hlheaton

While driving in the rain one night I noticed my windshield washer was not working. Later I found that the washer pump had gone bad and needed to be replaced. This is apparently a rather common problem with a lot of Japanese manufactured cars including Lexus, and they all use the same pump. The repair manual calls for removing the front bumper, removing the washer bottle and then replacing the pump, but there is a better way. This is how to do it the easy way.

First the diagnosis. There are two pumps on the washer bottle, one for the headlight washers and one for the windshield. If you pull the washer stalk to wash the windshield at night, both will run, so it is easy to get confused and think the windshield washer pump is running when it is not. Do all your testing with the headlights turned to “off”, not on or auto after pressing the engine start button twice with your foot off the brake and the car in park. If you don’t hear the washer pump running when you pull the stalk with the headlights off then proceed, if you do hear it running then you may have a different problem of clogged washer nozzles or a bad check valve (see , but be aware the one for the LS460 is under the hood insulation).

Next there are several fuzes to check. You can pull them and check the resistance with a meter, but I checked mine by process of elimination. Basically, if the car starts and runs and the headlights and wipers work it is probably not a fuze. If you really want to check them however they are FR CNTRL ALT, FR CNTRL BAT, ECU-B and E/G RM-IG 1-2. For locations refer to https://fuse-box.info/lexus/lexus-ls...007-2009-fuses, they have a really good locator.

If the fuzes check OK then buy a new pump, most auto stores will have one (the part number is 85330-60190). I bought an aftermarket one for less than $10 on Amazon.

Next jack up the front of the car and support it on jack stands (Safety first!), then remove the left front wheel. Next remove the wheel well liner as follows:

Remove the red circled screws under the bumper facia


Then this one just in front of the wheel (the un-circled ones can remain)


Remove only the circled screw

Then remove the body molding over the wheel well (five small Phillips head screws). The molding has a hidden clip right in the center at the top of the wheel well, pull the molding towards you to release. Next remove all the screws and pop type clips you can see in the wheel well liner from the front back to the shock tower (it is not necessary to remove the whole liner). Now by careful pulling and twisting pull the liner back from the wheel well until the washer bottle is exposed:



The circled part is the pump. Disconnect the wire (press the clip to release). Place it onto the new pump temporarily. Test the new pump (press the engine start button twice with your foot off the brake, then pull the stalk, headlights should be off). If it runs you know the old pump is bad. Place a bucket under the old pump to catch the windshield washer fluid then carefully pry the pump out of the washer bottle. Be sure not to damage the bottle. Remove the washer hose and place it on the new pump. Using a new gasket (should be supplied with the new pump) install the new pump by pressing and twisting it into place. Wetting the gasket with washer fluid will help it go in. Attach the wire if not already on, refill the washer bottle and check for function and leaks. If all is well replace the liner, body molding and wheel (be sure to properly torque the wheel lugs) and you are done.