The windshield washer light wasn't on, so I knew it wasn't empty, but how much is in there? Can't see the reservoir. So I start pouring, figuring I'll stop when the fluid comes up to the top of the neck. After about 2 quarts it starts overflowing under the car. I like the little warning right next to the filler neck --- Don't over fill or it might spill.
The moral of the story is, I learn something new every day!

Tom

 

Same thing when I topped up. Is this how it is designed with an overflow exit we don't see or do we both have a leak somewhere?

 

Believe it or not, this is how the washer reservoir was designed.

"Do not overfill the washer reservoir. Do not attempt

to fill to the top of the filler neck. Fluid may leak out
onto the floor or driveway causing a potential slip
and fall hazard. When the indicator light first illuminates,
the maximum fill amount is 1 gallon or 4

liters."

 

Bells and whistles and idiot lights are nice, but it's also nice to be able to take a look at something so simple.

 

You should wait till the light comes on and it will take a whole gallon to fill it and won't leak out.

 

I guess that's what I'll have to do from now on; run it dry.

 

Thank God I ran across this, since I have had any of the cars, I just wait until the light comes on and put in a gallon, never an issue.

I had the car all torn apart doing custom body work and some repairs (and had the reservoir out) and did my last oil change at a friend's shop and just used his filler nozzle, sure enough, fluid everywhere. I thought I had a leak from when I reconnected everything, this is great news

 

Exactly what I do. The cap on the filler neck states that max capacity for the reservoir is 4 liters. A gallon is 3.78 L. If you look at the manual, it states the light comes on when that 4L is just about up. It would be nice if you could see exactly where yours was at just in case you wanted to top up, but unless you want to take your right fender off, that isn't happening. As with the rest of this car, it's usually best to listen and wait til it tells you something needs changing or is off. There's obviously some things it doesn't monitor, but for the things it does, it usually knows what's going on pretty well. It's interesting to read up on this car's computer systems.

Sorry, went off on a tangent there. Yeah, don't fill it up unless the light comes on. Disaster will ensue.

 

I made my windshield washer jug out of 304 stainless steel. Uses all the origional mounting points,pump and low level sensor. I can now fill to the fill cap. This was a necessary mod to make so I could make up tru engine compartment ventilation thats ducted out real fender vents. Using search,then typing in True Fender Vents ,will show you how its done. Squirrel Crusher

 

You wonder how tough it could've been to add an o-ring to the neck during design to prevent this?

Maybe we can get Waldig to make us up plans for a dipstick!

James

 

March 2010
First day with my car, I checked all the fluids. Topped up the WW fluid and it all poured out onto my garage floor. I assumed that since the car was from Florida, the previous owner may have used a summer fluid and that somewhere in transport to me here in the great white north, the reservoir must have frozen and cracked. Except the WW still worked?? Came in the house, checked the forum and found this very same information that has been posted here.
What a fantastic forum.

 

My 04 Crossfire still has the original windshield washer fluid in it, I don't think It's ever been used even once.
Then again my AMX still has 1969 "vintage" washer fluid in its reservoir as well.
No winter driving can cause that.

 

Damn, Sounds like some fine wine.

 

An old thread but I found out that old WW fluid left in the reservoir turns into a high school lab project with lots of slime that can jam the float, the pump, the lines and nozzles.
I had to take mine out and clean it, the float was covered in slime, with some in the pump inlet. Luckily the slime had not jammed the lines yet.

 

I overfilled mine also, leaked under the car, for a week. Live and Learn, and Love my Crossfire

 

The filling pipe goes through two tight 90° bends before it gets to the tank. The fill spout goes into the neck of the bottle but the top of the actual bottle is lower and it has two plugs in it that breathe air and that is where the leak comes from. The filler neck is quite tight but will leak after the plugs are passed by the fluid. That's just the way it is, I was thinking of sealing the neck so I could see the fluid at the filler but with the air breathers I did not bother.
The area where the bottle is catches leaves and dirt, I was surprised how many leaves were in there. It is the area where the cowl drains, I washed it out and sprayed some rust protection in there.

 

I found the picture I was looking for before.
You can see the tight right angle bends from the filling area.
Not a Crossfire but the bottle is the same except for the two outlets at the top. On the crossfire these are plugged with something like foam plugs and fluid leaks through them when filled to overflowing as well as out the hole for the filling tube/reservoir connection.

Note the sensor on the bottom left, the pump in the bottom middle and the reservoir locater in the hole on the frame bracket on the top left.

 

Haha, the day I bought my car I went to fill the washer fluid and was shocked and angry to find it spilling out under the passenger door. Now I finally know there's nothing wrong with it.

 

I wonder if they route warm coolant through those two hoses on the top, through a tube, to warm the fluid in the winter?

What car is it? You had me fooled

 

Merc of some form, stumbled on the picture somewhere and filled it away.