Golf Mk4 front windscreen washer not working

SweetCaliber

Hi all,

Bought a 2003 Mk4 Golf last week. Went to spray the front windscreen the other day and nothing came out, no noise from the pump. The wipers still came on but no fluid or noise. Tried the back and it worked perfectly, could hear the pump turn.

Thought it might be a bad pump so got a new one from VW and fitted it, tried again, still no noise from the pump for the front washers, back once again works perfectly.

Thought the pump might be faulty again so took it out and hardwired it to a 12v battery, turned perfectly. Reversed the wiring and the pump turned the other way perfectly. That rules the pump out.

Went back to the car, thought it may be a bad connection, checked the connection with a voltmeter, when the washer stalk is pushed in the front wipers come on and the multi-meter reads a solid 12 volts.

I'm lost for words now, the pump is working, the connection to the pump is bringing a solid 12v to it but yet only the back washer will work. Anyone got any ideas?

cletus

Is the plastic hose coming from the pump connected to the sprayers themselves. Could have become dislodged at the splitter. Seen it happen before

SweetCaliber

cletus wrote: »

Is the plastic hose coming from the pump connected to the sprayers themselves. Could have become dislodged at the splitter. Seen it happen before

Just checked there now and the hose is solid the whole way to both sprays. Although even if it was that, there is no noise from the motor at all when the front one is triggered, only the back one seems to activate it.

CJhaughey

SweetCaliber wrote: »

Just checked there now and the hose is solid the whole way to both sprays. Although even if it was that, there is no noise from the motor at all when the front one is triggered, only the back one seems to activate it.

If you have decent power at the connection is the grounding bad?

irish bloke

Are you saying you are getting 12v at the pump connections when you push the stalk to the wash position?

SweetCaliber

CJhaughey wrote: »

If you have decent power at the connection is the grounding bad?

I was thinking it may be the grounding, I am going to check it today.

SweetCaliber

irish bloke wrote: »

Are you saying you are getting 12v at the pump connections when you push the stalk to the wash position?

Yep, the connector has two pins, its a dual pump so serves the back and front.

If I pull the stalk towards the steering wheel to activate the front washer, the wipers come on and one of the pins on the connection gets 12v. If I push the stalk away from the steering wheel the back wiper comes on, the pump whirrs and the other pin on the connection gets 12v.

Again, that would make it sound like a bad pump, which is why I got a new one, however after testing them with a 12v battery directly, both work in both ways. Its very strange.

CJhaughey

If there is a two pin connector it must switch Pos+ to Neg to work either way, it sounds like a ground issue from the switch unit.

SweetCaliber

CJhaughey wrote: »

If there is a two pin connector it must switch Pos+ to Neg to work either way, it sounds like a ground issue from the switch unit.

Yeah, I'm going to look at the grounding points for it today and test the ground, also just to be sure, these seem to be the grounding points, right?

CJhaughey

Looks like them alright.

irish bloke

Sounds like you just don't have enough current to drive the pump.

Try resistance check the cables on the circuit separately. Could be a partial broke/loose power or ground cable.

Another option is to get an ammeter on it to see is it drawing the right current.
A DC grip ammeter would be handy if you had one.

Also check the stalk switch. Can you swap back/front washer cables to see if the issue moves?

tryfix

Don't know if this a solution or not, someone who knows more about these things can clear it up.

I assume the wiper and washer are on the same relay switch and replacing that relay may solve your problem. I had a problem with a mk4 Golf where I couldn't get the wipers to stop wiping. After researching the problem I got a replacement washer-wiper relay switch and stuck it in, problem solved.

SweetCaliber

irish bloke wrote: »

Sounds like you just don't have enough current to drive the pump.

Try resistance check the cables on the circuit separately. Could be a partial broke/loose power or ground cable.

Another option is to get an ammeter on it to see is it drawing the right current.
A DC grip ammeter would be handy if you had one.

Also check the stalk switch. Can you swap back/front washer cables to see if the issue moves?

Bit of an update, still didnt check the ground wires yet, hopefully going to get around to them today, however I did a quick test, I checked the volts going through the connection to the pump when the connection is connected to the pump and oddly enough its reading 0 volts when the stalk is pushed in.

However, if I disconnect the connection and push in the stalk again, the connection reads a solid 12 volts. This is awfully strange, but is sounding like a bad ground?

SweetCaliber

tryfix wrote: »

Don't know if this a solution or not, someone who knows more about these things can clear it up.

I assume the wiper and washer are on the same relay switch and replacing that relay may solve your problem. I had a problem with a mk4 Golf where I couldn't get the wipers to stop wiping. After researching the problem I got a replacement washer-wiper relay switch and stuck it in, problem solved.

Good point actually, the wipers seems to be working fine, but after testing the ground and ruling that out I might try the relay, thanks!

irish bloke

Yes, could very well be the relay. Thought from original post there was voltage with load (pump) connected.

Should be easy to test is voltage getting to the coil and to the load pins of the relay when switched.

If no voltage at load pins of relay and wire resistance is good to pump then it's prob relay.

It's also possible there is another similar relay in the car so just pop that in to check

SweetCaliber

irish bloke wrote: »

Yes, could very well be the relay. Thought from original post there was voltage with load (pump) connected.

Should be easy to test is voltage getting to the coil and to the load pins of the relay when switched.

If no voltage at load pins of relay and wire resistance is good to pump then it's prob relay.

It's also possible there is another similar relay in the car so just pop that in to check

Sorry I didn't make it that clear in the first post, I mean't with the connector off, the multi-meter reads 12v. I never tested it with the multi-meter when the connector is connected to the pump, until yesterday.

I'll give the ground a go then the relays, if no joy after that it's a trip to the garage I'd say.

paul1994

i had this problem with my father's 2005 bora he changed the washer pump no difference run and stop, checked pump on battery ran perfect so put back into the car same story changed relay still the same,So i connected into the ground wire going to pump and took a ground of the body, pump running perfect,If anyone know's where the ground is wiper pump be very helpful

TherapyBoy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120110077#Comment_120110077

Run a new Earth & ground it straight off the body like when you tested it.

Needles73

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/99522400#Comment_99522400

You have basically confirmed the problem. You have a bad connection or switch. The meter is picking up the 12v as there is no load. The motor is pulling down the 12v. A small 12v test bulb would confirm.

nh3nh3

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2057588842/golf-mk4-front-windscreen-washer-not-working

I have this same type of issue, but with a few exceptions. When I pull the wiper stalk to spray the windscreen, the pump does not whir and no liquid comes out. Wipers wipe for a while though, as they are meant to. Rear washer does the same. The fuse is good, checked with a multimeter (gives voltage from both fuse terminals relative to chassis ground).

I replaced the relay with one from another car, no difference. I don't get voltage on the pump connector pins when pulling the stalk, so it's not getting power. I'm thinking checking the wires, but struggling with the connectors. The wiring diagram shows this:

I understand the 53c is one of the two wires going to the washer pump, but I cannot figure out which of the pins on the relay is for the other wire? Marked with H on the wiring diagram.

teediddlyeye

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121874629#Comment_121874629

Disconnect the battery for 5 min. Common complaint.