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Windshield washer check valves last 6 months

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by C Clay, Sep 25, 2024 at 5:35 AM.

  1. C Clay

    C Clay Member

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    I’ve owned this car about six years. I put about 35,000 miles a year on it. For some reason about two years ago, a phenomenon started where the windshield washer check valves only last about six months. I just buy them off Amazon. You can get two of them for several dollars. Places like Advance Auto sell the Dorman brand for $24.97 and they state “limited lifetime guarantee “, which would probably be a better choice if you could just walk in and get one, but sometimes they don’t have them in stock either so I just figured why not buy them off on Amazon. Also I guess you could get them directly from Toyota, but I don’t live near a shop. Is it possible on this tiny plastic part that the better brands are just that much more robust or could something else be going on? It appears to be a closed system, no degree getting in the tank or anything.
     
    #1 C Clay, Sep 25, 2024 at 5:35 AM
  2. Kenny94945

    Kenny94945 Active Member

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    FWIW I would offer something else is going on.
    For 4 of your 6 years of ownership, there were no issues.
    Not mentioned is the exact failure/ issue of the valve.

    What changed?
    Brand of w/s fluid perhaps?
    In my experience, I have seen some brands of fluid coagulate and gum up lines and valves.

    So, try to flush the system with hot water then use GM (General Motors) Opti-Kleen concentrate mixed in the ratio with distilled water.
    That's my 2 cent comment... good luck.
     
    #2 Kenny94945, Sep 25, 2024 at 8:50 AM
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  3. Leadfoot J. McCoalroller

    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller Senior Member

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    Yes.
     
    #3 Leadfoot J. McCoalroller, Sep 25, 2024 at 9:14 AM
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  4. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    otoh, the oems only lasted 8 years, which seems unusual. not sure i've ever heard of anyone having to replace them.
     
    #4 bisco, Sep 25, 2024 at 1:44 PM
  5. C Clay

    C Clay Member

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    Well, it must happen, there are YouTube’s on how to replace them.


    iPhone ?
     
    #5 C Clay, Sep 26, 2024 at 5:18 AM
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  6. C Clay

    C Clay Member

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    They are getting severely clogged. I do use a winter blend , whatever is the best you can buy off the shelf at the time… during winter. And usually the premium bug cutting stuff during summer. Now that I think of it, I usually use the best stuff available off the shelf I thought about mixing it, I just don’t like the separate need for distilled water. There’s a good brand I think I saw at Napa, 2010 I think it is.


    iPhone ?
     
    #6 C Clay, Sep 26, 2024 at 5:24 AM
  7. BiomedO1

    BiomedO1 Senior Member

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    Have you thought of pulling out the windshield washer reservoir, pump and screen? Cleaning the gunk out of it? It sound like your not using distilled water, if your filling with 'hard' water, there could be mineral buildup causing things to jam up - kinda like toilet bowl rings. If the check valve is getting clogged or jammed up; could there be contaminates being pumped into it causing the valve to jam up? Clean everything out, blow out the lines, use distilled water from now on or clean windshield fluid. Do not mix different brands of fluid, you can get a chemical reaction and a precipitation that clogs your system.

    Replacing the same part over and over again - not fixing the underlying problem is the very definition of insanity....

    Hope this helps........
     
    #7 BiomedO1, Sep 26, 2024 at 11:29 AM
  8. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    i've only ever used the cheapest premix from home depot. never had any problems, but there's no bug cutter in it.
     
    #8 bisco, Sep 26, 2024 at 1:00 PM
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