Windshield Washer Nozzle Replacement

Decado

Original poster
Member
Sep 16, 2013
88
Recently, my windshield washers stopped working regularly. Sometimes they would work, but the driver side would spray weakly and the passenger side barely at all. I looked online and read that the cause could be due to clogged lines, so I was going to pull the lines out and have a look but I could not get the wiper arms removed, they were stuck on pretty good and I didn't want to do any damage by forcing them. Since I couldn't remove the whole plastic panel where the washer nozzles are mounted, I at least took a peak underneath and discovered that the fluid line is snapped off and no longer connected to the underside of the nozzle. I am hoping that replacing the nozzle will have the parts needed to fix/replace the broken fluid line, anyone have experience in replacing this part? Also, so that I can better assess the problem, is there a safe or recommended way I can remove the wiper arms without damaging anything so that I can also remove the panel and really see what I am looking at?
 
Dec 13, 2013
1,490
Osceola,Ia
to get the wiper arms off guys on here have said to get a set of battery terminal pullers, mine actually came off pretty easy and didnt need the pullers. as for the nozzels, if you buy them at the dealer, it will come as just the nozzle, and i think they are about $25/ piece. you can get the lines at any auto parts store and just replace the lines. Usually clogged nozzles can be sprayed with compressed air to remove the blockage instead of spending like 50 bucks on new nozzles.
 

Decado

Original poster
Member
Sep 16, 2013
88
Thanks, I'll have to look into the pullers. I think getting the wiper arms off and then the cover off is the required next step, that way I can actually see what needs to be repaired... I just thought maybe others have run into something similar, yet I didn't see any results with a quick search. I'll be working on this soon and will try to remember to take some pictures in case anyone else runs into it.
 
Dec 13, 2013
1,490
Osceola,Ia
Yup take the wiper arms off, and then there is a bolt on either side of cowl on top, n then there are clips under hood that you pop out and can wiggle the cowl up and out. Be sure to disconnect the wiper hose under hood by the coolant reservoir tank before taking the cowl out.
 

Matt

Member
Dec 2, 2011
4,019
You can also smack the wiper arm post with a hammer a couple of times and that will usually pop the arms loose. I used a battery terminal puller the first time and bent the thing because they were so stuck, then I used the hammer and it worked a treat.
 

Decado

Original poster
Member
Sep 16, 2013
88
Finally got around to fixing this problem but forgot to take pictures. The windshield wiper arms came off nice and easy after a couple whacks with a rubber mallet to break them loose. Once the wiper arms were removed, the cowl came up easy after removing the 2 nuts and 3 plastic fasteners. The lines were all intact and unclogged but the plastic part that connected the nozzle with the hose was broken off preventing fluid from getting to one nozzle and not allowing pressure for the second nozzle to work. I spent $24 for an OEM replacement at my local chevy dealership, popped that in, and put it all back together. $24 and about an hours worth of work later I now have working windshield washer nozzles again. :biggrin:
 
May 22, 2012
117
I just did mine on Sunday. None of the local dealers had the $24, for one, factory part in stock. Fortunately I went to advanced auto and got a universal replacement for $18 for a pack of 2. They work much better than factory. The insert where the fluid comes out is metal. It comes with a little tool to adjust where it hits the window. The spray pattern is much better than original.

http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/we...e-kit-dorman--help_9110103-p?searchTerm=nozel
 

HARDTRAILZ

Moderator
Nov 18, 2011
49,665
I really need a warm day to do mine. It has sucked not having a drivers nozzle all winter and now that I have the replacement, I need to get it on there.

Thanks for the tips on getting things apart to do it.
 

PProph

Member
Dec 7, 2011
220
I hope I can find this nozzle replacement at a parts store here, i chipped mine off scraping ice this winter (probably the last snow we had) and now the passenger side shoots washer fluid out ahead of me. it's almost comical actually, but not very useful. would like to do it this weekend, thanks as usual to this site for providing details! here's hoping i can find it at partsource today.
 

Rawyzf

Member
Mar 13, 2014
9
Drivers side nozzle replacement is on my todo list soon here too.

Can someone explain hitting the wiper arm bolts with a hammer? Are they just fused from the elements, and need some losening up?
 

Matt

Member
Dec 2, 2011
4,019
Rawyzf said:
Drivers side nozzle replacement is on my todo list soon here too.

Can someone explain hitting the wiper arm bolts with a hammer? Are they just fused from the elements, and need some losening up?

Pretty much. If they've never been off before they're a PITA to get off. If you use a battery puller, you'll more than likely bend the handle of the puller, so the easiest way is to smack the "bolts" with a hammer a couple of times and they should just wiggle off.
 

Texan

Member
Jan 14, 2014
622
Rawyzf said:
Drivers side nozzle replacement is on my todo list soon here too.

Can someone explain hitting the wiper arm bolts with a hammer? Are they just fused from the elements, and need some losening up?

I replaced the WS wiper motor on my brothers 2005 TB a couple years ago. I used a battery cable
removal tool, and it worked on the driver side, but bent. Went to the passenger side and could not
make it work. Tried the hammer trick, did not work. Used a "pickle fork" with wood shingle between
it and windshield, finally got it off, and this was in the south. Real PITA.
 

Decado

Original poster
Member
Sep 16, 2013
88
PProph said:
I hope I can find this nozzle replacement at a parts store here, i chipped mine off scraping ice this winter (probably the last snow we had) and now the passenger side shoots washer fluid out ahead of me. it's almost comical actually, but not very useful. would like to do it this weekend, thanks as usual to this site for providing details! here's hoping i can find it at partsource today.

If you call a GM dealership/parts store they should be able to get one for you. I do know that there are 2 types of OEM replacements available, one with dual sprayers and one with single sprayer; I have heard the single sprayer is not very good, I have dual sprayers and I love them.

The dual sprayer should be GM part #15878745 - 15878745 NOZZLE

Matt said:
Pretty much. If they've never been off before they're a PITA to get off. If you use a battery puller, you'll more than likely bend the handle of the puller, so the easiest way is to smack the "bolts" with a hammer a couple of times and they should just wiggle off.

This. I don't know if my wiper arms have ever been removed but I am guessing not. It took a few good whacks with a rubber hammer to break them loose and one that was done they came right off.
 

Rawyzf

Member
Mar 13, 2014
9
Matt said:
Pretty much. If they've never been off before they're a PITA to get off. If you use a battery puller, you'll more than likely bend the handle of the puller, so the easiest way is to smack the "bolts" with a hammer a couple of times and they should just wiggle off.

I just hope I don't swing and miss.

So, hammer and then standard socket and should be good to go.
 

Texan

Member
Jan 14, 2014
622
Rawyzf said:
I just hope I don't swing and miss.

So, hammer and then standard socket and should be good to go.

Just trying to help. Loosen the nut before you swing.
 

HARDTRAILZ

Moderator
Nov 18, 2011
49,665
My windshield is cracked since replacement. Had a lil unnoticable rock chip and I guess I put pressure on the windshield and not it is 2 feet long and all the way to the dr a pillar with the crack.
 

Instrumental

Member
Jan 29, 2012
268
I was able to pop off the nozzle without removing the cowling. The plastic nozzle is snapped in, I used a small screwdriver to pop it out. It was cold, so a moment with a heat gun and the rubber was flexible enough to pull off of the nozzle. Cleaning it did me no good, I'll have to replace, but I was able to put it all back together not problem. While I had the nozzle I off I tested the washer, and had great flow, so no clog. I put my thumb over it and was shooting water on the other side onto the roof.

Gotta get me a new nozzle.
 

Rawyzf

Member
Mar 13, 2014
9
Instrumental said:
I was able to pop off the nozzle without removing the cowling. The plastic nozzle is snapped in, I used a small screwdriver to pop it out. It was cold, so a moment with a heat gun and the rubber was flexible enough to pull off of the nozzle. Cleaning it did me no good, I'll have to replace, but I was able to put it all back together not problem. While I had the nozzle I off I tested the washer, and had great flow, so no clog. I put my thumb over it and was shooting water on the other side onto the roof.

Gotta get me a new nozzle.

Great info....so there is enough "slack" in the hose line to pull off the nozzle from the cowl and swap out the nozzles?
 

PProph

Member
Dec 7, 2011
220
Thanks Decado for the part number, stealership wants like $33 bucks for one! Unfortunately I don't think anyone local carries the Dorman part listed above and I want to get this done so I might just bite the bullet. At least I only need one.
 

Instrumental

Member
Jan 29, 2012
268
I removed my nozzle to clean and then put it back on, so I'd say yes on the slack. Not much though!
 

Rawyzf

Member
Mar 13, 2014
9
Instrumental said:
I removed my nozzle to clean and then put it back on, so I'd say yes on the slack. Not much though!

Thanks guys!

With knowing there was a little slack and that I could just pop the nozzle out of the cowl....I just did the swap in about 3 mins and have a very nice stream spraying on my drivers side of the window now. No longer need to overspray the passengar side in hopes that it'll run over to the drivers side :tongue:

I've attached a pic of the part number and nozzle so you know where to pry the clips.

I just pryed under the nozzle on the hood side (rather than windshield side) with a small screw driver. Once it was up lifted up enough, I used a larger screw driver and twisted a little so it could fully pop out. Then, pulled the nozzle from the tubing (vice gripped the tube after so it wouldn't fall down into the cowl). Plugged in the new nozzle and popped it back into the cowl.

Easy as that, wish I would have done this before winter :tongue:

Thanks!

Nozzle_zps1a9a65ca.jpg
 

PProph

Member
Dec 7, 2011
220
Heads up, the dual sprayer nozzle (15878745) does not fit through the cowl in my '03 TB LTZ. Not sure if the newer models have a larger opening but it looks like I'll need to go with the single (which they don't have stock of right now :mad:). For anyone wondering that part number is 20820073.

Also wish I would have made this discovery before I got the wipers off...

A note, at least for my model. GM Part #20820073 fit proper, I probably didn't even need to remove the wipers. I wasn't able to pull the hose through the cowl when removing the broken nozzle, but with the cowl nuts off I was able to just lift the one end of the cowl far enough to get my hand on the hose underneath and hold it firm enough to put the new nozzle on. READ AS you might not need to take your cowl completely off.

Another note is that the part number I've listed is only half the price of the dual spraying nozzle. So if your model will take either and you want to save some bucks, there's your option. Although the single nozzle clips are on the left/right sides and the dual nozzle clips are on the front/back sides, so I'm not sure that the two parts are even interchangeable on newer models. The clips are in different spots and the nozzle itself is definitely smaller.

Anyways, the tips still helped and I got it done. Thanks!
 
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Matt

Member
Dec 2, 2011
4,019
One of the best mods I did was adding an extra nozzle to the wiper arm.

2011-01-14_21-37-43_187.jpg
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I've actually since replaced that nozzle with one that points at the window so I can wash the entire windscreen, not just the bottom half.
 

CajunWon

Member
Nov 25, 2012
137
Cary, NC
The small screwdriver from hood side worked great.
But the hose bib is brittle and snapped when separating from hose. Cleaned and glued back together after removing the broken piece. Drying now Hope there's not too much pressure to hold.

Didn't see any debris come out but air flows through it better, will see.
 

Mektek

Member
May 2, 2017
656
FL
Unless your nozzles are physically damaged, you don't need to replace them. A strand of thin wire poked through the nozzle hole will typically clear it - it may take a few tries.
 

Mooseman

Moderator
Dec 4, 2011
25,257
Ottawa, ON
I did that once and it changed the spray pattern from a fan to a stream. Had to replace it.
 

CajunWon

Member
Nov 25, 2012
137
Cary, NC
Test and found little improvement in spray volume, only gets bottom 1/3 of driver's side. Passenger side works well.
Flow from the tube while nozzle removed appeared strong.
Maybe get more agressive with the wire. Maybe a tiny drill bit.
 

Wooluf1952

Member
Nov 20, 2011
2,663
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
You could also try soaking the nozzle in CLR or vinegar to cut thru any hardened calcium. :twocents:
 
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Mektek

Member
May 2, 2017
656
FL
One more tip as to a potential cause of this problem. DON'T BUY CHEAP WALMART WINDSHIELD WASHER FLUID! After sitting for a few months some kind of white biologic sludge forms in it which will plug nozzles and intake strainers. The problem is limited to the +32f no- alcohol formula for southern climates.

I just had to remove and clean most of the washer components from a friend's vintage Cadillac - one look and I knew right away why his washer system wasn't working....
 
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CajunWon

Member
Nov 25, 2012
137
Cary, NC
Was no visible buildup in or on the tube or nozzle.
 

JerryIrons

Member
Dec 20, 2011
434
Just wanted to add my experience to this, I recently swapped out my passenger side nozzle, it had been snapped off probably from ice or scraping. Getting the wiper blade arms off was a challenge at first. Tried the penetrating oil, hitting with hammer (nuts came off fairly easily) with pry bar etc and no joy. I have a puller, but it didn't fit with the recessed nut situation. But the air hammer worked in 10 seconds! I mad a blunt tip for the air hammer tip by angle grinding off the chisel part of the attachment, so it basically looked like a giant unsharpened pencil. I had been meaning to do this for a while with an extra chisel piece that I have. First I tried using it on the bolt (with nut flush), but that wasn't happening. Put air hammer on blade arm part right close to bolt, came right off, both of them, nice and fast I was amazed actually. Also, those blade arms come off easier if the arm is folded up away from the glass. (once you get them loose)

Also I did not have to remove the entire plastic cowl piece, I could pull enough of it up to get at the nozzle and hose by lifting it some.

Replacement nozzle from rockauto for like $4. (the smaller one, they have two types and they are different sizes, I just bought both they were so cheap)

Oh yes, and here is my moron moment. I had the "bright" idea of using anti seize to make this easier next time, only I used some below the threads. You guessed it, went to turn on wipers and they just sat there! But the spray nozzle worked great! Took apart, cleaned everything off with 91% alcohol, and this time used a tiny amount just on the nut. Much better, now the arms actually swing up like normal. Haha! Anyway thanks to everyone else for chiming in.
 

Bow_Tied

Member
Dec 21, 2014
453
London, ON
Just a quick note to say this thread has helped me.

My PS nozzle was leaking out the top front and poorly hitting the window. It disintegrated when I wiggled it. I was able to remove it by:
remove antenna
remove 10mm nut beside antenna
remove two plastic barrel rivets under hood
pop up the clip (the clip is hidden - look for where the next 10mm nuut would logically be and there is no nut, just a recessed flat plastic hole - the clip is a pop in spring clip on the underside, similar to a grille clip).
With that off I pry the side up and have just enough room to squeeze under to access things. The nozzle broke apart in tiny pieces on removal (grr).

I see RockAuto is out of stock on the dual spray nozzle so I'll have to hunt around for one. In the mean time I jury rigged a spare nozzle from my Jimmy (looks ridiculous but works!)
 

Bow_Tied

Member
Dec 21, 2014
453
London, ON
As a follow-up I finally got the correct, dual spray nozzle. I was set to pull the trigger on an Amazon purchase but when I read the descriptions they were single spray nozzles despite referencing the dual spray GM part number. I called the dealer and the part was not significantly more than amazon and, surprise, it was in stock! Here is how I installed it, very quick job (took more time to get tools and clean up than to do it); this is only for passenger side:

Pop the hood and remove two plastic barrel rivets on the leading edge of the cowl cover; pry up the pin, then remove its barrel:
IMG_2385.JPG


They look like this:
IMG_2386.JPG

Remove antenna and this nut (10mm socket):
IMG_2384.JPG

Close the hood and pop up the plastic clip up that's near the wiper on the cowl cover. The washer line runs along the cowl and tees for the pass squirter, should be able to gently pry up the cover for access:

IMG_2395.JPG

The squirter nozzle has a clip fore and aft to compress to get it loose. Once loose twist and pull to release from tee -slide hand under cover to hold tee. (mine broke and I had to dig a ton of plastic bits out with a pick. If this happens to you do your best to get it all out and run the washer before installing the squirter to purge any remaining bits). The new nozzle just pops back in, I recommend attaching the tee first.

IMG_2391.JPG

The rest is reverse of install. The barrels go in before pressing the pin in and don't forget to connect the washer line to this hidden clip on the underside of the cowl cover if it came off:
IMG_2396.JPG
 

Mooseman

Moderator
Dec 4, 2011
25,257
Ottawa, ON
Are ours really dual spray? I've always seen them as a fan pattern.
 

Bow_Tied

Member
Dec 21, 2014
453
London, ON
Well, mine is. It’s a dual fan spray. There’s two spray points but both fan out. Here is the driver’s side that’s still original.
 

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paul2005tb

Member
Nov 26, 2014
299
Massachusetts
Ok, I finally broke down and decided to fix my driver side spray nozzle. Once again, I come to the conclusion that GM really over designed the entire shroud assembly. What a bear of a job to just get to the nozzle.

One interesting fact, I noticed that there are two pumps at the fluid container and only one pump feeds both spray nozzles. The other I can only assume is set to pump air only into the container in order to keep the container at atmospheric pressure during the spraying phase. If Im missing something about the purpose of the second pump please advise. ..It definitely does not feed a nozzle.

I never liked the OEM broad wide spray pattern, I didnt like the way it obstructed my view during spraying. So I am going to update my sprayer to a simply two stream nozzle.
 

paul2005tb

Member
Nov 26, 2014
299
Massachusetts
im an idiot !... how could I not know that... only one excuse, Ive used it 4 times in 17 years !
 

paul2005tb

Member
Nov 26, 2014
299
Massachusetts
so I decided to install one of those generic nozzles with tiny two brass sprayers, they let out two very narrow/tight streams and you have to adjust the direction of the streams to suit your preference. It is a vast improvement over the OEM wide fan spray that obstructed my view of the road.
 
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