Following the second polar vortex in North Carolina this year and my 2000 S430 being in sustained temperatures of 10-29F my headlight washer system went on the fritz. The first symptom I noticed driving to work in the snow was that the driver side washer door was open and the sprayer was sticking out of the door. I had never seen this before and thought the system was probably frozen up causing some issues. (I found this symptom when doing searches) - though no one had the fix.

Once the thaw occurred I noticed that all of my washer fluid was under both sides of my bumper and that the wiper fluid warning came on.

I found all the usual posts about fixing the pump and the hose connected to the pump. I actually replaced that connector with the vacuum hose suggestion on some other posts since there was a little bit of blue on the hose...but that was probably a very small seeping leak that had always been there as I usually had to fill my car up with fluid once or twice a year.

After fixing the pump hose I filled the car up and the fluid started leaking under the bumper again, mostly from the passenger side. In investigating I found the culprit. The sprayers themselves. They have a small rubber insert, spring and cap that had come out on the passenger side and the driver's side was partially out. I actually found the spring, cap and rubber rolling around inside the passenger spray area behind the door. The driver's side was sideways and I pulled it out and put it back in. My car is back to normal - DIY fix with no out of pocket expense on the sprayers - just the new small hose and clamp on the tank that wasn't the issue in the first place. My theory is that the excessive cold (second polar vortex in 30 days - car has never experienced that in all the years I have owned it) froze the system and popped those things out.

To fix see my pics. You open the washer flap with a screw driver or your finger nails if you are good (they are spring loaded). Then you can get to the sprayer system. I took mine out not knowing what was going on. Now that I know I could have fixed them in place. Look to see if the end/cap/spring are in...if it is open look around to see if they are rolling around in there somewhere. You may need to pull the sprayer out some to look around - the sprayer is in a spring loaded system that can be pulled out.

Once you put the rubber gasket / spring / cap back in the system, push down to make sure the sprayer hasn't popped up out of the assembly while working on it. (On my s430 2000 the sprayers just pop in and out...but like I said you don't really need to take them out for this fix, just move them if you need to look for the spring / cap / rubber if it has gone missing)

Fill the car up, and then start spraying. It will take about 3-4 tries to build up pressure so they will start working again. I decided to take pics since if you get this right there is no cost out of pocket for this problem.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/mbqe8ivo2j...2012.39.45.jpg

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ild7cuh4ns...2012.40.01.jpg

Look around inside to see if you see the spring/cap/rubber

https://www.dropbox.com/s/nm1k2777ho...2012.39.50.jpg

Driver's side was popped out and leaking

https://www.dropbox.com/s/mjaweuzsjv...2012.37.51.jpg

Passenger was completely out and rolling around behind the flap...that is what got me thinking this was the problem.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/fnm1aho2qk...2012.38.22.jpg

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ffkv3epe2t...2012.38.29.jpg

https://www.dropbox.com/s/p3o5d06icz...2012.38.57.jpg

What it looks like when it is good and ready to go back in:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/3w4gjjwy20...2012.39.09.jpg

If you do need to take them out to get see better or work on the sprayer - search youtube for a video or just pull. Some posts say you need a screwdriver to remove the sprayer once you have them fully extended but mine popped out. (as you pull them out of the car they will eventually stop at which point you can pop the sprayer out (or look for a screw on later models possibly?)

 

Excellent write up and pictures Gilbert. I'll bookmark this baby because one never knows.

 

One comment - All of the washer fluid sold in the Atlanta metro counties is rated, "Protects to 32*F". Or in other words, no freeze protection at all!


Turns out that the EPA won't allow the "good stuff" because the antifreeze in the washer fluid might harm the environment...


I have a cabin North of Atlanta, outside the EPA-controlled area, where I can get washer fluid that protects down to much lower temps.