With the temperatures about 0 this morning after driving for a bit I thought I’d see if the windscreen washers had unfrozen.

Normally, you can hear the motor even if the screenwash is frozen but today there was only silence.

Any ideas whether this is likely to mean a new pump is needed?

It’s a Toyota Corolla, affects both front and rear washers.

Is it worth just waiting for the ‘warm’ weather at the weekend and seeing if it magically sorts itself out.

My Ford did exactly this last week in Germany. No noise from the pump at all.
Started working again 3 days later…..

Probably just means the fluid that’s in the pump is frozen solid so the pump can’t actually turn… try again mid afternoon (if we crack into positive figures)! And stick a bottle of fluid in your car so you can at least get out and rinse it manually if needed.

Ford appear to have a habit of putting the washer bottles low down near the wheelarch – it takes them ages to thaw out if they’re really frozen. I don’t know about the Corolla, but it does seem likely that the pump could be frozen.

Yeah my focus does it. When it gets really cold you get nothing but it’ll work once thawed out. I wouldn’t keep trying to make it work though as I assume the fuse will blow or you’ll damage the motor.

Either what he said or the fuse can blow if the wipers are stuck- but unlikely to be the motor

Wipers work fine. Fingers crossed it will sort itself out. Can manage without the car until the weekend when it’ll be warmer.

A stronger mix of washer additive might have been a good idea 🙄

Wee on the pump! 😉

The curtain twitchers will LOVE IT.

It had the concentrated stuff in it neat, which you’re normally meant to dilute 1:1 with water for ‘winter conditions’

-14 here yesterday though and I’m not sure that’s the winter conditions they had in mind.

wee on the pump

That would require more gymnastic and balancing skills than I possess

Dibbs – Member
A stronger mix of washer additive might have been a good idea

+1. When the weather turns crap, we tend to move towards neat screenwash top ups, no complaints from wifey so far about frozen washer jets or screenwash freezing on the screen. She does lots of motorway miles so the car is subject to a large amount of that annoying salt spray that can really obscure vision.

Probably the fuse, had it go on a hire care last week.

I am using neat ‘concentrated’ screenwash already

What PhotoTim said.
If the water inside the pump has frozen,then keeping on trying will burn the motor out or blow the fuse.
Suck the water out of the reservoir if you can.
Partly refill with hot water.
Wait for it to melt the remaining ice around the pump.
Pump it through.
Refill with neat screenwash.
Flush the water through.

Can too much screen wash damage paint work though? I have been using what I thought was strong, but certainly not 1-1 and I have had no water at this week apart from one afternoon.

Had to keep stopping at Junctions on the M1 to chuck snow on the windscreen!

Came to go home, and although only -1 whatever was frozen was unfrozen and washers working again 🙂

Think it is probably a fuse, have alook at the ownes manual and try replacing it before worying about the motor.

It has happened 4 times with my Astra, bad thing about it is when the washer fuse blows it also locks the boot, meaning you cant get into the back of the car to get a screwdriver, pliers etc. Real ***k design.

whatever was frozen was unfrozen and washers working again

Excellent stuff.