# Windshield Washer Alert...



## gottaride68 (Jan 15, 2013)

:question:Have you noticed your CRUZZZE does not alert you when your washer fluid level is low? Or is it just my car... :th_coolio: I'll be rippin' along, say on a slushy wet road...then with out warning.....no washer fluid...not good....


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## Vetterin (Mar 27, 2011)

Do you mean that there are cars that DO warn you? I know I've never had one......


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

I had two, but they were European. It got really annoying when low because every time I'd step on the gas, the freaking light would flash.

Car companies in general cut corners cost-wise wherever they can these days. Of course there's no windshield washer fluid sensor.

FWIW, Toyota, Jeep, Honda, and Ford don't put them on new cars anymore either


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## kfr291 (Aug 11, 2012)

My Chevy malbu had a sensor. It is annoying that we don't have one.... Wonder if aftermarket has anything 

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## Jim Frye (Mar 16, 2011)

gottaride68 said:


> :question:Have you noticed your CRUZZZE does not alert you when your washer fluid level is low? Or is it just my car... :th_coolio: I'll be rippin' along, say on a slushy wet road...then with out warning.....no washer fluid...not good....


RTFM I just make the washer fluid reservoir part of the monthly underhood fluid checks. Along with the tire pressure check. Always comfortable with the status of the sled that way.


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## spacedout (Dec 7, 2010)

Every time I go to refill mine I have used less than 3inches out of the gallon jug. Figured out my dealer was refilling it every time they change the oil.


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## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

Never had a car that had that feature. 


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## caughron01 (Mar 25, 2013)

My wife's Traverse does it, and it annoys the crap outta you until you fill it......


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## blk88verde (Apr 30, 2011)

When I had a 2002 Mercedes C230K - the low coolant light came on when the washer fluid was low. The dealer said it was normal - maybe it was a low fluid light for both coolant and washer fluid. I attribute that to German engineering. The car also had only on rear fog lamp - talk about cheaping out.


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## beeztee (Oct 24, 2012)

I miss this feature. My last car (2000 Jetta) had it.


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## kfr291 (Aug 11, 2012)

the dealer does not use good washer fuild. That happen to me this winter. I was waiting for my washer fluid to go down so i could put in ranix deep freeze ( -30degress) but they filled before i could put mine in. , good thing i ran it down though. we had temps down in the -15 one night.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

My Montana had a low washer fluid indicator - it would stop sending washer fluid to the rear window when the level go to a certain point. All my other cars have had the same indicator the Cruze has - they stopped spraying washer fluid when empty.

I purchased six gallons of washer fluid in the late 90s. Four of them are still unopened in my garage. It seems every time I take a car in for service anywhere that involves opening the hood the washer fluid gets topped off.


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## iKermit (Dec 13, 2010)

I had it on:

My Camry
My Volvo
And my TL

Yes i've had a lot of cars, yes im young. Yes i miss the TL like crazy.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

kfr291 said:


> the dealer does not use good washer fuild. That happen to me this winter. I was waiting for my washer fluid to go down so i could put in ranix deep freeze ( -30degress) but they filled before i could put mine in. , good thing i ran it down though. we had temps down in the -15 one night.


Mine froze at 28 F. Some great fluid right there.


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## giantsnation (Oct 11, 2012)

My wife's jeep is a 2012 Liberty and does have this low washer warning. Its really a catch-22. On one hand, when your not paying attention to your washer fluid level, it is nice to have but it can be annoying about that first warning.


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## bodeis (Jan 28, 2012)

It's your responsibility to check your fluids, not your car.


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## izzyizz (Mar 11, 2012)

had it on my Lumina, Malibu and Impala


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

bodeis said:


> It's your responsibility to check your fluids, not your car.


True. But with the number of people I see driving around with tires that have about 15 PSI in them I can understand why car manufacturers have put in idiot lights for most systems. When it comes to cars and how to maintain them, most people are idiots.


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## eedwards (Mar 20, 2013)

I traded in my '03 Impala on my new Cruze about 3 weeks ago. That Impala had the warning for low washer fluid, as well as more than 344K miles.


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## spacedout (Dec 7, 2010)

kfr291 said:


> the dealer does not use good washer fuild. That happen to me this winter. I was waiting for my washer fluid to go down so i could put in ranix deep freeze ( -30degress) but they filled before i could put mine in. , good thing i ran it down though. we had temps down in the -15 one night.


This is how I knew they were topping off my fluid, I use Prestone De-icer washer fluid that has a -35 rating and has never froze in all the winters I run it. Soon after My oil change at the dealer I noticed some slush coming out of the washers. Since I knew I had almost used a gallon I went to fill it up and found it full. 

Decided in the future to make sure and fill up my washer fluid before hand so I don't get anymore of whatever junk they use. In the summer I love using the green prestone bug wash, it actually removes the bugs instead of smearing them.


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## kfr291 (Aug 11, 2012)

bodeis said:


> It's your responsibility to check your fluids, not your car.


so then we should get rid of the fuel gauge, the warning for low coolant fluid and low engine oil. lol

Its nice to have a little light hat says "hey by the way you need a bit of washer fluid. my windshield is dirty i would like to clean it off if you do not mind, so if you could add some washer fluid that would be great. Thank you very much your car."


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## Blue Angel (Feb 18, 2011)

kfr291 said:


> so then we should get rid of the fuel gauge, the warning for low coolant fluid and low engine oil.


As far as I can tell there's no low coolant sensor. I just changed my surge tank... there's a spot for a coolant level sensor in the tank, but there's no sensor there. The tank is transparent so you can easily see if the level has dropped.

I'm not sure about the low oil level sensor; someone can correct me if I'm wrong but I don't remember seeing a sensor on the oil pan. That's 100% OK with me, since I routinely check my oil level with the dipstick. It's yellow and located on the front of the cylinder head. Since buying the car last summer the oil level has not moved on the dipstick enough for me to notice a drop. Steady as she goes, and I still check it every other time I fuel up.


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## firehawk618 (Feb 24, 2013)

blk88verde said:


> The car also had only on rear fog lamp - talk about cheaping out.



Actually they're all that way "cars with rear fogs" and from what I understand the reasoning is since the rear fog is basically the same brightness as your stop lights if you had 2 rear fogs on at all times some would think you are applying your brakes.

IMO the rear fog is annoying as **** when people leave them on all the time. Use them when it's foggy and all is good. On constantly just bugs me.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

Huh. I thought only Volvos had that rear fog light 


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## MD5335 (Oct 16, 2012)

While my first and only VW (a '66 1300) did have a fuel gauge, earlier Beetles just had a lever you flipped when it ran out of gas, giving you access to a gallon or so of "reserve" to make it to the next gas station. It was disappointing when you reached down to flip the lever and found it was already on reserve. 

So in those earlier Beetles the only gauge was a speedometer. And a light for low oil pressure and battery discharge. Interestingly, the VW folks did not chose to include a low washer fluid indicator.


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## gottaride68 (Jan 15, 2013)

My Chevy Trucks all had the alert feature, and i had a "**** box" jetta that had the alert feature as well... Ya, for the most time i'm on top of keeping it topped off....but sometime I've gotten caught where it went dry....


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## JayZee (Jan 17, 2013)

I miss having it on my 1999 Mercury Cougar. Standard feature...

My girlfriends ultra-base model 2009 Toyota Yaris has this feature as well. It just turns on an idiot light. Doesn't annoy me at all and is actually very helpful so I know I won't be able to clean my windshield soon...


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## iKermit (Dec 13, 2010)

Blue Angel said:


> As far as I can tell there's no low coolant sensor. I just changed my surge tank... there's a spot for a coolant level sensor in the tank, but there's no sensor there. The tank is transparent so you can easily see if the level has dropped.
> 
> I'm not sure about the low oil level sensor; someone can correct me if I'm wrong but I don't remember seeing a sensor on the oil pan. That's 100% OK with me, since I routinely check my oil level with the dipstick. It's yellow and located on the front of the cylinder head. Since buying the car last summer the oil level has not moved on the dipstick enough for me to notice a drop. Steady as she goes, and I still check it every other time I fuel up.


Oh man i am paranoid now, i am going to get home today and check my levels.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

Rear fog lamps are used in areas with lots of heavy fog. They're on the left side of the car in right hand drive countries and the right side in left hand side countries. The circuit is designed to keep the lamp lit so you can leave it on when parked partially in the driving lane like many countries in Europe. This alerts other drivers so they don't hit your car.


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## GoldenCruze (Dec 18, 2011)

Checking the windshield washer fluid level used to be easy because all I had to do was look at the tank when I lifted the hood. The Cruze is the first vehicle I've owed that actually hide the tank.


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## rayray718 (Oct 14, 2013)

I know this is an old thread but I popped the hood on 2011 Eco MT because i didn't see any fluid spray onto the windshield when I needed it. When I popped the hood I couldn't see the level of the fluid. It looked like a black tank. Any tips on checking the fluid? Kind of irritating cuz I just bought the car used earlier this week. 


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## Merc6 (Jun 8, 2013)

Ah, that light was for the auto wipers. Didn't pay that close attention to it till just now going back through my pictures. I usually keep a bottle in the trunk and top it off when I get gas. 










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## Farmboy (Apr 21, 2013)

rayray718 said:


> I know this is an old thread but I popped the hood on 2011 Eco MT because i didn't see any fluid spray onto the windshield when I needed it. When I popped the hood I couldn't see the level of the fluid. It looked like a black tank. Any tips on checking the fluid? Kind of irritating cuz I just bought the car used earlier this week.
> 
> 
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Don't bother checking it. Just refill it and stop just before it spills all over.

This is the first car that I know that doesn't have a low indicator.


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## cruzing90 (May 6, 2011)

Well my very first car was a 1991 Jeep Cherokee.... And it HAD a warning light. I got all used to having it. 

Then I bought a 2005 Chevy Aveo, no warning light... Well I figured no big deal, its a budget car so no warning light I guess

Then I got my 2011 Cruze and yet again no warning light, for the longest time I was convinced that it must have one but it wasn't working as I scoured the owners manual and eventually asked the dealer about it and they confirmed for me that there was no light....

I feel your pain, once you have one you are forever spoiled by it. I still to this day even after having two cars since the Jeep forget to top up washer fluid....


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## rayray718 (Oct 14, 2013)

Thanks Farmboy!


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## minsik (Oct 24, 2013)

Come on! 

Between us there must be some lateral thinkers. 

On my Australian Cruze there is a whiteish plastic filler tube disappearing down somewhere below? How to tell if its got enough rather than fill every time as I have to cart water down three flights of stairs to fill her up! 
So how about a dip stick type thing screwed to the lid that would show the water level. What would really show the level as the lid was opened and the dip was removed? 
Would need to be able to show the level. Original thought was a cable tie long variety but the water would just run straight off. 

Surely there is a better option. 

Minsik


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## cdb09007 (Aug 7, 2013)

My 02 Altima had it. I enjoyed it, but since it was a level sensor it would go on and off based on the way i parked, if i made hard turns, accelerated...so it got annoying but as soon as i saw it i would usually fill up. I was just thinking about this driving in to work this morning too, wondering if the Cruze had a light.


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## Merc6 (Jun 8, 2013)

minsik said:


> Come on!
> 
> Between us there must be some lateral thinkers.
> 
> ...


I had rental cars with dip sticks but as said above I try and buy and leave a bottle in the trunk. I am convinced the dealership is using the tap to fill since my fluid never changes to a darker color. It just turns my orange rain-x/bug wash peachy and freezes when I try and use it as defrost in 37*F weather. My previous post was a picture of the light I thought was low fluid. It isn't :/


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