Hi.

My 07 plate S Max Titanium has developed a fault where the pulling back of the right steering column stalk has started controlling the front washer jets, not the rear ones. The Front washer jet button on the end of the stalk also controls the front jets - so I am in a situation where I can control the front ones in two ways but can't get any water from the rear jet!

Any ideas why this fault may have started and how to fix it?

Thanks.

Probably the steering column stalk switch is faulty. The pump is obviously OK. The switch reverses the pump rotation to feed the rear washers - it appears it is not doing so.

It might be as Andrew has suggested above, but a common failure is the one-way valve that stops the reverse flow of water depending on which way the pump is rotating. When it fails it seems the water finds it an easier option to come out the front jets rather than the rear.

Thanks both for your help - much appreciated. Apologies for not registering you had responded - I had set it up to notify me when someone did but I didn't get anything so maybe the email went to spam.

I've got limited mechanical knowledge and repair ability, but from reading the comments it feels like your suggestion could be what is happening, Unofix. Can you tell me where this valve is - I presume under the bonnet - and is it something someone with limited abilities should look at or would it be better to get a professional to look? I like to learn by fixing things myself, but if I have to start removing bits of engine to get to it I am probably best to hand it over to someone else! Thanks.

Hi John the little valve is part of the screen wash pump.

The pump is directly attached to the screen wash tank which will be located in the wheel well on which ever side of the car your screen wash filler is located. Access is by jacking the car up, remove the wheel and remover the inner wheel arch liner. Once you get to the tank the pump is easy to remove.

16 hours ago, unofix said:

Hi John the little valve is part of the screen wash pump.

The pump is directly attached to the screen wash tank which will be located in the wheel well on which ever side of the car your screen wash filler is located. Access is by jacking the car up, remove the wheel and remover the inner wheel arch liner. Once you get to the tank the pump is easy to remove.

Thanks again.