hi all,

just wondering if anyone knows about the front washers on my car im not sure if this is a common problem or even if it is the motor or the button its self.

On 9/27/2022 at 6:46 PM, CameronReaney said:

front washers on my car im not sure if this is a common problem or even if it is the motor or the button its self.

Seems very recently becoming a common problem. It can be one of three possibilities.

(a) The screen wash pump has failed. There will be no water to either the front or rear screens.

(b) The stalk switch is faulty. It can be carefully taken apart and the contacts cleaned.

(c) There is a fault with the Body Control Module (BCM). When the stalk switch is operated it sends the signal to the BCM, which then works out if the pump needs to run clockwise or anti-clockwise depending on which screen needs water.

With a multimeter you can test the wiring and the connections to the BCM to see if it receives signals from the stalk switch.

This may sound like a silly question, but have you checked you have washer fluid in the reservoir 

Front doesn't work but on the back it does? Check cables under bonnet if so. If you can hear an sound when you press  washer button  then your robber cables might be disconnected. I had one from driver side unplugged. If nothing works what unofix said. 

Further to this is there any way of accessing the stalk switch without taking out the airbag and removing the steering wheel as per the Haynes manual instructions? Fiesta Zetec 1.2 2016

Would make life much simpler lol

Having the same issue. Not working front but rear is fine. 

I removed the switch and tested everything and found that the normally closed connection which should open when the button is pressed is shorted somewhere outside the switch. Can I assume this is the bcm? Is anyone able to suggest a way to test it please?

51 minutes ago, hlshakes said:

Can I assume this is the bcm?

Yes and No. The operation of the washer pump is more complex than you might imagine on a 2016 Fiesta Mk7.

One side of the pump is connected to the rear screenwash relay inside of the BCM. In the resting state the relay connects that wire via a contact to ground (negative).

The other wire from the pump is connected to the control circuit inside of the BCM. When you press for the 'Rear' wash the relay inside of the BCM changes state and connects a positive (live) supply to the pump. The BCM then provides the negative via the control and the pump runs anti-clockwise.

When you press to operate the 'Front' screen wash then the process is a little different. The relay inside of the BCM for the rear screen does not operate, and thus it provides a negative supply to one side of the pump. The BCM controller then provides a positive supply to the pump which then runs clockwise.

Circuit diagram of the system attached below.

FiestaEU2016_cel081.pdf

Thanks Unofix! I'll sit down with that diagram over the weekend, with any luck I should be able to work it out from there.