No Washer Fluid? Check These Common Pump System Issues

Pretty familiar with these symptoms. Had a similar fault on my 2015 Savana, both systems share pump components so seeing them fail together is common. Started just like yours, pump sound but no spray, along with a headlight washer system fault. After checking the basics, took it to my regular workshop. The issue ended up being a bad cable connection at the washer pump relay, which was causing intermittent power supply problems. The whole repair, including diagnosis and fixing the faulty connection, cost me 165 Euro. The technician showed me how these systems are connected, and the pump actually feeds both circuits through a shared hose system. When there is a fault in the electrical connection, it can affect both the windshield and headlight cleaning functions. Before assuming its electrical though, worth checking for any obvious clog or leak in the hoses. Sometimes debris can block the lines or age can cause the hoses to crack. Which engine variant do you have in your Sierra? Might help pinpoint the exact layout of the system in your case.

Thanks for the input. My last service was at 75000 KM, about 3 months ago. I traced the system hoses and found a leak where the main line splits near the xenon headlight washer connection. The rubber had deteriorated and was dripping fluid. Going to replace that section of hose before checking if there are other problem spots in the system.

Thanks for the update, that matches what I found on my Savana too. The rubber hoses near the headlight washer connections are a common failure point, especially around that 75000 KM mark. When I had my washer malfunction, I ended up replacing all the connecting hoses in that area since they were showing similar wear. Good catch on tracing the leak to the split point. The headlight cleaning system puts extra pressure on those connection points, which speeds up the deterioration. After fixing my leaky section, I discovered a second clog further down the line caused by the rubber particles that had broken off from the damaged hose. Quick tip from my repair experience: While you have the system apart, it is worth checking the small filter screen in the pump assembly. Mine was partially blocked with debris from the deteriorated hose, which contributed to the weak spray performance even after fixing the leak. You might want to test the headlight washer function separately after the repair. In my case, clearing the system fault required a quick activation cycle of both systems to reset the warning message.

The leak I found at the xenon headlight washer connection turned out to be just the start of the problem. After replacing that section of hose, I checked the pump filter screen like you suggested and found it was completely clogged with rubber bits. The LED fault warning for the headlight cleaning system cleared up after I flushed the whole system with fresh fluid. Good call on checking the entire line, found another weak spot in the hose near the hood hinge that probably would have failed soon too. Replaced that section while I was at it. Total cost for new hoses and washer fluid came to 45 Euro. Much better than a full system replacement. Now both the windshield washer and headlight cleaning system are working perfectly. Will definitely keep an eye on those rubber connection points during future maintenance to catch any deterioration early.