My rear windshield washer quit playing. I'm a loooong way from a dealer. Any ideas about diagnosing the problem. When I try to use it, it doesn't have any pressure. Kind of like me. Could be the pump? You don't know how much you miss it until you don't have it!

 

Are you getting any fluid from the washer? Have you checked the tank up front? Have you taken off the wiper arm cover and cleaned it out (number 6 in the linked diagram)?

 

Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Iowa
Posts: 1

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I posted this in a different thread but wanted to repeat it here as I think it will be a factor in many of our cars.

I have a 2003 Cooper S. The washer worked for the front windshield but not the back window. As they are the same washer pump I started at the rear of the car.

I cleaned out the orifice for the sprayer for the rear and it still didn't spray. I took off the rear wiper and tried again, no fluid. I did not see a puddle of fluid on the floor so knew that it was a clog and not a disconnected hose. Also the sound of the washer motor was higher on the clogged rear wiper than the front, also indicating a clogged hose. I noticed that the fluid runs through the wiper shaft itself and had rusted the pipe closed. I took off the inner panel of the rear hatch (4-6 screws, then pry the panel off it is held with small metal clips, quite easy). I took off the back of the wiper motor gearbox (4 small screws) to get to the backside of the wiper shaft. I then used a 3/32 drill bit and by hand started auguring out the rust-filled shaft. The shaft and therefore the water passage is straight so will not be damaged by the drill bit. I was able to get the small bit all the way through the shaft. The shaft will accept slightly larger bit but it would not go all the way through even after a lot of spinning the bit (all done by hand). I then reattached the washer hose to the shaft and ran the motor without the wiper blade (so not to clog the washer nozzle) to flush out the rust particles and now I had fluid. I cleaned out the shaft several times and flushed it with fluid several times until the shaft was as clean as I could get it. I put it all back together and now have an operating rear washer.

I would imagine all of the older Minis will have this problem as the steel shaft will rust. I also think that occasional use of the washer would delay or prevent this as the microscopic rust particles from the shaft will get flushed out instead of collecting and closing off the passage.