Windscreen Washers

[johnnyc]

Bit of a random one regarding windscreen washers.

Does anyone else’s change depending on speed? If I’m not moving the fluid hits in the bottom 1/4 of the screen, if I’m driving at about 30 mph it’s perfect landing about halfway up the screen, and then motorway speed it’s either flying over the windscreen or hitting the bonnet lip and not getting onto the screen.
It’s REALLY peculiar. I’ve adjusted the washers to the best of all worlds, to try get it to work in all situations, but I just don’t see why it’s happening.

Is it just me?

 

[Deleted member 10041]

Not something else!

 

[Ian Key]

Shows the aerodynamics are working and the air is flowing over the car.
Needs heavier water

 

[tsedge]

Bit of a random one regarding windscreen washers.

Does anyone else’s change depending on speed? If I’m not moving the fluid hits in the bottom 1/4 of the screen, if I’m driving at about 30 mph it’s perfect landing about halfway up the screen, and then motorway speed it’s either flying over the windscreen or hitting the bonnet lip and not getting onto the screen.
It’s REALLY peculiar. I’ve adjusted the washers to the best of all worlds, to try get it to work in all situations, but I just don’t see why it’s happening.

Is it just me?

They are supposed to change with speed: the manual explains the settings. They are not rain-sensitive, just manual intermittent with auto speed-scaling.

 

[Ian Key]

They are supposed to change with speed: the manual explains the settings. They are not rain-sensitive, just manual intermittent with auto speed-scaling.

I think the OP was referring to the washer jets not the wipers.

 

[johnnyc]

They are supposed to change with speed: the manual explains the settings. They are not rain-sensitive, just manual intermittent with auto speed-scaling.

Not the wipers, the actual washer jets to clean the window.

 

[tsedge]

Not the wipers, the actual washers to clean the window.

Sorry, should have read it more carefully!

 

[johnnyc]

Shows the aerodynamics are working and the air is flowing over the car.
Needs heavier water

It might be a bit of downforce, but unintended downforce.

Pushing the flimsy plastic down where the washer jets are and changing the angle at speed. At a stop, it’s too low, 30 mph perfect, and at speed it’s too high, or hitting the underside of the bonnet.

If adjustments are made to suit a standing still screen wash, it flies over the screen at 30mph and hits the underside of the bonnet at 70.

If it’s adjusted to hit the middle of the screen at 70mph, the jets don’t reach the screen at 30mph nor at a standing still.

It’s really peculiar and I’ve never seen it happen in another car. As I said it’s a bit flimsy under the bonnet where the washer jets are located and perhaps it’s being subjected to some unintended downforce changing the angles of the jets?

 

[Sloucher]

Is it designed to do that deliberately do you think, to compensate for the airflow deflecting the water flow downward the faster you go? I.e. normally the faster you go with a fixed jet, the lower the water hits the screen.

 

[Tig170]

Bit of a random one regarding windscreen washers.

Does anyone else’s change depending on speed? If I’m not moving the fluid hits in the bottom 1/4 of the screen, if I’m driving at about 30 mph it’s perfect landing about halfway up the screen, and then motorway speed it’s either flying over the windscreen or hitting the bonnet lip and not getting onto the screen.
It’s REALLY peculiar. I’ve adjusted the washers to the best of all worlds, to try get it to work in all situations, but I just don’t see why it’s happening.

Is it just me?

... okay not windscreen washers, but windscreen wipers... to me they are not intelligent - in that they are just on a basic timer rather than my old car (14yrs old) which were rain sensitive?? - but maybe I've got them on the wrong setting?

 

[Jester27]

... okay not windscreen washers, but windscreen wipers... to me they are not intelligent - in that they are just on a basic timer rather than my old car (14yrs old) which were rain sensitive?? - but maybe I've got them on the wrong setting?

No rain sensing wipers unfortunately
saying that the rain sensing wipers on my ZS EV weren't very good.
Had a total mind of their own.
Personally I'm quite happy they did away with them

 

[johnnyc]

Is it designed to do that deliberately do you think, to compensate for the airflow deflecting the water flow downward the faster you go? I.e. normally the faster you go with a fixed jet, the lower the water hits the screen.

If so, it’s a really bad design - as it means it’s not useable at either;

Motorway speed, if they are set up to hit the screen at a standstill or 30mph or;

It isn’t useable at 30mph or a standstill, if you’ve set them up to hit the screen whilst travelling at motorway speed.

 

[johnnyc]

I have also noticed that if the car is going uphill the jet stream is stronger, whereas if it’s going downhill it’s a weaker stream, perhaps it’s something to do with the placement of the washer pump, or the cylinder?

 

[Ian Key]

I have also noticed that if the car is going uphill the jet stream is stronger, whereas if it’s going downhill it’s a weaker stream, perhaps it’s something to do with the placement of the washer pump, or the cylinder?

Or is the washer bottle nearly empty?

 

[johnnyc]

Or is the washer bottle nearly empty?

Nope, as it was empty and I’ve refilled it to the brim with fluid. 2.5 litres if anyone is interested how much is in there for their screenwash mix

 

[StackH]

So can anyone who has their MG4 confirm if their windscreen washers have the same issue as johnnyc? Would be nice to establish if this is an unfortunate one off problem for johnnyc or if it’s a more widespread issue.

 

[skynett]

So can anyone who has their MG4 confirm if their windscreen washers have the same issue as johnnyc? Would be nice to establish if this is an unfortunate one off problem for johnnyc or if it’s a more widespread issue.

Coming back from work today I was mostly doing 20-30miles.. my wiper jets were only hitting about 1/4 of the screen. Will try out tomorrow at standstill to see if it changes and also see if I can adjust the outlet where the water comes out.

 

[johnnyc]

Coming back from work today I was mostly doing 20-30miles.. my wiper jets were only hitting about 1/4 of the screen. Will try out tomorrow at standstill to see if it changes and also see if I can adjust the outlet where the water comes out.

Good to hear someone else is at least going to look at it - I got in touch with MG UK and they said it’s not a historical issue so I probably need to take it to my dealer to see if it needs repairing.

It would be helpful to see if anyone else could at least try it to see if they have the same issue. If there is an issue I think it will start to get highlighted now due to the salt on the road.

When driving the other day on dual carriage way it was pretty bad - as we tried to clean the windscreen on the move but as the fluid didn’t reach the window (as it was hitting the underside of the bonnet) it just smeared the salty debris on the windscreen even more!
So much so we had to pull into a lay-by and then use the wipers when at a standstill

 

[siteguru]

When moving at a reasonable speed (40+) my jets hit the bottom of the windscreen and "spray" up and across most of the screen, so the wipers give a decent clearing. At standstill they hit much further up the windscreen.

I'm OK with the results.

 

[Diggsy]

Is there any ‘give’ in the washer stalk? I know on most cars I’ve driven, it would depend on how rapidly the stalk was pulled as to how fast/far the jets sprayed. The slower the car was travelling, the easier I would press the stalk and vice versa. That has always worked for me on most of my other cars. Anyone tried varying the pressure applied to the washer stalk?