Windshield Washer Jets Poor Spray Pattern

[Daskuppler]

Hello Everyone,

 

2014 Forester Premium here.  Over the past month or so, the driver side jet has slowly been degrading into a nearly unusable spray pattern.  The passenger then started to do the same.  I do not see any clogs in the system, fluid reservoir is full, and the pump is working.  I did a little bit of research and noticed that the previous generation seems to suffer from connector failures under the cowling.  Is this a known issue on the '14-'18 as well?  I do notice a small puddle under the driver side on the ground and I can see some fluid inside of the cowling, but I don't know how much of that is fluid running off of the windshield.  I'm assuming it slowly failed and the bad spray pattern is due to loss in pressure through a crack or something...I don't even know how that would happen, but it seems to be a thing.

I have not had a chance to remove the cowling yet, just seeing if anyone else has had a similar love hat experience with their Subaru.

Does anyone else feel like they are introducing themselves to an AA (or similar group) writing these posts?  I have posted so much it seems like I have a problem haha

[idosubaru]

1 hour ago, Daskuppler said:

Hello Everyone,

 

2014 Forester Premium here.  Over the past month or so, the driver side jet has slowly been degrading into a nearly unusable spray pattern.  The passenger then started to do the same.  I do not see any clogs in the system, fluid reservoir is full, and the pump is working.  I did a little bit of research and noticed that the previous generation seems to suffer from connector failures under the cowling.  Is this a known issue on the '14-'18 as well?  I do notice a small puddle under the driver side on the ground and I can see some fluid inside of the cowling, but I don't know how much of that is fluid running off of the windshield.  I'm assuming it slowly failed and the bad spray pattern is due to loss in pressure through a crack or something...I don't even know how that would happen, but it seems to be a thing.

I have not had a chance to remove the cowling yet, just seeing if anyone else has had a similar love hat experience with their Subaru.

Does anyone else feel like they are introducing themselves to an AA (or similar group) writing these posts?  I have posted so much it seems like I have a problem haha

Hahahhaa. “Hi my name is Gary. I’m a USMB frequent poster”

Ive seen the plastic angle hose connectors deteriorate. They get very brittle and crack and flake into dust.  Disconnect the hoses and the may just fall to pieces or the barb end will stay inside the hose, etc  

I have a 2014 For parts car if you break the cowel or need any hoses connector or nozzle. 

[Daskuppler]

1 hour ago, idosubaru said:

Hahahhaa. “Hi my name is Gary. I’m a USMB frequent poster”

Ive seen the plastic angle hose connectors deteriorate. They get very brittle and crack and flake into dust.  Disconnect the hoses and the may just fall to pieces or the barb end will stay inside the hose, etc  

I have a 2014 For parts car if you break the cowel or need any hoses connector or nozzle. 

Great, thank you! Hopefully the stealership has them for $10 or less per piece 🤣

[Daskuppler]

I had some spare aquarium air hose fittings lying around which happens to be a perfect fit. The Y had disintegrated at the connection for the driver nozzle. Works like a charm. We will see how well it holds up in the cold

[idosubaru]

2 hours ago, Daskuppler said:

I had some spare aquarium air hose fittings lying around which happens to be a perfect fit. The Y had disintegrated at the connection for the driver nozzle. Works like a charm. We will see how well it holds up in the cold

Great. Strange, that one seems like the weak link. Pretty sure thats the one I’ve replaced around the drivers side nozzle too. Never seen leaks anywhere else on 2000+ Subarus. 

[Daskuppler]

1 hour ago, idosubaru said:

Great. Strange, that one seems like the weak link. Pretty sure thats the one I’ve replaced around the drivers side nozzle too. Never seen leaks anywhere else on 2000+ Subarus. 

It looks like it had corroded or melted.  It wasn't cracked, or brittle.  When I touched it kinda sloughed off around the hole, but was still relatively intact beyond that one part.

[1 Lucky Texan]

our old 2003 had a an angle/elbow that leaked. Felt sticky and fragile? easy repair with some kinda vacuum line assortment kit from VatoZone w'ever.

[carfreak85]

On 9/7/2023 at 5:53 PM, idosubaru said:

Hahahhaa. “Hi my name is Gary. I’m a USMB frequent poster”

Ive seen the plastic angle hose connectors deteriorate. They get very brittle and crack and flake into dust.  Disconnect the hoses and the may just fall to pieces or the barb end will stay inside the hose, etc  

I have a 2014 For parts car if you break the cowel or need any hoses connector or nozzle. 

This little guy failed on my parent's 2014 Forester.  It's buried under the cowl panel, from what I remember, and you have to buy an assembly to get the OEM part, IIRC.  Seems like a common issue.

[azdave]

2 hours ago, carfreak85 said:

This little guy failed on my parent's 2014 Forester.  It's buried under the cowl panel, from what I remember, and you have to buy an assembly to get the OEM part, IIRC.  Seems like a common issue.

Opportunity for someone with a 3D printer?  

[heartless]

pfft... faster, easier, and more durable to just replace it with a brass T

 

Edited September 12, 2023 by heartless

[azdave]

On 9/12/2023 at 5:40 AM, heartless said:

pfft... faster, easier, and more durable to just replace it with a brass T

 

Agree. I assumed it might be a part that had mounting features that needed replicated for originality or some better function required than a generic hardware store Tee provides.

When you own a 3D printer, all the world looks like a .stl file.  

[heartless]

it isn't even about design here, altho that is a factor.. it is more about materials and environment.

you can not print something like that in PLA and expect it to last in the environment it is in.
Ideally, it would be printed in Nylon - and nylon can be a pain in the backside if you aren't set up for it.. for starters, it usually requires high temps - higher than most common 3d printers can handle
next up is the size of the thing.. too small to really be a practical 3d print - can it be done?? yeah, it could, but is it really worth the hassle, only to have it fail again in a relatively short time?

as for mounting - it might have a clip for mounting (depends on the model, but my Forester does not).. but zip ties are wonderful things..

so yeah.. initially, the whole world might look like an .stl file, but over time, you figure out that some things are just not practical 3d prints. (been playing with 3d printers since 2015)