Rear Window Washer - 2003 VW Polo

MetzgerMeister

Hi all,

The sister has a 2003 VW Polo 1.2. The rear window washer isn't spraying although the front one is. I filled up the tank and still it's not spraying. Any ideas as to what could be wrong?

Muckie

Check your fuses, then if there is a blockage in the pipe.

Also where the boot closes sometimes it can kink and damage the

wires (look in the thick loom protection)that connect to the washer motor.

Any finally the washer motor could be broken. There not an expensive

replacement €10 tops from halfords.

Alanstrainor

Its a very common problem with that era polo. Mine currently does not spray on the rear. At least for me it's not the motor as you can hear it labouring. It's usually caused by a kink somewhere in the line, check the boot to make sure it's not leaking water. The line goes from the front of the car, down the right hand side, so you might check there too.

johnplayerblue

One of the very many common VW problems.

Open the boot and remove the trim panel, two screws in the hand grips, either side. Then your going to have to use a little force to remove the panel which is held in by clips.

It will feel like your going to brake the panel but just be careful but firm.

9x out of 10 the pipe going to the motor has come away and just needs to be reattached although i'd get a 6" length of rubber pipe and 2 jubilee clips to do the job as it really is another example of VW's poor design and will just come away again resulting in some rather strange problems like the car locking itself with keys in the ignition.

The water leaks down onto the boot locking mechanism driving the ecu mad.

Picture attached is what your boot will look like when panel is removed.
You can see the pipe going to the motor. Very poor design, just pops off.

Total cost €3 or less, €20 if you use a swear jar.

pa990

when squirting the rear window, check under the car to see if water is dripping.
the hose that brings water to the back window has a connection that joins two hoses, this connection can work its way loose, usually happens in winter time when the water is expanding and contracting.

this hose is down low to the right when u look into the bonnet

MetzgerMeister

Thanks for the replies.

I will give each of your suggestions a go when I get home this evening.

Thanks again!

MetzgerMeister

Right lads here's what I did:

Engaged the lever to no avail (obviously). Looked at the ground under the engine bay and is was soaked!

Took off the plastic panel on the boot lid - sure enough, that connection was loose so I reconnected it.

Checked the pipe from the engine bay, it was disconnected here too so I reconnected that.

Still nothing from the rear washer.

The motor is fine as I can hear it. Is there another one of those connections somewhere that could be loose?

Alanstrainor

einheisserschre wrote: »

Right lads here's what I did:

Engaged the lever to no avail (obviously). Looked at the ground under the engine bay and is was soaked!

Took off the plastic panel on the boot lid - sure enough, that connection was loose so I reconnected it.

Checked the pipe from the engine bay, it was disconnected here too so I reconnected that.

Still nothing from the rear washer.

The motor is fine as I can hear it. Is there another one of those connections somewhere that could be loose?

I actually got out and checked my Polo too. There was just a big pile of water under the front passenger seat. Couldn't trace the leak.

MetzgerMeister

Alanstrainor wrote: »

I actually got out and checked my Polo too. There was just a big pile of water under the front passenger seat. Couldn't trace the leak.

Check the connection in the engine bay. The pipe comes out right in front of the glove box if you get me. Follow this to the front of the car and you will hopefully see the connection is loose!

Alanstrainor

Cheers:D Sorted it. It was so obvious when you know where to look, the pipe was obscured by some other cabling. Here's some pics incase anyone else is in the same position.

MetzgerMeister

Did that work for you? I'm still having trouble with the sister's car :mad: I'll probably have to get it up on a lift.

Alanstrainor

einheisserschre wrote: »

Did that work for you? I'm still having trouble with the sister's car :mad: I'll probably have to get it up on a lift.

Yeah, the cable was completely disconnected. Just connected them back together and taped it up and it's back.

climber4791

FOLKS FOLKS FOLKS.

This topic is one that has infuriated me for many months. I have a Polo 1.9TDI sport 2002 and when I first bought it neither washer jets worked front or back. I reconnected the several junctions were it had been leaking, still the rears would not work and junctions that are utterly uselss and just pop back off did exactly that within days of being reattached. SO!!!....

The ONLY ONLY way to cure this God awful design and dreadful use of materials that VW chose to manufacture the screen washer system is install your own using silicon rubber hose with a 4mm internal diameter. Should you get any water freeze in silicon rubber hose in the winter it will expand and not split. Ive replaced both the front and rear washer jet pipe lines with fancy red silicon rubber hose.

In the left hand side/passenger side of the boot, pull back the carpet, UNBELIEVABLY there is a pathetic push-on washer pipe connection right above 3 electrical junction boxes and its here the water corrodes the wiring for the boot handle electrics, alarm and rear heated windscreen.

The push on fitting that connects tot he rear wiper motor is equally pathetic. This too comes off and screen washer water will fill up the boot. While Im on the subject of water in the boot, CHECK THE REAR BRAKE LIGHT WATER SEALS.

climber4791

The seals on the rear brake lights are also UTTERLY PATHETIC!!

Take BOTH rear brake light housings off and seal with clear silicon sealant or use black butyl rubber tape to seal them back on.

To replace using silicon rubber hose, have a weekend free, have some patience, dont rush it, start off by removing the passenger side wheel and take off the plastic inner arch to get to the washer bottle. The front windscreen washer outlet will drain freely as you remove the push on pipe connector. The rear outlet will not drain freely, washer fluid will only come out of this when lever is pressed to actuate motor.

PLonners

I was trying to fix the rear windscreen washer on my 09 polo, which had never worked since I bought it 4 years ago! I tracked it down and found there was an open pipe under the bonnet. That goes through to the foot well in the passenger side and along to the boot. I was stuck then until I found this thread. There was no sight of the pipe that connected to the washer tank. Saw some pictures above and kept looking. It's under some crazy grey yoke that I have no idea what it does. It was really hard to find and get at and ended up scratching my hand up pretty badly, keep looking its impossible to find in the 09! Cheers