My dual outlet windshield washer pump went out on my 2021 Suburban. I replaced the pump and pressed the front washer button, the fluid came out the rear sprayer. When I pressed the rear washer switch, it also came out the rear sprayer. Thinking that I may have put in a faulty pump, I replaced it with another pump. The same thing again. Both the front and rear washer switches cause water to spray out of the rear sprayer. There is only one way to connect the 2 prong electrical connector, so that is correct. Both front and rear hoses are clear. I tested them with water and compressed air. The hoses are connected to the pump properly. The only thing that I can figure is that there may be a problem with the front washer switch on the steering column. I have not been able to find this problem described anywhere. Any ideas? I am trying to save myself the expense and the almost inevitable inconvenience of going to the dealership.

 

Go to an independent ASE mechanic, not a dealership.

Most likely could be a blockage in the tubing.

 

PROBLEM SOLVED !!! I hope that this thread will be searchable so that nobody else has to suffer like I did for such an obscure solution. Let me apologize ahead of time for the lengthy explanation. To recap: my original washer pump failed at 54K miles. I bought a replacement online and installed it. After installation, both the front washer switch and the rear washer switch both sprayed only out the rear.

Feeling that I might have a defective pump, I bought another one; this time from Amazon. I installed it and had the same problem. The front washer switch on the turn signal lever and the rear washer switch both sprayed out the rear sprayer. At this time, I had a new pump in the Suburban, I had my first new pump sitting in my garage and the old pump that had failed sitting in the garage. I could make absolutely no sense of the situation. After a day of wracking my brain over this, I went out in the garage to look at the new pump and my old pump that were in the garage.

The pumps have an intake pipe that fits into the washer reservoir and the pumps have an outlet that goes to the front hose and an outlet that goes to the rear hose. I picked up the new pump and with my mouth, I blew into the rear hose outlet. There was no resistance to the air pressure. I then blew into the front hose outlet and could not force air into it. I also blew into the intake pipe and air blew out of the rear outlet. I covered up the rear outlet and again blew into the intake pipe, but could not force air out of the front hose outlet. I took the old failed pump and could easily blow air by mouth through the intake and both outlets.

I then turned on my shop compressor and forced pressurized air into the front outlet of the new pump until I could hear the pump internals turning. I then forced pressurized air into the intake pipe and covered the rear outlet of the new pump until I could hear the pump internals turning again and air blowing out of the front hose outlet. At this point, I was able to blow air into the front outlet by mouth. Something had been freed up. I then sprayed silicone lubricant into the intake and outlets and forced compressed air in until air could be easily passed through the front outlet which was previously “blocked or frozen up.”

I then removed the other new pump from the Suburban and replaced it with the new pump that I had worked on. It worked perfectly pumping both front and rear when commanded to do so. I took the new pump that I had just removed and, as with the other new pump, I could not blow air into the front hose outlet of it. Strange as it sounds, I had purchased 2 new defective pumps. Something was blocked or frozen up on each of them. I suspect it was a valve that allows the front hose outlet to open or close although I am unsure of the exact internal workings of the pump.

Moral of the story: It is probably best to buy an original GM part when you need a windshield washer pump.

 

Allow me to further belabor the subject. The new pump that I "fixed" and installed still did not perform perfectly although it did get the job done. When I activated the rear window washer it worked. When I activated the front washer, it worked, but still squirted a small amount of fluid on to the rear window. I ordered and OEM pump and installed it. It has been working perfectly. Lesson: If the part is inexpensive or very critical, buy an OEM part.

 

Note: It is totally unnecessary to jack up the vehicle and remove the wheel and the fender liner to do this. Turning the wheel to the side, removing some of the fender liner fasteners and tucking the fender liner out of your way, will provide plenty of access to the pump, hoses and wiring.

 

The problem is likely a faulty front washer switch on the steering column. Both hoses and the pump are fine, so if pressing the front switch only sprays the rear, the switch or its wiring is probably shorted or stuck. Replacing the front washer switch should fix it.

 

The problem was solved by finally buying an OEM pump rather than the 2 less expensive faulty pumps that I installed first..