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Windscreen Washer Reservoir

  • 13-11-2015 1:01pm
    #1
    leeside11
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 151 ✭✭


    Just filled up the windscreen reservoir only to find it emptying straightaway.
    Anyone have a ballpark price on replacing and labor on this.
    It's a 04 fiesta. TIA.


Comments

  • #2
    Atlantic Dawn
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 84,761 ✭✭✭✭Atlantic Dawn
    M


    See where the leak is, it could be a pipe coming from it that is lose or has perished and not the reservoir itself. Maybe use coloured screenwash to trace where the leak is coming from.


  • #3
    Yawns
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 4,255 ✭✭✭Yawns


    As Atlantic Dawn mentioned, see if you can find the leak. At the bottom of the reservoir is usually 2 pumps to pump the water to front or rear windscreen. These tend to have a rubber seal. Not common for them to go but if it is just a seal, then it'll be a cheap 5 min job. Aldi or Lidl tend to have boxes of assorted seals for like €5 with a good variety of sizes. Motor factors / hardware stores will also have them.

    If it's a crack, I think the better option would be a 2nd hand reservoir from a scrapyard that's not cracked. Not sure on your car if it's easy to get it out but I'd rather try that then try to repair a crack that may just open again.


  • #4
    Yawns
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 4,255 ✭✭✭Yawns


    Also if you do get it sorted, this is one reason to use windscreen washer fluid with water rather than just water. Fluid comes with a lower freezing point so is less likely to turn to ice inside the reservoir and expand causing cracks over the winter.


  • #5
    leeside11
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 151 ✭✭leeside11


    Water is flowing straight out as soon as you fill it up, will have to take to mechanic as I wouldn't be very confident of messing around with it.
    Hopefully it's just a perished hose.
    Pump is working on it anyway.


  • #6
    biko
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 81,220 ✭✭✭✭biko


    Not a DIY effort, moved to main forum.


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  • #7
    CiniO
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,069 ✭✭✭✭CiniO


    Yawns wrote: »
    Also if you do get it sorted, this is one reason to use windscreen washer fluid with water rather than just water. Fluid comes with a lower freezing point so is less likely to turn to ice inside the reservoir and expand causing cracks over the winter.

    I had frozen windscreen washer in plenty different cars, and it never caused water resivior to crack.


  • #8
    jimgoose
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 20,195 ✭✭✭✭jimgoose


    CiniO wrote: »
    I had frozen windscreen washer in plenty different cars, and it never caused water resivior to crack.

    Me neither. It'd pop the washer motor fuse, though.


  • #9
    Yawns
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 4,255 ✭✭✭Yawns


    CiniO wrote: »
    I had frozen windscreen washer in plenty different cars, and it never caused water resivior to crack.

    Maybe not but it can happen. Just cos it doesn't happen all the time. If you have a full washer reservoir of water and only had water in it for months on end, then it's a risk. Not a guarantee. Half full would allow some room for ice expansion

    Washer fluid has a lower freezing temp so helps lower the risk. In Ireland we wouldn't generally reach the winter temps needed to freeze an entirely full reservoir but as washer fluid costs as little as a euro or even 2 euro in dealz or euroshop then it's not exactly breaking the bank to help minimize risk to washer reservoir, pumps, hoses or seals.


  • #10
    CiniO
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,069 ✭✭✭✭CiniO


    Yawns wrote: »
    Maybe not but it can happen. Just cos it doesn't happen all the time. If you have a full washer reservoir of water and only had water in it for months on end, then it's a risk. Not a guarantee. Half full would allow some room for ice expansion

    I honestly doubt it would make any difference if reservoir is full or not.
    They are not tight, and fluid is normally topped up from the top, so even if it's full, there's still space left.

    Water when freezing, usually expands on the sides anyway, so only what makes them not crack, is fact that they are usually built from quite expandable and elastic plastic.
    Washer fluid has a lower freezing temp so helps lower the risk. In Ireland we wouldn't generally reach the winter temps needed to freeze an entirely full reservoir but as washer fluid costs as little as a euro or even 2 euro in dealz or euroshop then it's not exactly breaking the bank to help minimize risk to washer reservoir, pumps, hoses or seals.

    From my experience those washer fluids you buy cheap in Ireland, are useless for low temps.
    I got once 5 litre bottle saying up to -20 degrees.
    At -10 it was frozen solid.
    I had to bring the car to indoor garage for few hours for it to melt, and then drain it all, and put the proper one.


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