fix windscreen washers on Vauxhall Vectra Life 54 plate?

Another really helpful article, hopefully this has solved the issue for me. The wheel arch liner on my Vectra 2007 1.9CDTI SRI 150-XP had four screws, and many of the aforementioned plastic clips....as expected i lost most of them!! Apart from getting a face-full of washer fluid when i pulled the gromit out (should have expected that really!) it was really simple.

Thanks!

tejdavies
December 2013

Many thanks to Ross K for the detailed description as to remove the washer filter, it took me a hour for tools out to tools away! Filter was full of gunk, cleaned and working a treat!!!

Pgreenh
November 2013

When you push out the centre of 2 of the plastic pop rivets they fall into the car frame and are lost. I found a 5mm rawlplug served just fine as a replacement and also left me something to pull the damn things out again. Ross K's the man! Good advice.

Phil
March 2013

were is water pipe

david
February 2013

How can I remove the front wheel arch splash covers, I can't see any screws but can see pot rivots or something like that?
I have a Vectra 2.2 sri 2004 and have the same problems with washer jets not producing enough from the jets but pump seems to be working.

redperil
February 2013

Thanks again to the Man - problem solved. I ran the wheel up on a concrete block and lay down on a rug. No need to remove wheel. Pushed pump upwards to release, this exposed rubber grommet (which is the filter). Removed and cleaned with toothbrush, put a plug in resevoir and filled with hot water and bleech. Removed plug, hosed out (surprised how much dirt), and reassembled grommet and pump.
Still no jet on screen - suspected pump needed priming.
Put mouth over resevoir top and gave strong blow - problem solved. Many thanks.

Paul
August 2011

Hi there, The Man has it spot on. If your washer pump is functioning and you have an inadequate blast of screen wash in the manner you describe then it is very likely to be the gauze rubber grommit fitted between the screenwash reservoir and screenwash pump. This fitting is an absolute magnet for any contamination which invariably finds its way into your screenwash reservoir. To gain access to this grommit you need to do the following....

1. Loosen the wheel nuts on the near side (passenger side) front wheel. Raise the vehicle and remove the wheel.

2. Remove the protective plastic wheel arch panel. (On my Vectra cdti '55 plate you need to remove 4x screws and several pop rivets which you push in from the centre and end up losing as they are fiddly bits of cr**). Manhandle the panel out of the arch. If you look to the left inside the arch you will be able to view the windscreen washer bottle secured in place by 3 nuts.

3. Simply lift the screenwash motor out of its port. It is held in place by friction so don't worry about using a bit of elbow grease if it's a little tight. (there should be two plastic hoses attached to the motor, you front and rear wash hoses. It isn't necessary to remove these from the pump).

4. Using a blunt screwdriver, manipulate the BLACK RUBBER GROMMET out of its port. You will notice that the end of the grommet has multiple pores, give this a good clean. I used an old toothbrush to unclog the pores.

5. Pour plenty of water into the reservoir fill port to clean it out, a garden hose is ideal if you have one.

6. That should be you sorted! (And saved from some dodgy garage trying to charge you for a new motor that you probably didn't need with their generous labour charge to go with it!)

7. Reversing the sequence, put your car back together again!

All the best and happy driving! No more filthy windscreens for you!

Ross K
January 2011

as i pour water in the container it slowly leaks out overnight.the tubing has been tightened but the problem still persists

tap
March 2009

I had this problem on my vectra 04 plate found air leaking in on the pipe connections at the jets and elbows due to perished pipe, i put ptfe tape on and has fixed the problem untill i can replace the hose

stephen
January 2009

It wont be the pump thats went wrong, the vectra washer bottle has a rubber gromit with a filter on it at the bottom of the screenwash bottle. This gets blocked often, if you can get someone to take front wheelarch liner off (2 screws) and pull out the pump and lines that go into bottle, then remove the mesh filter, either clean it or do what i done and just chop it off then re-fit. The washers are more powerful now and havent blocked.

The Man
December 2007