Hello my windshield washer fluid is not spraying, I can hear the pump but nothing happens. I've checked the nozzle and there's no snow or ice. 2016XLT, first winter with it.

Anyone else have this problem with -20c temps?

 

Frozen...

 

Had this problem last winter, and this winter. You can try to poke the nozzles with a needle. But I usually keep pressing the button (not for too long of a hold) and eventually you start seeing bubbles, and then a little dribble, and then bam, spraying again. I've gotten into the habit of making sure they're cleared BEFORE driving because it really sucks on the highway when you really need it.


I've tried searching for heated nozzles but nobody makes them for the F-150... Getting a washer fluid heater won't help either. Sucks.


And yes I use washer fluid good for -45 degrees, so it's definitely not frozen.

 

Drain the fluid and refill with low temp stuff. Frozen fluid is no fun. I've had to resort to tailgating semi's to get enough water on my windshield to clear it off. Scary when you can't see going 70mph.

 

The alcohol evaporates at the nozzle and leaves - water! Which freezes. Doesn't matter what your fluid is rated for, it just won't freeze in the reservoir.

Mercedes has heated nozzles and runs a coil from the radiator through the fluid to heat it in the tank. Ford just cheaped out, again.

 

I have had summer fluid in my old truck that froze in the reservoir. I would check and make sure that's not what's in it first.

 

There were quite a few complaints about this last winter from people who used -40F fluid. Some were saying drilling out the check valve in the hose to the nozzles solved the problem.

 

Most common cause other than not having winter fluid,, is the check valve is frozen up.. it's a poor design and gets rain water in the valve part that controls the washer fluid from back flowing.. There is a TSB out on this,,, but lots of us have just bypassed the check valve or drilled it out..

 

This ^^^

Either drill it out or just remove it.

 

Yep, I had this issue. Check valve. I drilled mine out. No problems since.