Window Wash Spray?

[LR4toR1S]

Is it supposed to be a low stream? or a fanned spray? Also how far up the window?

Mine is like a very low stream barely making it over the window wiper blades on the bottom 1/32 of the front window. Seems a bit off. Just curious if this is normal?

EDIT: Added a quick picture. Its much weaker than this, I was just hammering the liquid. Its seriosly about 1" over the lower black part of my window. This is at a stop light.

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[Donald Stanfield]

Are you driving? Stationary? What are you doing with the vehicle when using it? These vehicles have strong aero, so the faster you're going the more the spray is interrupted by airflow. If it's fine when you're stopped and gets progressively worse at speed it's because of the aero.

 

[LR4toR1S]

Are you driving? Stationary? What are you doing with the vehicle when using it? These vehicles have strong aero, so the faster you're going the more the spray is interrupted by airflow. If it's fine when you're stopped and gets progressively worse at speed it's because of the aero.

Either. I've not had any car behave significantly different with wash spray outside of 60+mph winds that aren't from moving.

 

[egar]

Is it supposed to be a low stream? or a fanned spray? Also how far up the window?

Mine is like a very low stream barely making it over the window wiper blades on the bottom 1/32 of the front window. Seems a bit off. Just curious if this is normal?

My washers work OK when stationary -- not good but OK. When driving at highway speeds, they only reach the bottom 1/3 of the windshield. The passenger side wider does push a bit of the fluid over to the driver's side, so that helps a bit, but it is really bad on the passenger side.

 

[runwithscissors]

Same, have to keep holding it down but weak stream performance and should see a urologist.

 

[Donald Stanfield]

Either. I've not had any car behave significantly different with wash spray outside of 60+mph winds that aren't from moving.

Have you had any other EVs? The drag coefficient is significantly less in an EV to boost range than in a typical ICE platform. If it doesn't work from a stop then it's not the air movement. If it does work differently and gets worse while in motion it's the aero.

 

[Seano]

Ours is pretty weak... was wondering if spec'd that way. Been meaning to take a look if sprayers could be re-aimed or something. They are analogous to the horn... sometimes I really wonder if the staff in Palo Alto actually ever drive anywhere than office > home in sunny conditions!

 

[LR4toR1S]

Have you had any other EVs? The drag coefficient is significantly less in an EV to boost range than in a typical ICE platform. If it doesn't work from a stop then it's not the air movement. If it does work differently and gets worse while in motion it's the aero.

Yeah, my mach-e sprays like any other car in the world.

 

[Polar]

Yeah, my mach-e sprays like any other car in the world.

Check your hose - there is gonna be a kink somewhere.

That is incredibly low pressure.

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

Not normal. Probably a pinched hose. Assembly QC problem that should have been caught during pre-delivery prep.

 

[jfoonly]

What's the air temperature? Mine did that at below 0F, got a bit more useful below 10, only normal good spray above 20. Frozen nozzles? I was worried the OEM fluid wasn't really for winter...

Also, how's the rear spray? Mine works even cold. If both are weak for you, it may be the motor or a clogged line or reservoir outlet.

 

[LR4toR1S]

Rear spray is fine. Probably because of gravity imo. It's cold -9 to 15f. It wasn't good when warm.

 

[ggood]

22 early vin R1T - ours sprays at normal volume and pressure just was too low. i opened up the above frunk space and gently slipped in a dime under the nozzles to point them up just a bit and all good since. tried tooth picks at first but they got wet! my $20 cents worth

 

[jeeden]

Has anyone tried "the needle trick" for this? That is, you take a needle and stick it in the nozzle and then adjust the direction? Used to be you could do this with a lot of washer jets, I haven't looked at them on my R1S (it's hard to even see them)

 

[JayH]

This is a very disappointing oversight by Rivian for me as well. I'd put up with the same problem in my Tesla S for years. So when I picked up my R1S last Jan, it was one of the first things I tested and was immediately disappointed exclaiming to my guide "nooo, really?!". Ford and Toyota both had this solved back in the 90s! (Probably most other Brands too)

Despite this issue, both cars have been my favorite purchases ever. But I sure wish both could replace the nozzles with sprayers that spray the fluid over a MUCH larger area. I sure hope Rivian offers a fix/upgrade sometime. Tesla still hasn't after 9 years claiming it is because of the heated nozzles. Bunk, because our old Toyota minivan had the best wipers/sprayers that worked great here in Colorado on many ski trips through very cold and messy drives, at all speeds.

So to answer your inquiry, I don't think there's anything wrong with only your car, it was a poor choice or design by Rivian. I'm probably silly to think so, but for now I am optimistic that they will offer an improvement at some point if enough of us let them know it is a real weakness and a "safety issue".

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