Windshield washer not working

1997 Toyota Tacoma, reg cab. My windshield washer quit working. The wipers both work, but when I try to activate washer, there is no noise from the pump motor. Have not been able to locate the fuse for the washer motor, in order to check fuse before buying a pump. Any advice is appreciated.

 

Put a test light on the pumps wiring harness plug and hit the switch, if you have a light... There's power if not gota find the fuse. Good luck OP

 

Thanks, will get a test lite tomorrow.

 

If its getting power then try blowing a small burst of compressed air through your hoses, Mine got gunked up one time. Id also advise removing your tank and cleaning the motor as it also had gunk all in it

 

^^^^ this

pull the tank and clean it out and the pump then you can test it, its unbelievable the amount of trash and crap that gets in there and it can turn to cement like crud from just letting the fluid dry up in there

 

Power coming to the connection, bought new pump which runs on jumper wire, but not when plugged in, must be in my connection. Checking further later.

 

Many thanks for the replys.

 

the wire might be bad. people often don't realize you can read voltage on a wire but still not get power from it. you see the wire might have a physical connection of a single strand or two so it reads 12v but that's not enough to power anything for it to run.

try this, find the wire up by the fender well and cut the wire, then connect a wire from it to the pump and see if it runs, if so then the wire went bad down in the wheel well which is where it is most likely going to be. if it still doesn't work then the issue might be in the steering wheel switch.

 

Thanks, will try in couple of days when I can get back to it. One thing I failed to mention....I get power to the connection whether or not I am pushing the washer switch. Could it be that the switch just completes the ground, with the positive always hot?

 

not sure, lots of things on our truck are switched through the ground circuits so its possible.

to test connect a ground wire to it and touch the power wire at the pump to see if that wire is good

 

Thanks, will check that out.

 

Hey OP, any update? My washer fluid recently stopped working too, wipers still work fine though, I just haven't had to time to look into it yet..

 

Now it's my turn. Same symptoms as above. Any word?

 

Same thing here. 2011.. what's the easiest way to check for power?

 

Check fuses first. On first gens, the washer motor is in the front passenger wheel well. After making sure the fuse was in good shape, I pulled the connector at the motor and checked for power. There was none so on further investigation I was able to trace a break in the wire up a few inches from the connector. That solved that. Good luck.

EDIT: second gens have some funny stuff going on with the spiral connector in the steering wheel. Some were replaced under an extended warranty if I remember right. That might have something to do with it, but not 100%. Worth looking into, though.

 

Update? Mine aren't working but I hear the pump. I pulled the hose from under the hood that supplies fluid to the sprayers and little fluid comes out. Do I need to clean the tank and lines then?

 

Could it be cold temperature that stopped it from working? Mine didn't work at 0 degrees today

 

Nah I'm in san diego, never freezes. Must be clogged, I didn't know if there's a particular place to check/change? I'm also gonna have to replace my reservoir because it's cracking at the neck.

 

Haha, never freezes...that's awesome.

I've seen the spray nozzle clogged and fixed using a safety pin. Best of luck

 

It was -16 below where I live. Pump stopped working. I tested the connection and it lit the test light up. Pump wasn't coming on I figured it bit the dust. Found a reservoir on e-bay. It's a tad bit smaller but it bolted right up to my inner fender - under the hood. Re-routed wires and hose and works like a charm. Drivers side nozzle is natorious for getting clogged. I thawed it out (frozen from not being used) and blew compressed air and nothing came through it. Replaced with a universal NAPA one and it works.

You don't know how important those windshield squirters are until it's winter, there is MAG water all over the road and covers the windshield. Not fun working on it the depths of Winter either!

In my case it was the pump going bad because at full lock my tire kept rubbing it. Probably a combination of old part and hitting it.