Winshield Wiper Fluid Not Coming Out...

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Old Dec 18, 2007 | 07:44 AM
  #1  
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Winshield Wiper Fluid Not Coming Out...

....and I'm damn confused. This has never happened to me before. I refilled when it stopped and have tried a bunch to get my wiper fluid to come out, but to no avail. I'd consult the manual, but (long story), it's not currently in my posession.

Any help for a home fix before I take it in would be greatly appreciated, especially before hitting those Chicago streets!
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Old Dec 18, 2007 | 08:18 AM
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From: New York City | Stuck in Traffic
mmmh let me see what is the temperature where you live?
could it be frozen?
just a thought
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Old Dec 18, 2007 | 08:22 AM
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Refilled it with what? Water?
Gotta use the good stuff that protects to -30 for your area.
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Old Dec 18, 2007 | 08:23 AM
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Quick question. When you start the car does your Auto Dimlight on your R.view mirror light up? Or does one of your side mirrors swivel when you throw the car in reverse? If that's the case it's a blown fuse.
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Old Dec 18, 2007 | 08:28 AM
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Also, if everything is working properly feel the washer fluid lines and check out the nozzles where they spray from. If the lines are frozen they just need to be warmed and if it's just the nozzles just use a needle head to poke open the holes
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Old Dec 18, 2007 | 08:43 AM
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Originally Posted by fokkerfitch83
Quick question. When you start the car does your Auto Dimlight on your R.view mirror light up? Or does one of your side mirrors swivel when you throw the car in reverse? If that's the case it's a blown fuse.
^^This is spot on. Another check would be (with the car not started but in the ON postion) to turn off the HVAC fan and the radio too and then pull the stalk back that will spray the fluid, you should hear the pump if he there is no problem. Lots of people have had the blown fuse problem, myself included, and Acura's fix is to replace that 5 amp that was there with a 10 amp. You could do it yourself or take it to Acura and have them fix it and make note that they did. I know when this happened to me I couldn't have needed it more that day. Good luck.
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Old Dec 18, 2007 | 10:11 AM
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Been there ......... if it's like 10 or lower out and you're driving down the highway for an exented period of time the fluid will freeze. This is with normal fluid that supposedly holds to - 20 degrees. I guess the wind chill does that. I had that happen and the only thing I could do is grab a jug from a gas station and stop every so often to dump some on the car........ a tad annoying ..... Later after the car sat for a while the fluid thawed out and it started working again. However, i swear someone from canada said that canadian tls have heated washer fluid. If that's acutally true, doing that mod might help.
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Old Dec 18, 2007 | 10:31 AM
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From: Marietta JAWGA
Originally Posted by fokkerfitch83
Quick question. When you start the car does your Auto Dimlight on your R.view mirror light up? Or does one of your side mirrors swivel when you throw the car in reverse? If that's the case it's a blown fuse.
Are the mirrors supposed to go down in the 6 speeds as well?
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Old Dec 18, 2007 | 12:35 PM
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Wax gets in the sprayer holes so poke them with the needle
Get a small piece of reflectex from hardware store and suround the washer bottle with it.
That should keep fluid warmer. Wind chill freezes fluid- thats something the engineers never thought of.

Anyone got a safe product to use for those of us where they dont sell -30 fluid, and we still like to visit the cold and snow??
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Old Dec 18, 2007 | 01:21 PM
  #10  
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From: Chicago, IL
NICE.

Blown fuse it is! I totally should have thought of this. As usual, this forum rules. Thanks for all the good ideas.

In response to the other stuff, yeah I use the good stuff. It's garaged, and while not heated, is certainly well above freezing at the moment. I did the hot water thing too, to no avail.

Completely forgot about the fuse thing. Glad I'm a regular here!
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Old Dec 18, 2007 | 06:19 PM
  #11  
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From: Chicago, IL
Just got the new fuse. Interestingly enough, it was #20 on the panel inside the cabin that was blown but there was no little pincher thingy to pull them out with. A nice guy in the store actually let me use the one from his car (along with his flashlight) to make the exchange.

Long story short -- do any of your TLs have the fuse grabber-thingy in the cabin fusebox? If not, where the hell is it located for future reference?
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Old Dec 18, 2007 | 06:47 PM
  #12  
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From: Marietta JAWGA
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Old Dec 18, 2007 | 08:52 PM
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Originally Posted by ..Mark..
Are the mirrors supposed to go down in the 6 speeds as well?
Yes they will tilt down in the 6 speed too (works in mine). You just need to select the right or left mirror and that mirror will tilt down when you put the car in reverse. If you're in the middle neither will tilt down.
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Old Dec 18, 2007 | 09:28 PM
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Originally Posted by 01tl4tl
Wax gets in the sprayer holes so poke them with the needle
Get a small piece of reflectex from hardware store and suround the washer bottle with it.
That should keep fluid warmer. Wind chill freezes fluid- thats something the engineers never thought of.

Anyone got a safe product to use for those of us where they dont sell -30 fluid, and we still like to visit the cold and snow??
Umm... While wind can increase the rate at which a liquid cools, the liquid will never get colder than the temperature of the air that's cooling it. In other words, there's no such thing as "Wind Chill" for inanimate objects.

So washer fluid that's supposed to be good to -20 won't freeze at -19, regardless of the wind speed.
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Old Dec 18, 2007 | 10:06 PM
  #15  
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Originally Posted by ZeeJM
Umm... While wind can increase the rate at which a liquid cools, the liquid will never get colder than the temperature of the air that's cooling it. In other words, there's no such thing as "Wind Chill" for inanimate objects.

So washer fluid that's supposed to be good to -20 won't freeze at -19, regardless of the wind speed.
^^^This is a true statement. That kills that windchill theory (and while we are at it the whole idea of quickly cooling a beverage). That also explains why cars cooling systems (radiators) don't cool well even at speed in extreme heat. Check it out: http://www.weather.gov/os/windchill/...glossary.shtml (note the .gov for authenticity).

12. Does windchill only apply to people and animals?

Yes. The only effect windchill has on inanimate objects, such as car radiators and water pipes, is to more quickly cool the object to cool to the current air temperature. Object will NOT cool below the actual air temperature. For example, if the temperature outside is -5 degrees Fahrenheit and the windchill temperature is -31 degrees Fahrenheit, then your car's radiator will not drop lower than -5 degrees F.
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Old Dec 19, 2007 | 06:23 AM
  #16  
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From: Marietta JAWGA
Originally Posted by fish008
Yes they will tilt down in the 6 speed too (works in mine). You just need to select the right or left mirror and that mirror will tilt down when you put the car in reverse. If you're in the middle neither will tilt down.
Never knew that.. I've only had my car for 1 month or so.. Thanks.
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Old Dec 19, 2007 | 06:29 AM
  #17  
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From: Marietta JAWGA
Originally Posted by 01tl4tl

Anyone got a safe product to use for those of us where they dont sell -30 fluid, and we still like to visit the cold and snow??
When i lived in NY i used to mix some rubbing alcohol in w/ the fluid for the colder months. Its freezing temp is somthing like -115 degrees.

Never frooze on me..
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Old Dec 19, 2007 | 07:19 AM
  #18  
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From: Southern NJ

I carry a red one of these in my change pocket of my jeans at all times. It's perfect for yanking out a fuse. I Love it!
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Old Sep 1, 2010 | 12:08 PM
  #19  
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there is also a fuse puller inside the fuse box in the engine bay.

only reason I know this is because I am having a washer pump issue right now I'm trying to figure out and its not the fuse.
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Old Dec 28, 2010 | 12:45 PM
  #20  
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2007 TL
I'm having the same problem with my washer fluid pump. My fuse #20 in the cabin (down by the hood releae latch mechanism) checks out good and there's power at the fuse socket. Is the another fuse to check.

Also, I cannot hear the pump when pulling the stalk back.

My auto dim light on my r view does light up when the car is started. I thought it was supposed to. How is that tied to the fuse?

Any suggestions or test methods?

Thanks,
Doug
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Old Dec 28, 2010 | 01:14 PM
  #21  
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From: MAGA country
Originally Posted by rooster67
...My auto dim light on my r view does light up when the car is started. I thought it was supposed to. How is that tied to the fuse?
Yes, it's supposed to be on (assuming you have the switch on the bottom of the mirror pressed in/up).

Fuse #20 controls the washer pump, auto-dim mirror, and power mirror controls.

If the light in the mirror is on, it's not the fuse. Either you have a loose connection, the pump is fried, or the switch is bad...

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Old Dec 28, 2010 | 01:24 PM
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cool. I'm geting ready to remove the inner fender to gain access to the pump.

Thanks,

Doug
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Old Dec 28, 2010 | 04:24 PM
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I replaced the pump and it works fine now.

Doug
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Old Dec 28, 2010 | 04:29 PM
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