Taking care of your SIMPSON pressure washer and knowing how to troubleshoot your equipment is an essential part of ownership. Extend the life if your pressure washer by following the tips below to avoid these common mistakes.
1. My pressure washer will not start
After ONLY 30 days of downtime the fuel in your gas pressure washer may turn stale. It is important to always stabilize your fuel to prevent moisture from leaching into your fuel. Some people recommend that you drain your fuel and this is a good method, but still leaves your pressure washer susceptible to moisture contamination in your tank and carburetor.
We recommend that you LEAVE your tank full and use Ethanol Shield to prevent moisture contamination.
1 bottle (2oz) = good for 5 gallons of gas
Most SIMPSON pressure washer models have a 1/2 gallon tank. You will need to pour 1/2 oz. Ethanol Shield into your tank when tank is FULL of gas.
By taking care of your engine, you will extend its life and protect your investment.
2. My pressure washer’s pump seems to be damaged after only one season of use
If you did not winterize your SIMPSON it could be that some residual moisture in your pump expanded in cooler months, causing tiny cracks in your pump. Winterizing will prevent any residual moisture from freezing, expanding and potentially cracking valves and seals inside your pump.
You will need Pump Guard for every season thereafter. Follow your user’s manual for instructions and refer to our “How to Winterize Your Pressure Washer” blog for helpful tips!
3. My pressure washer only gives me low-pressure
Your SIMPSON may be operating in low-pressure due to an incorrectly sized nozzle or a nozzle that has worn out.
Always replace any worn or broken nozzles as they can potentially be a safety hazard.
ALWAYS use accessories that are within your pressure washer’s PSI range. You could be losing pressure because your accessory is meant for a higher/lower PSI range than your machine and can cause damage to your accessory.
Be sure to check if the water is fully turned on and there is enough water flowing through the pump. Check your pumps filter on the inlet to make sure there is no debris blocking the water flow. A hose that is vertical or too long may delay water pressure from arriving fast enough.
4. My pressure washer is running very roughly
If you have a hot-water and cold-water outdoor faucet always make sure to use cold water for best results.
If you don’t have a hot water faucet, water that has been trapped in a hose with sun directly on it may be enough to cause your pressure washer to run a bit rough. If this happens turn off your machine, disconnect hose, and let water run until it is cold.
You may also check your air filter inside of your engine to be sure that it is clear of any debris.
If all looks good and you aren’t using hot water, then you may have mechanical damage within your pump and will need to call SIMPSON’s technical support line.
5. My pressure washer pump is leaking water
If your pump is leaking water it could be caused by the following:
If you let your pressure washer run for longer than 2 minutes at a time it will enter into bypass mode. This means that the water inside of the pump is continually flowing and heating up. When your pump is too hot it will cause damage and can potentially crack. To prevent the pump from over-heating, your SIMPSON is equipped with a thermal relief valve (safety feature only) that will release hot water when the pump becomes too hot.
Be sure to turn off your machine if you take breaks longer than 2-3 minutes.
If your pressure washer is leaking at the gun, wand, or nozzle it could be that your accessories are not secured tightly enough. Turn off your machine and ensure everything is tightened properly.
6. My Pressure washer just shut off during use
SIMPSON pressure washers are designed to ensure you do not damage the engine or any of the mechanical components. Generally, the reason your SIMPSON pressure washer just shut off is because it has run out of gas or oil.
ALWAYS check the oil and gas level of your pressure washer every time you plan to turn it on.
7. I am unable to disconnect my high pressure hose and garden hose from the pump
Once your pressure washer and water source are turned OFF and you are unable to disconnect your hoses from the pump and gun it is generally due to pressure that is still inside of the machine. To relieve this pressure simply squeeze the trigger to release any water and then try disconnecting hoses again.
8. My pressure washer will not draw soap
Always be sure that your low-pressure soap nozzle is inserted in your wand. If you have any high pressure nozzles attached to the wand your pressure washer will not draw in soap.
Refer to our “How to Pressure Wash Your Home’s Exterior” blog for step-by-step tips.
9. Am I using the correct chemical for my pressure washer?
Always use a pressure washer safe soap for cleaning. NEVER use bleach or other caustic chemicals, as this will damage your pump and cause it to fail.
There are various soaps that are specific for your cleaning job. When pressure washing siding be sure to check the label on your soap to see if it is safe. Always test out a small area of your surface before applying soap to full surface area to prevent any damage.
Refer to our “How to Pressure Wash Your Home’s Exterior” blog for step-by-step tips.
ADDITIONAL TIPS & TRICKS FOR VARIOUS TYPES OF SIDING:
Each type of siding will have a specially formulated detergent solution to properly clean it. Follow these quick tips before pressure washing your house siding:
- Vinyl Siding – Avoid overlapping panels. (Panels that overlap into the door or window frames.)
- Aluminum Siding – Avoid angling the gun upward where the water flow can damage under the panel overlaps.
- Cement Siding – Repair damaged areas before starting.
- Wood Siding – Be sure to wet the surface before applying detergent and use 25 or 40 degree nozzles to prevent damage.
- Stucco Siding – Use 25 or 40 degree nozzles and pressure wash at minimum 2 feet away from the surface to prevent damage.
- Brick and Stone Siding – Wet brick surface before starting with a light spray from the garden hose to prevent the detergent from soaking deep into the brick.
10. I am unable to reach the second story of my house
Although your pressure washer is extremely powerful, it may not be enough to reach your second story.
NEVER use a ladder when pressure washing as this is highly unsafe and not an effective way to clean.
Instead, you will want to invest in a second story nozzle accessory to reach those high areas.
SIMPSON second story nozzles come in a pack of one high-pressure and one low-pressure nozzle for soap and rinse.
HAPPY MAINTENANCE!
-The Simpson Cleaning Team
My spray wand trigger seems to have failed. Now the hose and wand are pressurized and can not be disassembled to repair/replace. If the fix to depressurize hose is spraying how else can I do it without just cutting hose
Hi Clark,
Thank you for reaching out and making us aware of your problems. Please contact our customer service department at 877-362-4271 and they will be able to fix your problem!
Happy washing!
SIMPSON Team-kw
I just purchased a simpson pressure washer. The wand will work for a short time and then when I squeeze the trigger, nothing happens. cannot disconnect the hose as the pressure is still in the line
Please assist
Hi Mark!
Thank you for you choosing SIMPSON!We are sorry to hear you a having problems,please call our customer service 877-362-4271 and they will be able to help you! Remember to register your product to protect your investment.
Happy cleaning!
SIMPSON TEAM-KW
Just bought a Simpson pressure washer 3 days ago, when I first start using it works just fine then after a couple of minutes I start to lose pressure and there’s a loud noise coming from the engine/ pump area. The noise goes away a few seconds after releasing the trigger the noise goes away but my pressure is still low
Hi Shane,
I’m sorry to hear you have experienced issues with your new SIMPSON pressure washer. Please contact our customer service department @ (877)362-4271, where they will help you resolve your issue.
SIMPSON-KW
Can I buy PRESSURE RELEASE valve for my 3100 psi?
Hi Chris,
You can purchase a valve by calling our customer service at 1-877-362-4271.
SIMPSON TEAM-KW
I’m going to buy a used Simpson 3200 psi pressure washer the guy said i will need a water pump to make her feeling new again,
Do you guys have one thanks.
Hi Nao Thai Yang,
You can purchase a new pump by contacting our customer service @ 877-362-4271.
SIMPSON Team-KW
Wow, great job! Very helpful to Sympon pressure washer users. I am taking care of my engine when I have time, but sometimes it fails to perform quickly. Let me know the pros and cons of pressure washer.
Had my Simpson pressure washer about 1 year and used it once. Second time I tried to use it trigger was failing. Bought a replacement Simpson wand and trigger failed on it also after about 2 hours of use.
Hi Howard,
Thank you for taking out the time to let us know about your experience. We want to make sure every customer receives products that exceed all expectations. Please call our customer service department at 877-362-4271 and they will be able to resolve your issue with your spray gun.
Hi. My pressure washer will only continue to run if I have the spray gun trigger pulled. As soon as I release the trigger the engine stops running. I have used this unit for approximately 8 hours. It works fine, so long as I keep the trigger pulled, otherwise it stalls.
Hi Jeff,
Thank you for taking out this time to inform us of your experience.We want every customer to receive products that exceed all expectations Please contact our customer service department at 877-362-4271 and they will be able to get this issue resolved.
Im using my pressure washer to wash a long run of vinyl fencing. What is the safest way to provide enough water pressure to prevent burning my pump up. I have well pressure.
Hi Susan,
The safest way would be to purchase an additional extension hose.
My pressure washer is leaking by the pump. An it only spraying low pressure. I have a simpson 3200 psi.
Hi Marvin,
Thank you for taking the time out of your busy day to let us know about this issue.We are very sorry about that. We stand by our products and want you and every single customer to feel like you received value for your purchase.You are valuable to us and we would love to have the chance to keep you among our most valued customers. Please call our customer service at 877-362-4271 and they will be able to assist you.
Just un-boxed my brand NEW Simpson MegaShot 3100 pressure washer today TODAY…engine (Honda 190) cranked and ran great. Used the “quick start” instructions and followed them exactly. With the engine running I engaged the handle on the wand and the washer stalled and quit. I have checked everything twice and it is hooked up correctly. If I take the pressure nozzel off the wand the unit runs normal with no shutdown…if I put the pressure back on and pull the nozzel handle the unit stalls and stops. Its a brand new unit and has 30 minutes of run time. What is going on?
Hi David,
Thank you for your recent purchase on your new MegaShot. The pressure on the pump is set incorrectly or the nozzles are too small.
If I pump water from a lake to my 2.5 gal per minute pressure washer may l use a water transfer pump that pumps more than 2.5 gal per minute to supply my washer?
Hi Richard,
A transfer pump would be necessary and would need to move a minimum of 5 GPM @ 20 PSI to be effective. We do not recommend using lake water for any of our washers. Use of lake water may void the pump warranty.
I have a Simpson powered Dewalt power washer. Can I run the engine to winterize without having a water supply connected to the pump? Or do I have to have the water connected just to winterize? I don’t want to damage the pump.
Hi Chris,
Connect your pressure washer to the water supply and assemble gun and hose. Be sure that your water supply is ON and pull the recoil. Pull trigger and let engine run for 2-5 minutes to let gas into the carburetor. Please visit our blog on how to winterize your pressure washer https://simpsoncleaning.com/tips/2016/winterizing-your-pressure-washer/
My pressure hose will not stay connected to the power washer. When I start the washer it will spray for 30 seconds to a minute and then it literally blows the hose off the connection point on the machine. What would
Hi Mark,
Please call our customer service 877.362.4271 and they will be able to assist you with correcting this matter.
I purchased the 3000 psi 2.4 gpm with Koehler engine and it was shipped without 5 nozzles. I used a nozzle from another pressure washer to use it. A pressure washer should never vibrate so much that it would walk down my driveway. Does anyone perform quality control at simpson?
Hi Kevin,
Thank you for your recent purchase of the MS60763. This is not the way we do business and we intend to make amends with you and your experience using our MS60763.Everyone should receive what they paid for. That is our commitment to every one of our customers. Please email us at productsupport@simpsoncleaning.com or call customer service at 877.362.4271 and we will send you replacement nozzles.
Brand new out of the box Sampson pressure washer, hooked everything up correctly and got it started, put gas and the oil in it. Ran for 30 seconds then it completely stalled out. Lots of exhaust came out and when the engine quit now it won’t even start up. Made sure that the choke was on and then off. Not pleased at all with my experience.
Hi Adam,
Thank you for sharing your experience with us. As we can see, from what you expressed your experience did not meet your expectations. We are very sorry about that. We want every customer to receive products and services that exceed all expectations. We want to have a chance to correct the issue. Please contact our customer service at 877.362.4271 and we will resolve this matter.
My Simpson 3100 premium pressure washer will run for only a minute then shut down and will not start right away this has been the problem since I purchased it not sure what problem is or what the fix is I’ve replaced gas and plug several times also the spark plug seams to load up with a thick black carbon please help I would love to be able to use washer
Hi Larry,
We are sorry to hear about your experience and apologize for the inconvenience this has caused you. Our policy is to deliver 100% customer satisfaction. Please give us a chance to fix it. Please call our customer service department at 877.362.4271 and they will be more than happy to assist you and direct you to the nearest Authorized Service Center.
Just purchased a Simpson 3400 and was wandering about the black rubber peice that seems to be covering a valve or something on the side of the pump.remove it or no?
Hi Kevin,
The rubber boot is a protective cover for the unloader adjustments and needs to be left in place.
Hooked the pressure washer up to water hose and it is leaking water bad around the connection to the pump. Seem to be mighty loose even with hose completely tighten
Oh gosh, please don’t put me up for a Darwin award.
The manual that I got for my pressure washer was worst at best. Said unplug the orange knob and put 10-30 in the hole. Okay, that was easy. Guy at store said it should take about 3/4 of a quart… I could barely get in 1/8 cup?
Turns out, as I researched, that was the pump housing with the orange knob, not the oil spigot (knobs were not marked).
How do I clean that out? Most the oil went onto the cardboard I’d been resting the pressure washer on but before I go further? What do I do?
Hi,
In order to better assist you we need to know what model pressure washer you own. Please email us at productsupport@simpsoncleaning.com at your earliest convenient and we will be more than happy to assist you.
I have a MegaShot V3100 and can’t find it on this site. I need to replace the valve as it is leaking now. We left the pump running for a few minutes without pulling the sprayer trigger. Can you help me?
Best regards,
Jeff
Hi Jeff,
Please call our customer service department at 877.362.4271 and they will be more than happy to assist you in replacing the valve.
I just purchased Simpson 3200 psi. Put 20 oz. Of oil and ethanol free gas. Start on 3rd pull,ran for ten minute and stop to take phone call. Came back to restart but it will not crank..pull after pull it will not start..yes the choke is pull out. What’s going on..im lost. Want to keep this but will return if I can’t start it..help any idea. Thanks
Hi P.K.
Once an engine is warm 2 to 3 minutes, choking will only flood the engine. Please try again with the choke off and check the oil level.
SIMPSON TEAM
I bought a POWERSHOT PS60841-S with the same Kohler motor as my log splitter. Great engine, but after putting oil in, gas in, hooking up the water line and priming the water pump for 30 sec, opening the choke and turning the fuel lever to on, placing the motor to on, and slowly pulling the pull start to coat the motor, it will not start at all. I’ve reset, reread instructions, etc., but to no avail. So I researched simpson’s trouble shooting site and read all these comments, and most responses say to call customer service. I did, and the answer I was given was “we’re not technicians and our answer would be to take it to a service center.” What’s the point of having a customer service to answer trouble shooting questions for possible known issues if they’re answer is take to a service center? I guess I expected more from a major business selling what seems like a quality product.
Hi Daniel,
Thank you for your purchase of our PS60841 and taking the time out of your day to share your experience with us. We want every customer to receive products and services that exceed all expectations. Yes,we recommend taking your PS60841 to your nearest authorized service center where they can inspect your unit. Or you can contact KOHLER engine’s customer service group and they will be able to help you.
SIMPSON TEAM
Just bought 3600 PSI pressure washer today. After 30 minutes of use the handle on the spray nozzle broke. Now the system is under pressure and I am unable to remove the sprayer. Caled the service number and they had no recommendation on how to remove the sprayer. Now what to do.
They also told me the the sprayer is on backorder. Great experience with this new product. If I can’t remove the current nozzle then what am I to do with a new one. Why is there no other way to remove the pressure since it appears that a broken sprayer handle is not an uncommon issue with this product.
Very disappointed customer here.
Hi Roger,
You are valuable to us and we would love to have the chance to keep you among our most valued customers. We are sorry for the inconvenience this has caused you. Thank you for letting us know about this problem. We really want to fix it.Please contact our National Service manager at productsupport@simpsoncleaning.com at your earliest convenience.
I have a 4000 psi Simpson. It runs fine until I release the handle on the wand and then it goes dead.
What is causing this problem?
Hi Brian,
Thank you for sharing your issue with us. We are sorry for the inconvenience this is causing you. Please contact customer service at your earliest convenience at 877.362.4271 and they will help you resolve this issue.
I have a MS60799, that’s hardly been used. A few hours, tops. Now, water is leaking into the engine’s oil and after around a 1/2 hour of use, the engine shuts down and I have to change the oil, because it’s full of water. What seal/part do I have to buy in order to fix this?
Hi Michael,
Thank you for taking the time to let us know about your issue. Please contact customer service at 877.362.4271 and they will be more than happy to assist.
I used starting fluid to start my power washer and it locked up…. What can I do to get it running again???
I used starting fluid to get my power washer started and it locked up… What can I do to get it started running again
Hi Terry,
Please contact customer department at 877-362-4271 and they will direct you to the nearest authorized dealer in your area.
My Simpson 3000 psi pressure washer will not relieve pressure, so when the trigger is not compressed it will not go to idle speed. Instead the RPM stays high. How do I fix this?
Hi Aaron,
Please contact our customer service department at 877-362-4271 and they will direct you to the nearest authorized dealer in your area.
Brand new and won’t start. So disappointed! I bought the more expensive pressure washer because it had a Honda engine. Never again.
Hi Lisa,
Thank you for taking the time out of your busy day to let us know about this issue.We want every customer to receive products and services that exceed all expectations. Our policy is to deliver 100% customer satisfaction. Please give us a chance to fix it. We are ready to help you at any time. You can reach us by email at productsupport@simpsoncleaning.com
Update to the above: “Brand new and won’t start. . .” I tried to call your customer service number already. It doesn’t work stating, “all circuits are busy now, will you please try your call again later.” This has been happening for several hours now. So disappointed!
Hi Lisa,
Thank you for taking the time out of your busy day to let us know about this issue.We want every customer to receive products and services that exceed all expectations. Our policy is to deliver 100% customer satisfaction. Please give us a chance to fix it. We are ready to help you at any time. You can reach us by email at productsupport@simpsoncleaning.com or by phone at 877.362.4271.
I have a Simpson Pressure washer (PS3228-S) with low pressure. Just wondering if its the Valve Thermal Relief because the unloader works fine ?
Hi Konstantin,
Yes it is.
you should by the sound of it is redesign the wand mine new out of the box wand failed waiting 3 weeks to get a new one really a lot of bull .
not impressed at all and totally disappointed all you say ohh call costumer service yup still waiting for the wand. Took time off to do the job well that’s not done either. thanks for the junk
Robert savard,
Thank you for taking the time out of your busy day to let us know about this issue.We want every customer to receive products and services that exceed all expectations. If you haven’t received your replacement gun yet, please contact our national service manager via email at productsupport@simpsoncleaning.com and we will resolve this matter.
Serial Number: ALH3225-06161262557-LT
NOT IMPRESSED: I need to bring my pressure washer to an authorized service center that is a 35 minute drive one way. So, trip down, drop it off, trip back, adds up to about 1 hr and 20 minutes. Then, repeat to pick it up. Now, that’s about 3 hours of my time. On top of that, I don’t have the receipt from February 2017, but I did register it. Apparently, registering it is not proof of purchase, thus I will have to pay to have my pressure washer fixed. Honestly, I thought I was buying a well made product, but now I feel like I’ve been fooled. I paid $475 for my Simpson pressure and after a few months of home use, it needs repairs. How are we going to resolve this?
Larry,
We wanted to personally thank you for taking the time to provide feedback about your experience with us.We want every customer to receive products and services that exceed all expectations. You are valuable to us and we would love to have the chance to keep you among our most valued customers. We know apologies don’t fix the past. Please give us a second opportunity to show you what we are truly made of.When you have a free moment kindly reach out to our national service manager via email at productsupport@simpsoncleaning.com. We will do whatever we can to resolve this matter.
SIMPSON TEAM
Hi I have a Simpson MS60805 bought it a year ago and used 3 times, last time I was using it, all of sudden the engine shut down when I went to see what happened all the oil is on the floor. What do I need to do to make the warranty effective?
javier paez,
Thank you for taking the time to let us know about this issue. Please contact customer service at 877.362.4271 and we will be more than happy to resolve this issue.
The pump twists when I squeeze the handle.
Ed Larrow,
Please contact customer service at 877.362.4271 for assistance.
I bought a MSH3125-S lst November and used it twice. I noticed that the hose vibrated alot but thought that maybe that was expected. I used it again this April and immediately knew that the hose should not vibrate so bad that it makes your hands numb. I then noticed that where ever the hose laid upon itself, it rubbed the coating off, making the hose really thin in spots. Lowes said they would not take it back since it had been more than 30 days. I contacted Simpson’s customer service and they were really nice. They referred me to an authorized repairman. He has had the washer for over 6 weeks now, telling me he could not get to it for 3 weeks and then not being able to get in touch with the Simpson warranty folks for two weeks. Yesterday he tells me that it is supposed to vibrate. Am I expected to have to buy a hose after each use of the machine?
Charles,
Thank you for taking the time out of your busy day to let us know about this issue.When you have a free moment kindly reach out to us via email at productsupport@simpsoncleaning.com. We will do whatever I can to resolve this matter.You are valuable to us and we would love to have the chance to keep you among our most valued customers.
I know you can run bleach through a pressure washer. How do I make a by pass wand when for when I’m bleaching a house I have the Simpson Megashot which has the part on the pump when using chemicals.
Hi David,
No,we do not recommend using bleach. It could cause internal damage to the pump.
Why does my pump on my 3300 2.4 pressure washer getting hot after 10 min of use
Hi Josh,
If this continues to happen please contact customer service at 877.362.4271
I bought two of the 3000 psi and both worked less than 30 minutes and the pump on both will not pump any water to the wand. 2nd one only lasted about 10 minutes and it stoped pumping . They replaced the first one , but will not replace the second one because it was over a year old . BUT I had , had a stroke after I bought it and had to leave it in my house . So when wife did open it , It had been over 1 year , EVEN tho it was still in the box and never opened . Also one of the cheap plastic wheels was completely broken off in the box . I would buy a wheel BUT not a pump. Both times pump safety would release the hot water out , BUT it does it as soon as you crank the engine .
Hi Randy,
Thank you for taking the time out of your busy day to let us know about this issue.We want every customer to receive products and services that exceed all expectations. We want you to be satisfied with your purchase of our product. Please contact me at productsupport@simpsoncleaning.com so we can chat.
My pressure washer stared and we was using now it’s not starting..
Hi Corie,
Thank you for letting us know about this issue. Please contact customer service at 877.362.4271 for assistance.