is good as well.

Also it doesn't matter at all if you have the red/black on the pos/neg. If you get them backwards you will get the exact same reading but it will be negative. Needless to say you can just disregard the negative sign and go with the number. Its just easier to not worry about them grab what ever is closest.
 

DKblue98GT

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If it turns out your washer pump is working check the hoses under the cowl panel. The plastic hose can become brittle and break. I have had to replace all of mine...
 

mcglsr2

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When you say nada, do you mean the pump isn't doing anything? Or do you mean no water is coming out at the nozzles?

If you mean no water, unplug the rubber hose at the washer tank (if you can get to it) and have someone activate the pump. Does water come out? Do you hear the pump? If yes and yes, then the issue is a clogged rubber lines or clogged nozzle (which can happen from a lot of things, like dried polish - though I don't think you'd be polishing your cowl, but maybe back to black or something like that?).

If no water comes out and you don't hear the pump, then electrical problem, follow previously posted advice.
 
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ian_red-zj

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Ok, after a lot of snow recently, I finally had the chance to test the wires going to the pump. It read 0.88 volts with the button pressed. So what does that mean? Should it be more??
 

mcglsr2

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Ok, after a lot of snow recently, I finally had the chance to test the wires going to the pump. It read 0.88 volts with the button pressed. So what does that mean? Should it be more??

Did the pump turn on? I don't know the specs of the pump, but less than 1V doesn't sound right with it "turned on." I suspect the pump is 12V like pretty much everything else in the car. Sounds like something is wrong; either your measured the voltage incorrectly, or perhaps the wires are dropping voltage (a short), or perhaps the pump is bad?
 
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ian_red-zj

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Dangg.. I could double check my measurements. I had the multimeter set to 20 DCV and I probed the connector to the pump and got .88. I used tape to push the switch cause I didn't have help but I could try with someone pushing it just to be sure. I'm getting a feeling that the switch is bad though, cause the wipers don't turn on either when I press the button.. They work when I twist the knob, but not when I push it as they should when the washer button is pressed. And I still haven't been able to get the pump to make one single noise.
 

mcglsr2

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Yah it probably won't at only 0.88V. That's not enough for the pump to go. Sounds like maybe your switch is indeed bad...you can tell by moving your voltage measurement up to the switch. Find the wire there that eventually goes to the pump and measure it right after the switch (added bonus that you can do it by yourself since you are right there, no helper needed :) ). If you are still seeing 0.88V or thereabouts, yo switch is bad cuz :)
 

kb1982

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Get you some cheap speaker wire. Make two pieces, both long enough to reach from the battery to the connector on the pump. Tape one end of speaker wire to ground. Take the other piece of speaker wire and tape the end to positve. Dont let the wires touch anything or each other. Positive to one terminal, and ground on the other on the pump. The pump should run then. If it does, you have a switch or wiring issue. Also, it really doesnt matter if you reverse the polarity hooking up the wires to the pump for this test. It will still come on, but just run in reverse lol. This is also a good way to check fuel pumps, since the ecu only runs them for like 3 seconds with the turn of the key, and then requires a pip signal to make it turn on again.
 

ttocs

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it would be a lot easier to get the + wire in place and then just find a chassis ground rather then trying to keep them from touching each other or the ground.

Pretty good chance it is the switch but there is still a chance of a bac connection from something.
 
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ian_red-zj

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Slapped in a switch from the junkyard and everything works and sprays great! Thanks for the help yall. Now after getting all the little fixes out of the way, maybe I'm ready to do some real mods to the old stang!! ;)
 

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