Problem with Rear Wash Wipe

[JamesK1975]

Hi All,

I've got an 2004 Mini Cooper. I've got a problem with the rear wash wipe not spraying out water. This has had a couple of times before when the car was under warranty. The first time BMW replaced the washer jet, the second time they said the pipes need cleaning.

Now it's out of warranty I need to look at it myself.

How easy it to remove the rear washer jet? Does it just unclip?
What path does the pipework follow through the car?

Any advice and instructions on the above would be most appreciated...

Many Thanks....

[fordcymru]

Hi James, if you remove the interior cover of the rear hatch you will see the water pipe. Disconnect it and operate the rear wash to see if you have water to the rear jet. If you have access to a high pressure air line , blow this through the rear jet to clear any blockage. It could be possible that if you have no anti-freeze screen wash, with the recent frosty weather it my have frozen up and upon operating the rear wash it could have blown the pipe off. Hope this helps

[oldnell]

If it's not too long out of warranty and the most recent fix wasn't too long ago, you should still be able to get your dealer to fix this under warranty as a recurring problem that was not properly fixed in the first place.

[JamesK1975]

Quote: Originally Posted by fordcymru (original)

Hi James, if you remove the interior cover of the rear hatch you will see the water pipe. Disconnect it and operate the rear wash to see if you have water to the rear jet. If you have access to a high pressure air line , blow this through the rear jet to clear any blockage. It could be possible that if you have no anti-freeze screen wash, with the recent frosty weather it my have frozen up and upon operating the rear wash it could have blown the pipe off. Hope this helps

I've always used Halfords Premium screenwash in the Mini, and it's never been a problem using it on my other car - and the front jets have never blocked on the Mini.

Unfortunately I don't have access to a high pressure air line. How easy it to remove the washer jet itself? I know that the rear jet is more of a spray so could be more prone to chalking up compared to the front jets. So if it's easy to remove, and is chalked up I'd like to put it in white vinegar overnight to clear it.

[NeuroBeaker]

Hi James,

I had the exact same problem and have just solved it today. There are a few other threads open on the subject, and many suggest the use of a pin to free up a blocked nozzle. Here are a few links addressing clogs and nozzles:

Rear Washer Not Working ? (October 2003)
Rear Washer Jet no working !! NOW FIXED !! 5.11.05 (October 2005)
Rear Window Washer Not Working (February 2007)
Rear Wiper Spray Not Working (May 2007)

What worked for me was a combination of the pin and then flushing vast quantities of warm water through the system. I should note that it probably wouldn't be a good idea to put boiling water through, as I'm pretty sure this would mess up (possibly melt) the tubing or containers. So I used approximately 750mL of boiling water added to 250mL of tap water to get 1000mL (1 litre) of 'warm water'. It did take some considerable time to put this much water though the rear washer jets - but I'm convinced it was worth it as it seems to have everything flowing freely now.

That issue addressed, I used the tip of my MINI key to turn the nozzle at the rear to ensure it was pointing in such a way to provide good coverage of the rear screen.

And just to make sure we've got our bases covered, it's important to remember that the lines to the rear windows are more prone to freezing than are the front nozzles. I've got the heated mirrors/washers package and I'm convinced that the heated affect only works for the front nozzles. So, it's important to make sure you have a concentrated enough fluid for the winter months, as discussed here:

Window washer not working ! (March 2007)

So, hopefully that sorts out your problem. Let us all know how it goes and if you can now see what's creeping up behind you through a lovely and clean rear windscreen.

All the best,
Andrew.