Leaking Windshield Wiper Fluid

[PotatoExplorer]

Hey guys, nothing like having one issue after another pop up on this damn Explorer...

The other day I went to use the rear windshield wiper/washer fluid and nothing was coming out. I figured it had a rear windshield wiper fluid reservoir and it was empty. Upon trying to fill it up, not finding a rear reservoir, and then reading the owners manual, it appears that it does not have a rear windshield wiper fluid reservoir. In fact, it uses the same reservoir as the front windshield wipers, and also uses the same pump.

So my front reservoir has to be empty, right? I'm pouring the wiper/washer fluid into the long neck of the reservoir and I see it approaching the base of the skinny neck. Instead of continuing to go up the neck, I start to hear it pouring out from the bottom of the vehicle... so my reservoir is cracked around the neck probably?? I'm not sure since I couldn't pin point a crack. OR maybe it has an overflow hole? Does anyone know?

I hop back in and see if the rear windshield wiper will start pumping fluid. Annnnnddddddd... nothing. The wiper moves, I hear the pump working, and nothing is coming out. I roll down the windows to listen closely and try again. I just hear wiper fluid splashing all over the ground. I get out and search around the vehicle and see that its pouring out the back end of the front passenger side wheel well. I poked around and couldn't identify the hoses used to transport the fluid to the rear. What the hell is going on here?! The damn thing just worked a few week ago and now it's pouring out on the floor. The front windshield wiper fluid works so all is good on the front end.

Does anyone have any experience with fixing this, or maybe link me to a diagram of the hoses for this vehicle so I know where to begin to look?

Thanks guys!

 

[PotatoExplorer]

OK, I've figured out the rear windshield washer fluid problem! I still don't know why the reservoir wont fill up past the neck, I guess that will be for my next adventure. I was able to pressurize the reservoir (old fashioned lung power!) and the pressure was escaping somehow.

Anyways, I was finally able to poke my head under the back side of the passenger wheel well near where the fuel filter is located. I followed several metal lines that ran down what appeared to be the entire length of the right side of the vehicle (between the frame and the rocker panel) until they went up into the engine bay via behind the plastic covering of the front passenger wheel well. I couldn't find or identify which line was for the rear windshield washer fluid, but I noticed when I would activate the rear fluid, the wiper fluid ran down these lines and would splash all over the ground. I followed these lines up into the engine bay, but couldn't see where the fluid was coming from. I saw the front windshield line, so I had an idea of what type of hose to look for. It wasn't until I shoved my hand under these metal lines that I was able to find the disconnected hose. It took me several more minutes to figure out where the other half went to. I looked along the back side of the firewall and saw the lone washer hose popping out from the wall. There is absolutely no way to get your hand down there to grab the hose unless you have a babies hand on super long arms. I used a metal wire with a bent hook on the end to pick up this side of the hose, but sure enough there was no slack. A metal canister looking thing (I have no idea what it is, but it would appear this is where the metal lines went to) prevents you getting your hand back there. SO I was able to get a pair of vice grips back there, pinched it as close to the end of the hose as possible, and kept the vice grips right up against this metal canister thing. Next I had to blindly pick up the first part of the hose I found and shoved it onto the hose pinched by the vice grips. Talk about a huge pain in the ass. Again, there was no slack in the line, so in order to get any wiggle room possible I separated the tape that held the front windshield wiper fluid line to the rear. This gave me just enough slack to press the 2 sections together.

Sorry for the poor picture quality...
A - Locked set of vice grips
B - Rubber windshield washer line
C - This is where the front line and rear line are taped together

Here's another angle. The gray section on the right is that metal canister thing...

I'm not quite sure how it became disconnected though... In order to try and prevent it from happening again I decided to zip tie it for good measure. I left the vice grips pressed up against the metal canister and put a zip tie around the rubber hose but didn't tighten it fully. I then had to use needle nose pliers to slide it back to where the 2 hoses overlapped, then I took a flat head screw driver to push the zip tie down and the needle nose pliers to pull it tight... talk about another pain in the ass.

It's on there, hopefully for good!

 

[fourwheel]

Made a short afternoon for me on my 2010 Mountaineer; same problem. Great job explaining the hidden location where the hose separates where I couldn't get my hands either. Good luck always to you and your 08 Explorer.

 

[dacaur2]

so there is a connector down there and it just came apart? Good to know.
BTW, the "metal canister thing" is your AC accumulator.