***Update*** HELP-200 Series Windscreen Washers Not Working

[Eire32]

Hi everyone

Unfortunately this happens when I’m on the road with family and not back at home, with tools etc or the local shop.

But today while driving the windscreen wash was working, then I noticed it barely come out, then stopped completely, the back windscreen wash then stopped working also.

It was 28f when it happened, and, as far as I know only Rain-X windscreen wash fluid was in the reservoir after the dealer.

The pump is making noise when I call for wash, but nothing comes out. I checked the lines and again I don’t have any tools with me cos I’m on a family road trip, but I believe the line runs on the driver side via a black tube and then turns 90 degrees under a plastic cover over the windscreen wash ejectors. My suspicion is a line disconnected in there somewhere but I’ve no idea what you call that part or even how to remove it to inspect the line

Can anyone help here?

Again, reservoir is full, topped it off with -25f fluid today after this issue happened and I believe it had rain-x windscreen fluid in there before. The motor is making noise when I pull the lever. But nothing comes out the ejectors.
I wiped the ejectors to make sure no ice or dirt blocking both of them, and rubbed it with a rag and pours the -25f liquid on top of them in case any issue. Used a paper clip on them to make sure nothing blocking.

Any suggestions?
And bear in mind I’m on the road but really need this resolved asap as it’s snowing and the worst time this could happen

 

[GrouchyTech]

Hold the lever for about 6-10 seconds, check the area where fluid is dipping from. Could have some rodent damage.

 

[CanadianRockyCruiser]

Yeah, if you can find the leak, some duct tape or electrical tape will probably serve as a stop-gap until you can replace the line.

The following diagram is from a 2013 LX, but I imagine the LC200 is similar.
I am sure that you could retrofit a piece of hose of similar diameter from any autoparts store. If you happen to be near toyota, the hose part number 9009933080 is the first line from the reservoir.

Alternatively, if the motor is that part number is 8533060190 .

​

 

[Eire32]

***Update***
So the 200 was left parked in an insulated garage for the last 3 days.
I go back and the windscreen wash is working again.

Which now confirms
The pump is working
The plumbing isn’t leaking

I then had to drive again through temps as low as 16f, not including the wind chill that comes in play when driving 65+mph

I then thought the dealership must have been diluting down the windscreen wash (last serviced in a southern state)
It was def windscreen wash because of its color

So I tried to flush it as much as possible which driving and it was working 2+ hours into the drive then the passenger side ejector froze and an hour or so later the driver side froze. But the rear one kept working
It didn’t work again the rest of the trip even though I topped up with Rain-x extreme (-25f) to diluted out the possibly contaminated wash

Once I got home the temperature came up to 25f and I tried it again before turning off the vehicle and again both sides working

Unless there’s something else going on, I’m assuming here that the seal shop was diluting the windscreen wash and whatever is left in my reservoir is freezing up in the lines

Anyone else have another suggestion?
(When it’s frozen I can hear the pump when I pull the over, so I’m not thinking that’s the issue)

 

[04UZJ100]

***Update***
So the 200 was left parked in an insulated garage for the last 3 days.
I go back and the windscreen wash is working again.

Which now confirms
The pump is working
The plumbing isn’t leaking

I then had to drive again through temps as low as 16f, not including the wind chill that comes in play when driving 65+mph

I then thought the dealership must have been diluting down the windscreen wash (last serviced in a southern state)
It was def windscreen wash because of its color

So I tried to flush it as much as possible which driving and it was working 2+ hours into the drive then the passenger side ejector froze and an hour or so later the driver side froze. But the rear one kept working
It didn’t work again the rest of the trip even though I topped up with Rain-x extreme (-25f) to diluted out the possibly contaminated wash

Once I got home the temperature came up to 25f and I tried it again before turning off the vehicle and again both sides working

Unless there’s something else going on, I’m assuming here that the seal shop was diluting the windscreen wash and whatever is left in my reservoir is freezing up in the lines

Anyone else have another suggestion?
(When it’s frozen I can hear the pump when I pull the over, so I’m not thinking that’s the issue)

Physical equipment does not experience wind chill like we do. Whatever the ambient is is what the equipment experiences.

 

[Eire32]

Physical equipment does not experience wind chill like we do. Whatever the ambient is is what the equipment experiences.

Yeh I figured just trying to exhaust any sort of possibility

Outside of the dealership diluting down their windscreen wash or using something pathetic with not much margin for a freeze I don’t know what else to suggest

Any ideas ?

 

[KLF]

Many years ago I bought a beautiful Lexus ES330 on eBay from a dealership in Texas. Had it shipped up to me in NH. First really cold day, no more windshield washer, stopped working. Had to park the car in a heated shop at work for the day. It took quite a bit of flushing to get all the old fluid out and new stuff fully through the lines.

It takes longer than you think. Get it warm, and keep flushing.

 

[Eire32]

Many years ago I bought a beautiful Lexus ES330 on eBay from a dealership in Texas. Had it shipped up to me in NH. First really cold day, no more windshield washer, stopped working. Had to park the car in a heated shop at work for the day. It took quite a bit of flushing to get all the old fluid out and new stuff fully through the lines.

It takes longer than you think. Get it warm, and keep flushing.

Did you just keep your hand on the lever until it ran empty?
I’ve heard you can burn out a pump if you do this as it’s only meant for small bursts

If not just tell me and I’ll drain it that way

 

[gaijin]

Did you just keep your hand on the lever until it ran empty?
I’ve heard you can burn out a pump if you do this as it’s only meant for small bursts

If not just tell me and I’ll drain it that way

I'd recommend using a washer fluid that gives you a larger safety margin against freezing, like this as an example which protects down to -30 DegF:

HTH

 

[KLF]

Did you just keep your hand on the lever until it ran empty?
I’ve heard you can burn out a pump if you do this as it’s only meant for small bursts

If not just tell me and I’ll drain it that way

I sucked out as much as I could (turkey baster?), I may have even pulled the entire reservoir out and dumped it out. This would be difficult with the 200-series, since it's mostly buried behind the driver's front fender. Maybe you can just remove the front tire and inner fender liner, and drain the tank by gravity somehow. Yeah, I wouldn't run the pump for very long, just ~10-sec bursts at a time.

 

[GrouchyTech]

I sucked out as much as I could (turkey baster?), I may have even pulled the entire reservoir out and dumped it out. This would be difficult with the 200-series, since it's mostly buried behind the driver's front fender. Maybe you can just remove the front tire and inner fender liner, and drain the tank by gravity somehow. Yeah, I wouldn't run the pump for very long, just ~10-sec bursts at a time.

If you pull one of the lines off the reservoir it’ll drain via gravity.

 

[TheIcemanCometh]

Instead of trying to drain the system buy some alcohol and dump it. Depending on how much one adds it will lower the freezing point considerably.