Rear screen washer jet v90

[derek vivian]

I find that the rear screen washer jet on my V90 (1997) is not working. The wiper is OK and I thought perhaps the feed pipe or jet was frozen, but it has now been parked on my drive in sunshine for several hours and still no washer jet. The front screen is working OK. Does anyone know what might be the problem please?

[volvo always]

If it's like a 940 the rear wash has a separate washer pump. Can you hear it buzz when stalk is pressed? If so disconnect the hose at pump and see if it sprays. Then find a join near washer nozzle and try again.

On my 940 estate there is a join on the drivers side above the wheel arch/ rear door frame at side of seat back on the drivers side.

On my 940 this is what had disconnected. washer worked but leaking into top of wheel arch side well boot floor cupboards.

James

[Steve 940]

Hi Derek,

Sorry to hear of your problem with the rear screen wash, and hopefully some of the users on here with actual experience of your model might be able to suggest some first places to start checking.

As best guess, could be blocked wash nozzle, or perhaps pipe may have come off the pump???

I only wanted to mention I had a similar problem with my old '56 Audi Allroad and non functioning rear wash. And I'd just suggest don't just keep trying to push the rear wash!!

Bit of a cautionary tale, but hopefully Volvo designed the V90 better, in my old Audi the rear screen washer tube had a plastic joiner around the rear hatch hinge on the nearside.

If the rear wash pipe in the hatch freezes, and driver presses for wash, the pressure had a habit of popping the joiner apart at the hinge area. Doesn't sound too bad, until I found out that the resulting water ran down inside the rear D pillar trim, and if you were unlucky it would find it's way into the various electronic modules that were helpfully placed behind the rear side trim panel. This included Sat Nav CD changer.... not a great design.

Good luck with tracing the fault, and hopefully a simple fix can be suggested.

Cheers
Steve

[bob12]

Assuming the rear wash/wipe is a hangover from the 745/940's and, also assuming it's not the rear pump in the screenwash tank or any of the joints at the back end, I would suspect that either the rear pipeline oneway valve has disentigrated as a result of age and blocked the feed to the jet or, that the jet itself is blocked.

Depending on design the jet fitment on the tailgate can be removed and taken to pieces for cleaning. Alternatively the oneway valve is usually situated behind the jet under the tailgate trim or in the area of the offside D post.

To test the pump you can separate the pipework under the cargo space lid and see if water flows out when you activate the pump.

Bob

[Laird Scooby]

All the good advice is already on here Derek, i need to do the same job on my 760 soon.

[J liddy]

If its only just happened in this cold weather eliminat that first so wait till weather warmer . I had the odd blockage in my 940 1995 model I used my compressor with the air gun but only a slight touch on the trigger be handy to have 2 people blow from washer bottle end pipe there was a small amount of debris you will need to access the pipe in the boot thinking there's a joint behind rear light cluster but not sure I will check mine for you .we have had more snow this morning
So wait a while till I get to it

[derek vivian]

Hi Steve,
Thanks for your helpful post. I think I would be best to wait until warmer weather (my V90 sits on my drive) then see if I can find why the washer is not working which it was until the cold snap. What I would like to know is the route of the washer tube from the reservoir to the jet above the tail gate. Does anyone know please? Derek

[jpliddy]

the route is along the top of the cills covers into the boot then in the boot you can remove narrow trim when the boot is lifted up on the estate model i will check
you can expose the rubber end so you can blow out from the resivor end
im sure there is a joint somewhere behind the rear light cluster panel too
on the estate car

[derek vivian]

Thanks for advising the route of the washer tube, but mine seems to go from the jet then forward under the roof covering some how. Then to where I cannot see and I don't have a workshop manual for the V90. I don't think one washer ever published. So it seems I must wait for warmer weather to see if it was just frozen tube! Thanks all. Derek

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by derek vivian

Thanks for advising the route of the washer tube, but mine seems to go from the jet then forward under the roof covering some how. Then to where I cannot see and I don't have a workshop manual for the V90. I don't think one washer ever published. So it seems I must wait for warmer weather to see if it was just frozen tube! Thanks all. Derek

From the jet it goes forward then to the right of the car (as if viewed from the drivers seat) then down the D pillar and along the floor to the sills, along the sills, up the drivers wheelarch inside the car and exits near the bonnet hinge on the drivers side of the engine bay through the bulkhead.
Then it follows the inner wing near where the outer wing bolts on towards the drivers headlamp then across in front of the radiator to behind the passenger headlamp and down to the washer bottle.

On turbocharged cars, the washer bottle is behind the drivers headlamp, not sure on diseasels.

I would start by locating the rear wash pump on the reservoir (it has one tube that doesn't split into a T- piece or T valve for the headlamp washers) and follow that along to the first join/non-return valve (NRV) and siconnect just before that join/NRV then test the operation to make sure fluid came out at that point when the rear washers are operated.
Of so, reconnect and follow to the next join/NRV and repeat until you find the blockage.

Many of the jet housings on the tailgate can be pulled off and the flow checked there and the jet housing dropped in a strong solution of white vinegar to soak and remove limescale/other dirt or debris.