# No Indicator for Low Washer Fluid?!?!?!



## pguelich (Aug 27, 2014)

Just discovered that there is no indicator light in the car when the washer fluid get low. This is ridiculous. There's a "bell" and a "whistle" for everything but not this? Very frustrating when you're driving down the highway in the winter conditions and all of a sudden nothing comes out of the sprayers! Seems like GM cut this feature out to save a few bucks. I guess it's one of those things that nobody would notice when they're test driving or researching. It's a very simple feature and personally I would assume that any new car sold today would have it. Small issue, yes, but very disappointing that GM would cheap out on something like this. :angry:


----------



## Green (May 14, 2014)

I have two vehicles now without low fluid thing. No biggie for me after all the prior vehicles that never had it. I just try to remember to fill it when I check the oil.


----------



## au201 (May 18, 2013)

Four of our six cars do not have it...Seems many newer cars don't have it anymore


----------



## Robby (Mar 1, 2013)

The sensor was immersed in washer solvent.....while immersed it would stay cool and was configured to keep the circuit open (no light) till uncovered.....at that point it would get rather warm and close the circuit.

Owners being human, would not add solvent till the thing quit spraying anyways and over time, the sensor, operating in a long hot condition for days, would finally die and no longer send the low level warning.

Then, owners get angry because they need a new sensor.......cheezy stuff doesn't hold up......ya, thats the reason.

So, the manufacturers for the most part have said, funk it, let em run out.
I agree......people made their own problems on this one.......the only alternative would be a float type arrangement, like a fuel tank has......imagine how much that would cost when it failed.

Rob


----------



## BU54 (Nov 24, 2014)

It seems we're spoiled with sensors for everything. If you can't remember the last time you added fluid and you've been using it on a regular basis. Pop the hood and add some. It's a good idea to pop the hood once in a while anyway just to look for leaks and general wear and tear ect.
Who knows you may find a birds nest or cob webs under there that need removal.


----------



## JerTM (Dec 12, 2014)

In my profession, customers like you are great. They need a light for everything which generally leads to the owner never checking anything. After a while of fluids going unchecked they bring it in to me and I get to charge them to repair something.


----------



## blk88verde (Apr 30, 2011)

> Seems like GM cut this feature out to save a few bucks. I guess it's one of those things that nobody would notice when they're test driving or researching. It's a very simple feature and personally I would assume that any new car sold today would have it. Small issue, yes, but very disappointing that GM would cheap out on something like this. :angry:


 I was disappointed when I had my Cruze - with this feature missing. So used to having a low washer fluid lamp with previous euro cars. Kind of a safety issue, not being able to clear the windshield.


----------



## mdubord1024 (Sep 3, 2014)

^^^ this reminds me of a guy that came in to my part time job at autozone the other night with soft brakes. No fluid in the reservoir due to a leaky line. There was a slight language barrier (he was Asian and spoke little English) and he could not comprehend the fact that the car was unsafe and should be towed and not driven. He didn't listen to my advice and I hope to **** he didn't hit anyone. Any ways, my point is that if you can't be bothered to check your fluids and maintain your vehicle properly then you are the safety issue and should reconsider getting behind the wheel. 


Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App


----------



## neirfin (Oct 18, 2012)

my washer fluid indicates it is low when it refuses to come out of the nozzle. :eusa_clap:


----------



## Jim Frye (Mar 16, 2011)

You can have the low fluid alarm in my car. It never gets used because I maintain all of the fluid levels in it, including the washer fluid. How many of your run your engine until the oil pressure light comes on?


----------



## ChevyMgr (Oct 27, 2010)

Robby said:


> So, the manufacturers for the most part have said, funk it, let em run out.
> I agree......people made their own problems on this one.......the only alternative would be a float type arrangement, like a fuel tank has......imagine how much that would cost when it failed.
> 
> Rob


$399.99, how many do you want?


----------



## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

I had a car with one of these. Very annoying. When it was low, the light would flash every time I went down/up a hill or accelerated. It was also a pig on fluid because it had headlight wipers. 

I wanted to smash the bulb. Not having one is A-ok by me.


----------



## Cruzator (Dec 31, 2014)

I agree, I think it should have it as well. Driving in all the MgCl2 I do, it's easy to use more than you think. I agree with keeping things topped off. But, If that's the case, lets remove the fuel gauge and "just keep it topped off". Let's remove the DEF indicator, and "just keep it topped off". I've had numerous cars with this feature, and have never had a windshield washer fluid sensor go out. 

(I say all of this in fun and not to offend anyone).


----------



## spacedout (Dec 7, 2010)

The washer tank holds an entire gallon, so if you let it get that low you can only blame yourself. Top if off once a month, it will never be low. I drive 50-80 miles a day and even in the dead of winter where i use the washers multiple times a day it still last me more than a month. 

This is only a safety issue if you make it one....


----------



## money_man (Feb 25, 2014)

A gallon will last me spring, summer, and fall. In the winter however I'm lucky if a gallon lasts a month. 


Sent from the sexy electrician


----------



## TDCruze (Sep 26, 2014)

I try to remember to keep the washer fluid topped off, but it still gets forgotten and runs out from time to time. A subtle warning light would be handy.


----------



## spacedout (Dec 7, 2010)

money_man said:


> A gallon will last me spring, summer, and fall. In the winter however I'm lucky if a gallon lasts a month.


I use just as much in the summer to remove dead bugs as I hit them(green bug wash). If I didn't I would have to scrub the windshield for 10 minutes at every fill up. Besides my dealer tops mine off at every oil change so mine seems to magically stay full 3-4 times a year.


----------



## icecube58 (Jan 16, 2015)

I agree; once you've had this feature, it seems like a common sense safety feature…on my last car (a much loved Astra), I don't think it had a warning light, but the rear window washer would stop pumping fluid when the reservoir got low; you could still get fluid for the windshield for while -- smart. And thats also a GM car…


----------



## weimerrj (Dec 4, 2011)

It would be nice to have, but I think acting all offended by its absence is a bit "Doth Protest Too Much" for my taste.


----------



## Merc6 (Jun 8, 2013)

Trying to remember if I even have a low fluid light in the Subaru since it came with heated wiper blade strips. Coolest feature ever till a rock chips the window good enough near the bottom. 

There is a wiper indicator but it's not used in most models, anyone with a LTZ wanna shed "light" on this light? It's hidden just above the speed needle if you shine light into the cluster. I can't find a pic since I took it about 2 years ago I'l try and edit one in later.


----------



## BU54 (Nov 24, 2014)

Just for the record I've never owned a vehicle with a low washer fluid sensor. As a matter of fact until now I didn't know there was such a thing. In the fall when it's still "warm" outside I always inspect under the hood and check all fluids and top off the washer fluid. Around here I can use quite a bit in just a few weeks if we get a lot of sleet,snow,rain storms. Then when there's the few "warmer" days during the cold azz winter I'll check the fluids again because it's a beach checking the fluids when it's bitter cold. OH and I check the tire pressure too. I have an air compressor in the garage. That puppy comes in handy. I have a pneumatic rachet and 1/2" drive impact wrench for easy tire removal.


----------



## Merc6 (Jun 8, 2013)

I had a tire slime air pump I was using to top off my tires but eventually it broke. I have on for the Cruze but don't feel like going under the flap and into the other flap to get it out. Get Go is free and beeps when it gets to the preset psi.


----------



## Robby (Mar 1, 2013)

It all boils down to folks causing their own grief by not performing a weekly underhood check.

Anytime the hood is raised, it should be assumed the washer jug will need a dash of solvent......unless you know haven't touched the button for a week.
But that weekly check should include oil level, coolant tank level, a visual of anything accumulating outside the engine that should only be on the inside of the engine, and a look see for corrosion buildup at the battery terminals, as well as the washer solvent.......a tire pressure check at the beginning of every month isn't a bad idea either.....either by simply checking the readout on TPS cars or a gauge check for those without.
Basic, car ownership 101.

This is a simple series of steps that should become a habit, regardless of what car you own or how old it is.
Keeps surprises at a minimum.

Rob


----------



## NickD (Dec 10, 2011)

Robby said:


> The sensor was immersed in washer solvent.....while immersed it would stay cool and was configured to keep the circuit open (no light) till uncovered.....at that point it would get rather warm and close the circuit.
> 
> Owners being human, would not add solvent till the thing quit spraying anyways and over time, the sensor, operating in a long hot condition for days, would finally die and no longer send the low level warning.
> 
> ...


A thermistor, resistance would go to nothing when the fluid couldn't keep it cool anymore. Still using these in fuel senders to turn on that little yellow lamp.

Not even sure if mine works, never let that gas tank get that low. Consider a quarter of a tank an empty tank, not only cools that sensor but that way over pushed fuel pump as well that really needs cooling. Without that gas for cooling, darn things will burn up. 

Always checking my tire pressures and fluids, been doing this for over 60 years, all this new crap can spoil a guy, like your hood is open warning, hmmm, seem to have problems with seeing where I am going with an open hood or truck. Keys go instantly in my pocket when I leave the car, really don't need that ding ding ding. But have yet to figure out on the Cruze how to quiet it when working on the car when the switch has to be in the ignition.

When I was taking flying lessons in the 50's got accustomed to a lap belt, so put one in my 54 Olds, my buddies thought that was cool. Been using one ever since, but when they made this a law, wants me to defy it, but don't, know that spy box is watching me.

One thing about land vehicles, nobody has ever heard about preventative maintenance, and these sure need this measure. Just wait until they get stalled in some God forsaken place to learn they have a problem.

Still using carbon brushes in starters, alternators, blower motors, and in fuel pumps. Work one second and die the next due to wear. But don't hear a thing about preventative maintenance.


----------



## ChevyGuy (Dec 13, 2014)

Merc6 said:


> Trying to remember if I even have a low fluid light in the Subaru since it came with heated wiper blade strips. Coolest feature ever till a rock chips the window good enough near the bottom.
> 
> There is a wiper indicator but it's not used in most models, anyone with a LTZ wanna shed "light" on this light? It's hidden just above the speed needle if you shine light into the cluster. I can't find a pic since I took it about 2 years ago I'l try and edit one in later.


I'm pretty sure everyone has the same owner's manual. There is mention on page "V" - "Vehicle Symbol Chart", but nothing in the later section. So I'm guessing it's an unused light.


----------



## ChevyGuy (Dec 13, 2014)

My old car had a great indicator for low coolant - effectively a wire stuck into the radiator. If it could sense conductivity to ground (via the engine block) the coolant was at least that high. May take a pair of wires since the washer reservoir is all plastic, but seems like that should work.


----------



## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

ChevyGuy said:


> My old car had a great indicator for low coolant - effectively a wire stuck into the radiator. If it could sense conductivity to ground (via the engine block) the coolant was at least that high. May take a pair of wires since the washer reservoir is all plastic, but seems like that should work.


Mine had a magnetic float sensor in the level tank. Worked well for 15 years til the float jammed up - good enough for me. By that time the plastic tank had developed a leak anyway.

But THAT I find to be much more helpful than a washer fluid sensor, since rubber hoses tend to let go with age and there are a bunch of small coolant hoses on turbocharged cars.


----------



## roadrunnerA12 (Jan 21, 2015)

My kind of reply thread! Jump on the whiner, and for good reason. As most have said, get into the habit of doing a bi-weekly check of fluids under the hood. Takes 3 minutes. **** new cars are so reliable and low maintenance, we are creating a whole generation of clueless whiners. But they will suffer more car fires for never checking under the hood and always having the steer-re-yo turned way up. And that is a problem for me, for, you see, I have this mental problem - when I am behind some jerk or maiden and there is smoke coming from their car and they are oblivious to it, I have to follow it until it catches on fire. Most times it's just a brake lining fire but once in awhile I hit the jackpot and the kid climbs out of the car, cell phone in hand, just as flames erupt from the grill. I'm getting to work late too often. How many times can I tell my boss my car caught on fire???


----------



## roadrunnerA12 (Jan 21, 2015)

Whoa! Forum software detected a swear word. It was the bad version of darn.


----------



## ChevyGuy (Dec 13, 2014)

Merc6 said:


> There is a wiper indicator but it's not used in most models, anyone with a LTZ wanna shed "light" on this light? It's hidden just above the speed needle if you shine light into the cluster. I can't find a pic since I took it about 2 years ago I'l try and edit one in later.


I took a closer look at this. It's a windshield wiper symbol (not the washer), with the word "AUTO" underneath it. It doesn't light up during the startup "bulb check" on my LTZ.


----------



## Merc6 (Jun 8, 2013)

ChevyGuy said:


> I'm pretty sure everyone has the same owner's manual. There is mention on page "V" - "Vehicle Symbol Chart", but nothing in the later section. So I'm guessing it's an unused light.





ChevyGuy said:


> I took a closer look at this. It's a windshield wiper symbol (not the washer), with the word "AUTO" underneath it. It doesn't light up during the startup "bulb check" on my LTZ.



Yeah lots of bulbs don't light up on start up. Even the shift light for us manuals stays dark. I caught the indicator when the sun hit the dash the right way. I'll try again to get a pic of it. Did any LTZ get rain sensing wipers? I know the board is similar to the Verano but you would think it wouldn't be on the overlay. The older Regal cluster in front of me had a unused performance shift light on their clusters.


----------



## ChevyGuy (Dec 13, 2014)

Merc6 said:


> Did any LTZ get rain sensing wipers?


Maybe it was planned for, but than dumped.


----------

