My washer started acting like it was having prostate problems with the stream getting weaker and weaker. I thought the pump was failing and decided to see how hard it was to get to.

YouTube vids and some threads are of the "Very easy, 3 screws and a couple plastic rivets and you're there" sort. The owner's manual even says to go this way to change a headlight.

Nope. Took out the pertinent screws and the plastic rivet wouldn't budge. I actually broke my (plastic) trim tool trying! I switched to a metal tool and, with many words I'd rather my mother never thought I knew, finally managed to get one rivet out.

Then I started wrestling with the fender well. More bad words and impercations, I think I may have cursed some designers, too. I finally got it out of the way enough to get to the pump motor, but it was quite an unexpected struggle. The electrical connector and outlet hoses weren't too bad but it was also a struggle to pop out the motor itself. (And this would _not_ be the time for you to ask if I had drained all the fluid first.)

My reward for all this was to find the filter screen on the inlet side was clogged pretty badly. With what I am not sure. I've used store-bought, pre-mixed washer fluid (+32° formula) up until now. After cleaning it as best I could (I couldn't find a way to separate the screen from the pump), I re-assembled everything and it's working like new.

TL;DR here
So, two questions:
1) ANY suggestions, tips, tricks on how to get up behind the fender well would be greatly appreciated. The sheet metal where the screws go is just enough of a bulge that I really struggled to move the fender well part past them.
2) Would it be easier to pull the battery and its platform to get to the pump motor? From where I was looking into the wheel well, that looked viable but I've never heard/read about doing it that way.

This one little service took me all of a Sunday afternoon!

 

A bump before it clogs again and Ssnta changes my list.

 

Did you remove the check valve?

 

Yes, but please understand that thd pump, down by the wheel, is what was clogged. Thay means the offending material got in through the reservoir.

 

The tube that comes from the reservoir (washer fluid tank) that connects to the tee that is up behind/by the battery that feeds the wipers can be unplugged.

Unplug it and blow into it. You can hear the bubbles in the tank, it will help dislodge the crud that is accumulating on the screen in the washer fluid tank.

Also, be sure and use the washer occasionally.

 

Remove the passenger front wheel and liner. I changed my pump in 10 minutes.

 

Any tips? After taking out the screws I struggled with the plastic rivets and then just couldn't flex the liner enough.

 

I just took a small fork pry bar behind the head and popped them out. I pulled the liner out of the outer wheel well and didn't have any flex or access issues.

 

I must have gotten the SupeRivets then. My fork-shaped tool broke!

So you took the whole thing out? I started from the Owner Guide for changing the headlight. It says that you can just move it out of the way without removing it completely.

 

No, I think I left one screw in. I was able to easily move it out of the way to remove the pump. I did replace the tree style push pins when I put it back together as I had new ones in the garage.