# Seriously no windshield wiper fluid low indicator?



## gyrfalcon (Dec 27, 2013)

So I have a fully loaded diesel Cruze... Yet it doesn't have a stupid light to indicate the windshield wiper fluid is getting low???

OnStar, Satellite Radio, navigation, and blind spot detection. Yet apparently it's too much to ask for a feature my defunct Oldsmobile had.

Come on Chevy!


:th_thumbsdownsm:


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

At first this concerned me as well. What I discovered is that the Cruze's washer spray pattern is so efficient that I use very little washer fluid between oil changes.


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## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

You'd think that on a somewhat enthusiast-oriented car they'd include it. Nope. They didn't include it since it's another mysterious light that would chew up service tech time filling empty washer fluid reservoirs for 0.05 hours instead of flagging 1.9 hours for a water pump they can knock out in 1 hour. The reason they didn't include it is the same reason they did away with displaying real coolant temperature on the DIC. Non-car-savvy folks got scared with coolant temperatures doing their normal fluctuation during operation. 

GM's just catering to the lowest common denominator is all.


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## money_man (Feb 25, 2014)

That seems odd. My 1997 grand Prix had a windshield washer fluid light


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## Jim Frye (Mar 16, 2011)

sciphi said:


> GM's just catering to the lowest common denominator is all.


By George, I think he's got it! 

On my car, the low washer fluid warning comes up on the information display, and an idiot light illuminates alongside the Tach.


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## spacedout (Dec 7, 2010)

My washer fluid bottle holds an entire gallon which lasts more than a month even in the winter.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

I had a car with one of these, but I'm lazy. Every time I'd accelerate and the fluid was low (often, as it had headlight wipers too), the light would flash 

Still...I guess it was more convenient to be notified rather than running out of fluid...now that spring's around the corner, I guess I should probably go fill up the Cruze's windshield washer tank...I think I've only filled it once, ever?


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## Ger8mm (Mar 13, 2014)

There is an indicator in the diesel, when the fluid stops flowing, you need more hahahaha.


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## Erastimus (Feb 9, 2012)

My fellow Americans, we've been pussified. Instead of doing a weekly under hood check and topping off any low fluids, we expect The General to provide an idiot light of a luxury car nature on an econobox compact car. That is all. As you were.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

:iagree:


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## spacedout (Dec 7, 2010)

Ger8mm said:


> There is an indicator in the diesel, when the fluid stops flowing, you need more hahahaha.



I know your being funny but this is not actually true with my 1LT. I had to remove the crap fluid the dealer kept topping my car off with during oil changes(I now fill before I go in), I found out you can't use the pump to empty the tank. 

You can only run the washer motor 15 seconds before the car shuts it off. only took 10 or so 15 second washer fluid hits over a 3 hour drive to empty the tank(didn't want to burn up the pump since its not really designed for constant use).


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## Jim Frye (Mar 16, 2011)

While I don't feel a need to do a weekly fluids and pressure check, I do the routine on the first of the month. Takes me all of 20 minutes to do both cars in the garage. Unfortunately, most drivers don't do anything until something goes south.


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## Ger8mm (Mar 13, 2014)

> I know your being funny but this is not actually true with my 1LT. I had to remove the crap fluid the dealer kept topping my car off with during oil changes(I now fill before I go in), I found out you can't use the pump to empty the tank.
> 
> You can only run the washer motor 15 seconds before the car shuts it off. only took 10 or so 15 second washer fluid hits over a 3 hour drive to empty the tank(didn't want to burn up the pump since its not really designed for constant use).


Dang that does suck


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## mrbean8686 (Jun 23, 2012)

Lol I agree with Erastimus, mine usually lasts months, about 4 to 6 months. I have found the cruze does have very efficient spray tips, they dont waste very much fluid.

Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App


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## gyrfalcon (Dec 27, 2013)

Erastimus said:


> My fellow Americans, we've been pussified. Instead of doing a weekly under hood check and topping off any low fluids, we expect The General to provide an idiot light of a luxury car nature on an econobox compact car. That is all. As you were.


Come on, give me a break... I have 24+ gallons of windshield wiper fluid in the garage, and do most of the service on my vehicles. If they throw on a low gas indicator that practically begs you to fill up, they could put a low windshield wiper fluid on the dash. ****, some tractors even have the feature. :smile:



sciphi said:


> They didn't include it since it's another mysterious light that would chew up service tech time filling empty washer fluid reservoirs for 0.05 hours instead of flagging 1.9 hours for a water pump they can knock out in 1 hour. The reason they didn't include it is the same reason they did away with displaying real coolant temperature on the DIC. Non-car-savvy folks got scared with coolant temperatures doing their normal fluctuation during operation.
> 
> GM's just catering to the lowest common denominator is all.


I'm afraid you're right.




Jim Frye said:


> While I don't feel a need to do a weekly fluids and pressure check, I do the routine on the first of the month. Takes me all of 20 minutes to do both cars in the garage. Unfortunately, most drivers don't do anything until something goes south.



Speaking of pressure; all of the tires have pressure monitoring sensors that aren't very cheap. A oil low light will come on if your oil is low. If there is a problem with cooling it'll also throw an indicator light.

Yet it'll just let your windshield wiper fluid run to empty on a wet dirty freeway without any indicator. Maybe I'm getting old, but I thought my 80's Volkswagen had a new fangled LED that let your know when the reservoir was low.


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## blk88verde (Apr 30, 2011)

My wife's 2012 Honda CR-V just ran out of windshield washer fluid and no indicator light - it is the LX model, maybe the EX has this??? This is not unique to the Cruze.


> A oil low light will come on if your oil is low.


 - not in my 2011 Cruze, I lost 2+ quarts of oil with out any indicator lighting. No low oil, no check engine lights.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

blk88verde said:


> My wife's 2012 Honda CR-V just ran out of windshield washer fluid and no indicator light - it is the LX model, maybe the EX has this??? This is not unique to the Cruze. - not in my 2011 Cruze, I lost 2+ quarts of oil with out any indicator lighting. No low oil, no check engine lights.


Never seen one on any Honda/Acura product.

I did like that my Honda told you WHICH door was open or light on the car was burned out - that was kinda cool.

And low oil lights - haven't seen those in a very long time, and only on European cars. They've been almost useless oil PRESSURE sensors for a very long time.


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## Joegonzales22 (Oct 26, 2013)

Never had a car tell me I needed windshield washer fluid, didn't know that feature existed!! Always have a gallon in the trunk though. Lots of bugs here in the sunshine state. 
My old Saturn SL1 did have a low oil indicater light. Saw it often, oil vanished without leaving any spots commonly past the first 70k or so. Other than that the car was glorious and was very reliable! 
I agree that we are getting accustomed to having too many idiot lights/warnings etc. However technology is so advanced now that we are adjusting to it. Tire pressure sensors, Stabilitrac, My link, Bluetooth, USB ports, voice commands etc... The Cruze is pretty awesome considering its a compact budget friendly ride. 
Happy Cruze owner!


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## CW_ (Jan 31, 2013)

Running out of gas is a much bigger deal than running out of washer fluid. Yes, I know running out of washer fluid can be dangerous in winter when your windshield is getting blasted with salt water constantly, but if you live in an area with bad winters it's probably not a bad plan to throw an extra bottle in the trunk anyhow, in case you actually have to drive in bad enough weather to empty the reservoir. Happened once in my old car, hasn't happened thus far in the Cruze since the thing holds a gallon and a half or so of washer fluid.

As for the cost, another idiot light on the cluster would probably be on the order of cents. Most of us already have at least one cluster light that's not used (Cruise Control if you have an LS, Upshift if you have an Automatic, etc.). Putting a float in the washer fluid tank and dealing with the extra wiring, computer code to deal with monitoring it, etc. is the real expense and hassle, and one more thing to break.


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## spacedout (Dec 7, 2010)

There is already to many indicator lights on the car. Do I really need one to tell me the day time running light are going? Another when the cruise control on button is flipped even though I'm not actually using the cruise? 

I could not tell you what half those lights mean & I have read the owners manual at least once.


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## brian v (Dec 25, 2011)

He is looking for the windshield washer fluid is low and very close to being empty signal FIRE ...
View attachment 70489


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## MiamiMichael (Mar 12, 2014)

gyrfalcon said:


> So I have a fully loaded diesel Cruze... Yet it doesn't have a stupid light to indicate the windshield wiper fluid is getting low???
> 
> OnStar, Satellite Radio, navigation, and blind spot detection. Yet apparently it's too much to ask for a feature my Oldsmobile had.


Perhaps, that is what killed Oldsmobile


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## Merc6 (Jun 8, 2013)

I thought I had a light but it's the auto wipers indicator that is useless for us non LTZ. I guess I travel enough to eat fluid every 2 months. I top off around the oil change time for the same reason as the rest of you folks. The dealership stuff should be illegal cause it freezes to the windows instantly in the winter when you use it.


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