I'm trying to get to my wind-screen wacher well as my rear washer doesn't work and when I try to get it to wash th rear window, I can hear the pump going and there's a puddle under the front of the car.  How do I get to this washer 'bottle/well'?  Thanks.

Remove nearside front wheel and plastic wheel-arch liner:

 

Thank you.  What's holding the wheel-arch liner in place?

A number of Torx-head screws, T25 maybe.

Id check the connector as it goes into the bulk head, it's common for popping off and in the boot.

Id check the connector as it goes into the bulk head, it's common for popping off and in the boot.

 Thanks for your reply.  However, I did find quite a bit of water on the ground beneath the front left part of the car.  Wouldn't this suggest that something has popped out that end?

 

I had a look this afternoon and it seems like there are many Torx-head scres right around the wheel arch edge.  Are these the ones I need to remove?  Is it difficult to replace the wheel-arch liner?

I'd try the bulkhead connector before u pull car apart 

Is it inside the car's rear fifth hatch-back door? 

No, its against the bulkhead of the engine bay.  Get someone to activate the washer whilst you peer down behind the airbox / back of where the passengers front feet would sit, and you should see where the feed from the pump connects to a little nozzle on the bulkhead.  Commonly pops off - way more commonly that it popping off right at the washer pump.  If it was the pump the dribble would be in FRONT of the left wheel.  If its the bulkhead it would dribble down BEHIND (and further in) the front wheel.

Thanks.  Will check this tomorrow.

Where's your spirit?  Grab a torch and a fellow human (or well trained pet) and get out there and have a play!  

Where's your spirit? Grab a torch and a fellow human (or well trained pet) and get out there and have a play!

If I've ever heard an inspirational speach, this is it...

Yeah, you definitely want to establish that it isn't the bulkhead connection, that seems to be the most common one.  I thought from your original description "there's a puddle under the front of the car", you'd already done so, but I suppose it depends what you mean by the front of the car.

OK thank you all.  The bulkhead connection was indeed disconnected and water gushing out of it.  I've managed to re-attach this.  But the fluid is still not reaching the rear wind-screen.  Where's the next place to check? :-)

OK thank you all. The bulkhead connection was indeed disconnected and water gushing out of it. I've managed to re-attach this. But the fluid is still not reaching the rear wind-screen. Where's the next place to check? :-)

Passenger side Carpet, pull off trim panel by door and check connection there and also the boot trim connection.

Have you tried unblocking the nozzle on the rear wash first. When my bulkhead connection splits its usually because the rear jet is blocked with crap. I use welding nozzle cleaners but a staple works just as well.

Hi

 

Can anyone tell me what the unit to the right of the reservoir is please? The silver lower part on mine (2001 1.4) was encased with foam and plastic - the plastic had perished and broken and the foam was sodden so I've removed the claggy mess. Pic attached. I am searching for the mysterious rear washer water - it seems to be going somewhere....just not to the rear window.

 

Thanks

 

Gerard

Power steering pump. It's better off without that foam, so don't feel the need to replace it with anything.

 

Can you smell screenwash strongly in the cabin when you try to spray the rear screen?  That would indicate a popped connection near the rear, nearside seatbelt.

 

The connection at the firewall, near the engine ECU seems to be one of the commonest disconnection points, but that's usually easy to spot by the puddle that forms under the car when operating the rear washer on your drive.

Thanks it was indeed the connector by the left rear seat-belt but also a cracked connector where the hose joins the wiper unit on the hatch door. Interesting journey through the car - I found that the well in the corner behind nearside rear wheel was 6" deep in water as that's where rear water was going - running down the wheel arch. This partially explains the occasional but long term condensation issues.

got a pic?

Hi I'd noticed my rear washer wasn't working,I did a search on here and came across this thread,I read it and popped the bonnet and sure enough the two pipes by the bulkhead had come disconnected,plugged them back together and hey presto rear washer working fantastic thanks guys cheers Paul

Mine had popped off in all 3 locations, all on the floor under the bonnet, the join by the rear seat and on the rear washer itself - on the plus side it smells like washer fluid in my car now... And i can actually clean the rear windows - there ain't half some pressure in there when it works!

I cut all the stupid hose connectors off and used Halfords 5mm vacuum hose to sleeve the washer pipe. Never had a problem since.

 

They sell the vac hose in 1 metre lengths pre-packed on the shelf.