Dimitri2000

So my windshield washer is not spraying. LOL the reason i laugh is because when i got my car i thought it was because it didn't have enough liquid. So i bough some Rain-X today and it slapped me in the face and chose to still not work.

Here are details. My car is a 1997 Maxima SE 5 speed manual transmission. Got the car with 307k + miles on it and now it has 308k + miles. Drove it up from Atlanta GA to Fredericksburg VA where i am living for now. So far the only major problems i had is:

Cat blew due to the filter part or whatever it is at the muffler got so filled up with carbon or something it went back up blew my catalytic converter so mechanic took off that blocked up part and welded on a generic one and weld the cat back shut. (probably should have just gotten new muffler system but had no funds)
Due to this problem some of my spark plugs and coils went. Also stupid EGRC solenoid and EGR valve gave me hard time but i triumphed over that. And i fixed all these.

Right now i just purchased the things to flush/clean radiator/cooling system. Cause reservoir has brown stuff in it i am confidently gonna do it tomorrow. Was gonna do it today but it rained all day. (Prays to God i don't mess anything up)

And last but not least the reason for this thread is i want to know how to diagnose whats wrong with the Windshield Washer. It won't spray and i just filled the tank up. I don't hear anything or see anything move at all not a sound. With car on and engine off and With car on and engine on NOTHING. I am going to make a logical guess that its either a motor or pump or if they are all in one then would that be it?

How do i find these things and second post a pic or link to a how to guide to install it cause if you cannot see already. I am a noob just trying to help myself out with the help of all you great people.

So to make it clear i need to know what i am looking for and what i will need.
Second i need pics or a guide on how to install it after i find and confirm this is the problem.

Thank you for your time and responses in advance

snowman89

iTrader: (1)

No noise at all? I'd probably check fuses before anything.

Dimitri2000

Not a sound not a hum nothing.

So fuse which fuses do i check? The ones under the starring wheel? Do you know exact fuse? Also i have a multimeter tester what do i set it on to test fuses?

Sorry hope i am not annoying with all these questions. No experience with these things. Please bare with em.

snowman89

iTrader: (1)

I'm not sure what fuse it is, but there are diagrams on each of the fuse boxes (inside the cover for the one under the steering wheel) that'll tell you which fuse is for what. I would guess you'd be able to see whether or not the fuse is blown once you pull it out.

asand1

iTrader: (1)

The pump is likely no good. Check the fuse and check for power at the pump while hitting the switch. You should be able to get a generic pump that fits, from the parts store of your choice.

Dimitri2000

Okay thank you. Will do tomorrow.

Dimitri2000

I will get on it tomorrow. So if its not the fuse its certainly the pump? Sorry for all these questions i am fairly new to all this and i do not want to make any mistakes.

MOHFpro90

iTrader: (11)

Assuming you know how to use the multimeter. Test for + and - at the plug to the pump while someone else is hitting the switch.

Get a junkyard pump, bring a 9V battery with some wires to test it at the yard to make sure it works.

Dimitri2000

So i will test the pump for volts? Also that junkyard idea does make sense. Thanks.

DennisMik

iTrader: (2)

The fuse that runs the wipers themselves (#20, 20 amp) also powers the washer. Measure voltage on each wire to ground, do not measure across both wires. The light green wire has 12 volts on it from the fuse. The pink/white stripe wire will be 12 volts when not working and almost zero volts when running. If the pink/white wire doesn't go to zero, then the problem is not the motor. It could be a switch or BCM problem.

Dimitri2000

Thank you so much for the details on what to test and how to test it.


That switch theory is seems plausible. Also BCM what does that mean. (I do not want to make any assumptions, does not hurt to make sure i am on the same page)

I appreciate all the replies.

DennisMik

iTrader: (2)

The BCM is the Body Control Module. Its another computer that controls things the ECU doesn't. It has its fingers in almost everything inside the car, the interior lights, the factory alarm, the step lights in the door among lots of other things. It also makes the windshield washer pump turn on. The switch on the steering column connects to the BCM and the BCM puts ground to the pink/white stripe wire for the washer.

Dimitri2000

Dennis or someone. Need some help. I think i might be doing it wrong. I had my mom flick the switch while i had my multimeter tester on the connector. Here is exactly what i did.

The red needle from my tester went to the green wire and the black needle to the chassis (for ground? hope this is right)

And then for pink and white. I did the same thing. I got nothing from both. I assume that i am not using the correct thing for ground?

cleardaze

this should help...

http://www.ehow.co.uk/video_4874558_...sher-pump.html

Dimitri2000

Thanks that 9 volt battery test is good. But he did not show how to test the harness. But from what he is saying i should stick both of the leads of the tester in to the harness and DennisMik Said i should stick one lead to one side eg. green wire side and then the other to ground. or does that mean to the pink/white wire. Maybe pink/white wire is ground on harness? Not sure.

I am really thinking its the pump though but i still would like to know the proper procedure of doing the harness test.

Thanks for help.

P.S.

The reason i think the harness might be working is because earlier when i was trying to test the harness and my mom flick the switch i could here a little clicking sound with one of my leads from my tester inside the harness I think it was to pink/white side not sure. The sound seems to have come from that fuse box or black box under the power starring fluid reservoir. (I could be wrong about the location but i did hear a click which i was not hearing before) I know i might have probably been doing the test wrong which is why i am asking how exactly to test the harness but i feel the harness is working and i might just need a new pump. All in all i just need to know the proper procedure on what to do with the multimeter and testing the harness.

Thanks

cleardaze

can you take a picture of the harness and post it? It's hard to know what wire does what when all you go by is color. Depending on the wiring diagram for that vehicle it could vary and if there were previous issues the wire could have been changed out and the color might have changed. Doesn't matter as long as the gauge is the same.

Dimitri2000

The Grey one looks just like the brown one (2 wires)

Brown harness has yellow and black wires

While

Grey has light green and pink/white or pink with white stripes.

Here is picture 158
The pump is connected to the grey harness in his hand

This guy is doing something else but you can see what the harnesses look like.

Here is the original site with more pics.

http://www.vqpower.com/v2/articles.php?article_id=113

This should give you an idea of how the harness looks. Mine looks exactly like this.

DennisMik

iTrader: (2)

What you say you are doing is correct. The light green wire should read 12 volts between it and ground WHEN THE IGNITION SWITCH IS ON. It sounds like you had the ignition switch on. The wiper switch does not have to be on for this, only the ignition switch.

Since you did not measure 12 volts, it's very possible that you did not have the meter on a good ground. Since the wipers work, that means the fuse is good, so the only other reason to not measure 12 volts would be that the wire harness has a broken wire. Its possible but doesn't happen that often.

Dimitri2000

Yea i must have been doing it wrong. I got the pump today and installed it and it works. Only think now is that the pressure seems uneven when coming through the nozzles. I will try to get a pin and see if it is clogged.

All in all i learnt how to test the harness and now my new pump is working and i can hear it. YAY!!!

Thanks to all the people that replied and gave your advice. It is greatly appreciated.


If there isn't anything else i guess thread is closed.

Thanks



Now the only issue i have is it sprays to like half-way on the windshield. I don't know if that is normal for these Maximas but i am use to the fluid spraying almost all the way near the top of the windshield and then running down. Any conformation on this?

DennisMik

iTrader: (2)

When you say half way on the windshield, are you saying half way from the top to the bottom? If so, you can aim the little nozzles. Just stick a in the hole and move it