Rear Washer Fluid Line

[unclerandy]

Should I be able to blow air from the rear wiper fluid hose all the way to the front reservoir? My rear wiper works fine but no fluid. The front works and does dispense fluid. I disconnected the rear line at the brake light/nozzle. I used my compressor to blow into the line expecting to have it bubble into the reservoir but it seemed no air passed down the hose at all.

 

[99WhiteC5Coupe]

Should I be able to blow air from the rear wiper fluid hose all the way to the front reservoir? My rear wiper works fine but no fluid. The front works and does dispense fluid. I disconnected the rear line at the brake light/nozzle. I used my compressor to blow into the line expecting to have it bubble into the reservoir but it seemed no air passed down the hose at all.

I have seen one-way flow check valves in the washer fluid lines of some Ford vehicles. I do not know if your year has one. They are small, pancake shaped plastic valves with a nozzle on each end that fit inline on the washer fluid hoses.

This prevents fluid in the line from back-flowing into the reservoir, and enables the fluid line to remain primed.

 

[Hamfisted]

Yeah, get a hand held vacuum pump or large syringe and try to suck water at the spray nozzle. Using compressed air, you risk blowing the line apart at any connection points. If you can pull washer fluid through with a vacuum, and your front washer works (meaning the pump is good), you probably just have a bad relay there on the rear wiper motor circuit board and will have to replace the rear wiper motor to fix it.


Vacuum Pump Kit on Amazon






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[unclerandy]

Yeah, get a hand held vacuum pump or large syringe and try to suck water at the spray nozzle. Using compressed air, you risk blowing the line apart at any connection points. If you can pull washer fluid through with a vacuum, and your front washer works (meaning the pump is good), you probably just have a bad relay there on the rear wiper motor circuit board and will have to replace the rear wiper motor to fix it.


Vacuum Pump Kit on Amazon






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Wouldn’t the relay operate a solenoid if some type of valve in order for the fluid to be diverted either to the front or back? My point being would the rear line need to be “open” in order for an attemp at sucking fluid out at the back via a vacuum pump?

 

[unclerandy]

Anyone??

 

[Hamfisted]

Anyone??

No. There's no solenoid involved. The pump spins one way for front washers, and the other way for rear washer. Look at the washer pump in the reservoir, that's where both hoses connect.










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[unclerandy]

No. There's no solenoid involved. The pump spins one way for front washers, and the other way for rear washer. Look at the washer pump in the reservoir, that's where both hoses connect.

View attachment 83197








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“We” know the pump work because I have fluid to the front. I can hear the pump run when I call for fluid to the back wiper but no liquid.

 

[whtbronco]

Then the fluid is going somewhere. I have seen reports that there's a connector near the firewall behind the passenger kick panel and when it leaks it can fill the wire channel by the passenger door.

 

[unclerandy]

I can’t find any evidence of fluid leaking out anywhere. I’ve run it in my garage multiple times and there’s no liquid on the floor and nothing in the headliner that could be felt or seen. Any suggestions from here??

 

[whtbronco]

Yeah pull the passenger side kick plate up and see if the wire trough below that is full of washer fluid. If it's not then start tracing the hose from the pump until you find where it's pinched or kinked. Heck you could disconnect the rear washer hose and see if washer fluid comes out when engaged.

The kick plate looks like this and just snaps on. I remove it back to front.

 

[unclerandy]

Yeah pull the passenger side kick plate up and see if the wire trough below that is full of washer fluid. If it's not then start tracing the hose from the pump until you find where it's pinched or kinked. Heck you could disconnect the rear washer hose and see if washer fluid comes out when engaged.

The kick plate looks like this and just snaps on. I remove it back to front.
View attachment 83382

I will pull the kick plate and check it out. Can you clarify why the fluid or the line could be down there when all the other threads I’ve read say the line is up in the head liner?

 

[whtbronco]

The hose comes in through the firewall and then goes into the headliner. The hose can come apart just inside the firewall and the fluid runs down there. I don't remember seeing it, but I have heard there is a connector in the hose near the firewall.

 

[unclerandy]

The hose comes in through the firewall and then goes into the headliner. The hose can come apart just inside the firewall and the fluid runs down there. I don't remember seeing it, but I have heard there is a connector in the hose near the firewall.

Here’s the latest:
The pump and relay are working. I disconnected the rear line at the reservoir and attached a temporary hose. It pumps out fluid when the rear wiper is operated. Once again I tried to blow air through the line from both ends and it was unsuccessful. It’s blocked somewhere. I’ll get pics later but I’m 99% that the rear washer fluid line is running along that channel in the floor on the passenger side and not in the headliner. I can’t mentally process that the line somehow became pinched or blocked.

 

[Eddie Hudson]

Did you remove the kick panel cover yet?

 

[whtbronco]

I think the rear washer fluid hose runs along the floor to the C pillar and then up into the headliner. I may be wrong it, may be that it goes up at the B pillar though.

 

[unclerandy]

Did you remove the kick panel cover yet?

Yes that’s how I saw the rear line.

I think the rear washer fluid hose runs along the floor to the C pillar and then up into the headliner. I may be wrong it, may be that it goes up at the B pillar though.

Is the C pillar at the very rear where the seat belt is?

 

[whtbronco]

Is the C pillar at the very rear where the seat belt is?

Yep. The A pillar is at the windshield. B pillar has the front seat seatbelt, C pillar has the 2nd row seat seat belt and D pillar is at the tail gate with the 3rd row seatbelts.

 

[unclerandy]

Yep. The A pillar is at the windshield. B pillar has the front seat seatbelt, C pillar has the 2nd row seat seat belt and D pillar is at the tail gate with the 3rd row seatbelts.

So no then to it being at the very back…. The very back is D.

 

[unclerandy]

Is there a likely area or areas where it might all of a sudden become pinched?

 

[whtbronco]

It should not move anywhere, except at the tailgate. However, the hose could be moved from working under the hood between the washer pump and the firewall. I suppose it could also get kicked or moved inside the firewall near the passenger kick panel. It bends and moves every time you open the tailgate, mine broke where it goes into the roof panel.

I really like the @Hamfisted posted of using a vacuum pump. Try pulling a bit of vacuum pressure on it and then hit the switch for the washer pump.

Mine had stopped recently for some reason. I didn't really care I pretty much never use it, but this thread got me to thinking about it again. I just hit the switch for like 15-20 seconds and washer fluid started flowing out the rear jet again.