Hi,

When i press the button to clean the rear window you can hear the water motor going and the wiper moves but no water comes out. Sometimes in the night when I'm driving I literally cannot see behind me its so minging (yes I know I need to clean it...) but I can't always get round to it.

Anyone any ideas why the water isn't actually coming out? yes there is water in the bottle....

Thanks,

Lisa.

Edited 26 December, 200817 yr by gtcoupe

hey, i thought i had the same problem, but my mate pointed out that the water has to go a further distance! so hold the button down longer, and it works :)

it used to work fine doing it normally but thanks anyway!

Hi Lisa,

On the 6n2 the rear wash wipe pipe has a habit of falling off the assembly in the boot. Open the boot, look inside the lid fascia there are 2 grab handles which contain a torx bolt each. Undo. Prise fascia away and remove to expose the rear wash wipe assembly. If the pipe has fallen off - reattach.

This is a very common problem.

PoloD.

Tried it tonight by holding it in longer but to no avail Rowan1.0!

Thanks very much PoloD, I'll give that a go in the morning in the day light.

right i took the back off today under PoloD's instruction. everything connected up right, nothing hanging lose. but i disconnected it and tied a clear plastic bag round it to collect water but the water isn't even getting through the pipe so obv something is wrong at the other end. anyone any ideas? I've connected everything up at the back end.

Well done for doing that in this weather. It's cold!

Right, does the motor hum when you press the button and do the front washers work? If so; it's not the pump. The pipe delivering the water to the back also has a couple of other points where the pipe splits or falls off a join. The other common place is where it crosses the rear seats.

I'll have to see if I can find the diagram.

PoloD.

Thanks PoloD.

The motor hums and all sounds like it should be working and the front washer works fine.

Is this in underneath the rear bench or properly underneath?

Thanks for your help.

Lisa.

Hi Lisa,

Sorry, I can't find the diagram showing the route of the wash pipe to the rear. If I recall, it passes near the rear bench - not the underneath of the car. The spectrum of possibility is that it has come off or split anywhere from the front washer bottle to the rear. Try putting your hand to feel for damp patches.

The most common sites for this to happen is in the tailgate and the transition area in the rear - but I can't remember the exact route. If I do come accross the diagram, I'll put it up.

Best of luck!

PoloD.

Thanks, PoloD.

I took the seats out last night but couldn't see anything and had a poke about however couldn't feel anything damp. I will have to have a proper look in the day light and see whats going on.

Thanks for your help and that'd be great if you find it.

Lisa.

ok so i felt all around the boot and its soaking at the passengers side. i pulled all the carpet back and pressed the washer button. there's a waterfall coming from behind the back pillar. so i guess the pipe is disconnected in there.

1. All the wires in there eg. lights, power supply and boot light, are soaking. this isn't good, right?

2. How do i remove the pillar to reconnect the wire? I took off the black plastic thing that the parcel shelf connects into off but the white plastic over the pillar has two screws from the other side so i cant take them off.

any ideas?

Thanks.

There is a guide on UK polos. I'll post it up later. The site is not working at the moment. Well done Lisa!

PoloD.

the rear piller trims on most newer vdubs are held in by torx bolts from the underneath,

you will have to pull out the side carpet trims first to see them,

the top should just be cliped unless the trim runs the full length to the center piller on those

(like the audi a3's) then it makes it more awkward.

there should be just a normal pipe joiner up on the inner 1/4,

quick guess either jets blocked or it froze over created to much pressure

and that was the weakest link of the chain,

push a pin gently into the jet to clear it, just to make sure.

PoloD - thanks very much, looking forward to getting it sorted out!!

boy_lard100 - thanks, the torx bolts are from the other side so i can't remove them. the jet isn't blocked etc as I tried all that first, so I've no idea why it disconnected.

The pipe connecter you are looking for is under the carpet next to the top of the seat in the back I glued mine together but the problem was the wash-wipe unit itself. Does your water squirt in one place or does it sweep the rear screen?

Quick search found this.

Before it stopped working was the water spray sweeping or just squirting in one place? I noticed mine had started sweeping. I took the rear panel off I removed motor assembly and took it to bits, the spray tube that would normally stay still had broken and the water had filled the motor with water also there is a circuit board which controls intermitant and a set of gears all of which were completely fooked after a nice long soak. After several attempts at fixing I had to give in and buy a new one £90. IIRC, VW only aswell

P.S. my tube had disconnected next to rear seat on pas side but mine was 5 door don't know if 3 door is the same.

[/quote

i honestly can't remember what it was doing because it was months and months ago since it has worked. from what i can remember the water swept with the wiper. it didn't go up straight. does that mean the whole thing is fooked?

it's a 3 door, so where does the pipe sit? the water is coming down from behind that pillar running into the boot but i don't know how to get the panel off to reconnect it.

"The pipe connecter you are looking for is under the carpet next to the top of the seat in the back I glued mine together but the problem was the wash-wipe unit itself."

Hi Lisa,

UK Polos are still down. Right, here is a pdf of the article I was looking for (the picures are a bit small, but you're quick off the mark!) - it's a guide for replacing the roof arial but it shows how to take the c pillar trim off.

Almost there...

http://rapidshare.com/files/177490602/roof...cement.pdf.html

PoloD.

Edited 28 December, 200817 yr by PoloD

i honestly can't remember what it was doing because it was months and months ago since it has worked. from what i can remember the water swept with the wiper. it didn't go up straight. does that mean the whole thing is fooked?

Get some one to have a look at the rear wiper while it is moving, if the spray nozel moves around with the wiper then the spray tube is broken inside. If you sort your pipe problem I would not use the water unless you want to fook the whole wiper assembly. The motor shaft that the wiper arm attaches to is hollow and the spray tube goes up the center of it. These parts are made of brass (spray tube) and alluminium (motor shaft) when wet these two metals corrode and the result is they bind together. Because the wiper motor is quite powerfull it will break the thin brass spray tube if they bind up enough. If this happens every time you spray the water jet some water will get to the screen but some will also leak out of the split, because the electrics are mounted in the same assembly they will eventually get wet and fail. Also the water will dribble down the inside of the bootlid and get on the lock assembly, you will notice when the 'bootlid open light' comes on intermitantly for no reason. Also your rear wiper will start acting odd by stopping in the wrong place or not stopping at all.

As I said in other posts its £90 for the motor assembly VW only, or breakers for second hand but then that one will probably be fooked too.

Hope this helps.

Phew

"The pipe connecter you are looking for is under the carpet next to the top of the seat in the back I glued mine together but the problem was the wash-wipe unit itself."

Hi Lisa,

UK Polos are still down. Right, here is a pdf of the article I was looking for (the picures are a bit small, but you're quick off the mark!) - it's a guide for replacing the roof arial but it shows how to take the c pillar trim off.

Almost there...

http://rapidshare.com/files/177490602/roof...cement.pdf.html

PoloD.

thanks, i had a look at that there - guess the c pillar trim just pulls off in the same way? I have been out at the car there for a couple of hours and I'm freeing but i suppose i could go back out :( lol

Thanks for all the help :)

Lisa.

i honestly can't remember what it was doing because it was months and months ago since it has worked. from what i can remember the water swept with the wiper. it didn't go up straight. does that mean the whole thing is fooked?

Get some one to have a look at the rear wiper while it is moving, if the spray nozel moves around with the wiper then the spray tube is broken inside. If you sort your pipe problem I would not use the water unless you want to fook the whole wiper assembly. The motor shaft that the wiper arm attaches to is hollow and the spray tube goes up the center of it. These parts are made of brass (spray tube) and alluminium (motor shaft) when wet these two metals corrode and the result is they bind together. Because the wiper motor is quite powerfull it will break the thin brass spray tube if they bind up enough. If this happens every time you spray the water jet some water will get to the screen but some will also leak out of the split, because the electrics are mounted in the same assembly they will eventually get wet and fail. Also the water will dribble down the inside of the bootlid and get on the lock assembly, you will notice when the 'bootlid open light' comes on intermitantly for no reason. Also your rear wiper will start acting odd by stopping in the wrong place or not stopping at all.

As I said in other posts its £90 for the motor assembly VW only, or breakers for second hand but then that one will probably be fooked too.

Hope this helps.

Phew

yeah i can remember the water jet moved with the wiper :( so if i dont use it how do i solve the problem? will i need a whole new motor if it aint already fooked?

Thanks (Y)

ok, so I have gotten in begind the c pillar trim and the pipe is behing the metal shell, not just in there. but from the way it looks and what i can feel everything is ok. is there another join somewhere in there or is there a way of getting in behind that to look further?

Cheers

yeah i can remember the water jet moved with the wiper :( so if i dont use it how do i solve the problem? will i need a whole new motor if it aint already fooked?

Thanks (Y)

If you don't use the rear washer and the wiper still works then you don't need to do anything if you can live without the rear washer!

If you continue using the rear washer and the pipe is indeed broken then you can wait to see if it does leak onto the electrics and into the gearbox(wiper gearbox) when the wiper stops working or blows a fuse or your rear bootlid light comes on or your rear door central locking stops working or smoke starts rising from the rear screen, then you will have no rear wiper.

You could also dewiper it you'll only need a rubber gromit.

BTW the motor-gearbox-washer unit is only available in one peice, no parts, it's only 4 bolts and an electrical connector to fit. Just make sure the wiper arm is put on in the right place (pop the arm up in the air after doing up the bolt and give the switch a couple of prods to make sure it's stops where it should) or you could scratch your paint.

Hey, I know what you mean about cold - have just grazed the entire back of my hand changing ignition leads. It stings and burns and I can't feel it all at the same time.

I'm having a mental block about where the water is gushing from... From what you're saying water is gushing at some point after the c pillar and the termination at the wash wipe motor. I even went out and had a look at my car but came in because it's so cold!

I guess the easiest way is to try and trace the pipe with someone doing test presses on the wash wipe to see where it's coming from.

PoloD.

well abused 5 door - everything working now its just every time i press the button the water gushed into my boot. but the wiper is working just fine and no smoke or intermittant lights etc!! I'm thinking i can live without the rear washer!! Thanks.

PoloD - aww thats not nice!! hope its ok!

i got my sister to press the button for me (much to her annoyance....). i just has the boot carpet all pulled back and got her do press it. the water was gushing down in the passengers side of the boot, over the rear wheel arch, over all the electrics for rear lights, boot light and power supply in there. you know where i mean? it was coming down from below the c pillar panel. but after pulling it all back today i can't see / feel any disconnected bits. but i was on my own so couldnt do both unfortunately. :(

Lisa.