help...where did the windscreen washer fluid go???!!

Having my first and second niggles on my GTA...first thing is the strangest!

I recently ran out of windscreen washer fluid (1 day into the REALLY cold spell we had the other week)...OK i thought, maybe the garage didn't top it up before i took the car.

Filled it up with about 2l. 2 days and 1 squirt later (front + back + lights, at night), its gone.

Got a fresh 5l bottle of fluid, poured it all in, (overfilled it a bit..d'oh) on Thursday.

Came today to give a squirt, its all gone! I must have used it 2 times.

Can anyone help with locating the pipes or pointing out any issue's with the washer system? I don't think it leaked out because there was no damp patch on my drive...maybe during driving it's leaked?

Perhaps it froze (it was pre-mixed winter solution though) during the week when it was -3 and colder the whole week, and this has cracked a pipe somewhere? I can hear the pumps whirring and it all seems to work, just no spray, so i don't think its electrical...plus the fluid just isn't there anymore in the bottle in the engine bay.


Proper annoying

Any help is appreciated

Any water/leaks in your boot?

Have you tried unblocking the jets with a pin?

Chris,

I have a 156GTA and have noticed that the windscreen washer fluid seems to go down faster than the petrol needle, so much so that I turn off the lights when spraying the windscreen. Manual says that the lights get sprayed when they're tuned on and not when they're turned off. I don't think I have any leaks but always drive with the lights on.

Regards

Rory

Originally Posted by chris147GTA

Having my first and second niggles on my GTA...first thing is the strangest!

I recently ran out of windscreen washer fluid (1 day into the REALLY cold spell we had the other week)...OK i thought, maybe the garage didn't top it up before i took the car.

Filled it up with about 2l. 2 days and 1 squirt later (front + back + lights, at night), its gone.

Got a fresh 5l bottle of fluid, poured it all in, (overfilled it a bit..d'oh) on Thursday.

Came today to give a squirt, its all gone! I must have used it 2 times.

Can anyone help with locating the pipes or pointing out any issue's with the washer system? I don't think it leaked out because there was no damp patch on my drive...maybe during driving it's leaked?

Perhaps it froze (it was pre-mixed winter solution though) during the week when it was -3 and colder the whole week, and this has cracked a pipe somewhere? I can hear the pumps whirring and it all seems to work, just no spray, so i don't think its electrical...plus the fluid just isn't there anymore in the bottle in the engine bay.


Proper annoying

Any help is appreciated

Well known problem is with the headlight washers. It seems the connection there often leaks, check that.....

I had this problem with my old GT and it was the connection to the headlight washers which had parted company causing the quick emptying of the bottle. Annoyingly I'm also finding the connections to my windscreen washers on the current Brera often part company inside the bonnet. Thankfully, there are small inspection covers under the washers to reconnect. Still annoying though!

mine got used ridiculously quickly, even had AR check it out but no leaks were found? So it's a case of poor weather check it every other day? But 5L is a stupidly low amount, even my wifes Panda takes more than that and the estate we have accepts at least 8L of washer fluid!

Originally Posted by Andy G

mine got used ridiculously quickly, even had AR check it out but no leaks were found? So it's a case of poor weather check it every other day? But 5L is a stupidly low amount, even my wifes Panda takes more than that and the estate we have accepts at least 8L of washer fluid!

I just disabled the headlight washers on mine.... saves a lot of water

This happened to me once or twice, always in really cold weather (when you need it the most!). I was convinced the bottle was cracked or a pipe faulty, but they the level would stay fine. It was very odd.

Since I pulled the fuse on the headlight washers the problem has never returned - and water usage has been far more reasonable generally... do it! Without wipers the headlight washers are next to useless anyway, and it's nothing a bit of damp tissue can't sort in seconds...

thanks for replies...where is the fuse for the headlamp washers located? :P

Now why didn't I think of that? No more 'ghostcar' when giving the windscreen a squirt at night Top tip!

It's the 20 amp in the fuse box next to the battery, symbols are handily on the inside of the lid.

I've been wondering about this as well, seems like I always have to fill upp washer fluid. Often it even runs out before I have to refuel which I have to do very often.

I hope removing the fuse solves the problem. Thanks for the tip.

On a simmilar topic.
Why did they have to make the hole for refilling the washerfluid so tiny?

It's a real pain refilling from a 5 litre bottle at the gasstation. Especially since its really cold and dark whenever the washerfluid is needed.

Originally Posted by 01010100

On a simmilar topic.
Why did they have to make the hole for refilling the washerfluid so tiny?

It's a real pain refilling from a 5 litre bottle at the gasstation. Especially since its really cold and dark whenever the washerfluid is needed.

It is a pain. While we are on top tips, get a couple of "clean funnels" from demon tweeks or somewhere like that. They are plastic funnels with a screw top at each end. The little orange one is perfect for the screenwash, the bigger green one is perfect for engine oil top-ups.

hmm.. i put 3l in last night, came to squirt today, nothing.

Must be a leak as the car didn't move all night!

Next weekend i will fill it up in the morning, then check it after 30mins or so to see if its leaked onto the drive... dam italian 'design features'

I had a break in the coiled length of tubing that wasn't immediately apparent, which ended up sending the fluid down the inside of the front guard, and onto the road.

I put brightly-coloured food dye in mine then looked for the witness marks.

Turned out to be the ball and socket type joint between the headlamp washer nozzle (black plastic bit) and the housing (bumper cloured bit).

Squirted some cyanoacrylate (catalysed by water) adhesive in and that fixed it.