No Windscreen Washer Warning Light

[Jimota]

Had a really nice drive on the East Neuk of Fife Coastal Route yesterday.  Stopped at the Bowhouse Farmers market at Elie where my wife and I had an excellent lunch and purchased some quality meat products.  On our return to the car park my Yaris Cross had an incredible amount of bird lime plastered all over the windscreen.  I carry bird lime remover in my boot but decided to clear most of the muck using the windscreen washer and wipers. However, within a couple of seconds the washer bottle became empty which left a thick smeary film over the glass.   A copious amount of paper towels, some Highland Spring Water and liberal applications of bird lime remover eventually cleared the screen but I was really annoyed when I discovered there is no low water warning light wired to the reservoir on my particular model.  
 

It must be at least 25 years since I owned a vehicle that didn’t have a low water level warning light fitted and I find it incredible that Toyota in this day and age has omitted this function.  Luckily, I was stationary when my windscreen got plastered but I have to ask how much money Toyota saved by penny pinching on such a basic component.  Anyway, that’s my rant over.
 

 

[FROSTYBALLS]

None of the Toyotas, Nissans, Mazdas, Honda's or Hyundais - 21 in all from new - of varying grades have had a low water warning for the windscreen washer fluid. 

Easy enough to keep it topped up.

[Derek.w]

All the Yaris I have owned never had a low water indicator fitted suppose its one item thats covered by regular engine bay checks.

[Auris James]

No idea if my pre facelift 15 plate Auris Hybrid has one too. Had the car 3 years and never topped it up! Been back to dealers 4 times for service. Warranty work, MOT etc, so presume they top it up. Think it will need topping up as screen wash foams a bit.

Only thing that I would like on my Auris is illuminated window switches.

My 1996 Volvo 940 has them and find them useful in the dark. Also has low washer fluid warning and bulb out sensor. Heated front seats as standard.

On the Volvo when you open the drivers door from inside it also unlocks the other doors. On Auris have to press the unlock button on the drivers door to unlock all the other doors. At times gone to get shopping out from boot and locked, use fob or press drivers door switch button.

James

 

[Cyker]

I don't think anyone in my whole family has ever owned a car that had a sensor for low washer bottle fluid!!  

[Stevie J]

The last car I had which had a low washer fluid warning light was a 1999 Ford Mondeo Ghia X (pictured). Even had a low coolant light as well. Never had a Japanese car with this warning light though. Would be a useful warning light though, along with a low oil level light. 

[TonyHSD]

There is no need of any warning lights about low level Washer liquid, it is part of the regular owner’s care and maintenance routine to open bonnet and check all fluid levels etc.
Perhaps being useful for some cars that has not even option to open the bonnet but you can top up fluid from a dedicated filler, similar to petrol filler, some bmw models. 
Why everything has to have warning light, screen, and being automated by any mean. All unnecessary clutter it’s just another potential point of failure. 👍

[anchorman]

You walked right into that James.  I must admit I’m pedantic about a clean windscreen and use loads of fluid so I check regularly.  The bottle isn’t a big one either so it needs watching.  I suppose you could add something if you were inventive enough and you fancy taking the front bumper off.  I once visited a tiny airfield and there was a little yellow open top plane which had a welding rod on a cork coming up through a tube from the petrol tank right in front of the pilot seat.  When a notch dropped to the top of the tube he knew he was in trouble!

[Mojo1010]

Toyota don't have them sensor, would it be helpful? Yes. I had Audi's which had them. I go through a whole reservoir about once a month to keep especially the front screen clean from dust and grimes. It's incredible to read auris James haven't top up for 3 years. 

[anchorman]

Conversely, I’ve had several cars with a warning light and it’s never been illuminated because I lift the bonnet virtually every Sunday and top it up!  In that case I’d rather they knocked some money off the price of the car.  

[Guest]

Not a must for me either. I can't remember ever owning a car that had that warning.

Shouldn't be necessary if the recommended routine checks are carried out, including function of all exterior lights, tyres pressure and condition, levels etc..

[APS]

Toyota definitely see this as more of a luxury feature that is only available in their more expensive models. All Lexus models have it. Far more common feature in European makes.

[Bernard Foy]

Wow, I didn’t know that such a thing as low windscreen fluid warning light existed and I’ve owned a lot of cars. But all my cars have been ordinary budget family cars, couldn’t afford the more luxurious end of the car market.

[Jimota]

Well, every day is a school day.  Never knew that the Japanese car industry doesn’t seem to favour fitting low washer level warning lights.  Presumption can be a terrible thing and I’ve obviously fell into the trap of believing that this little component was a basic feature of most cars.  I’ll take on board all the advice and information regarding weekly visual checks as I don’t want to waste anymore of my precious sparkling highland spring water on bird effluence.  Anyway, apart from that, I had an enjoyable visit to the Bowhouse Farmers Market at Elie, and recommend a visit if you are ever in the Fife area.  
 

 

 

[Stevie J]

I find the problem with the windscreen washer fluid is I cant see the level in the tank as  its hidden down inside the front lower wing in front of the wheel. If the tank is nearly full I can see the blue fluid through the top area of the tank, but any lower and I cant. Short of filling it to the brim every time the bonnet is up to check the oil and coolant levels, there is no other way to easily check it. It's not often I need to fill it up anyway, as I dont do a lot of mileage, and only tend to use windscreen wash more during the winter when the salt and snow is on the roads.

I think one drawback of not using much washer fluid is that it tends to stagnate in the tank and can gunge up the pump, but that could also depend on what detergent is put in there. Seems a fairly common problem the washers stopping working due to too much slime buildup in the tank. 

[Stivino]

When you take the blue top off to fill the washer bottle, there is a long tube attached to it.  There is a little hole on the top of the lid, if you keep your thumb over the little hole, the water will stay in the tube and you can read the level from there.

[Cyker]

I've seen that in some cars, but not in a Yaris!  

I just fill it until it gushes out of the filler neck all over me. Works every time! 

[Lawnmowerman]

I'm with James - they are saving pennies. I would pay those extra pennies.👍

(Elie & Earlsferry - lovely).

[TonyHSD]

This is exactly like the noise levels. Some people are coming from more refined cars and immediate notice increased road and wind noise in Toyota cars. Some haven’t noticed anything, even think the cars are quiet.
Same with washer fluid warning light., for some is a big deal but for others not at all. 
I am not sure if I ever had a car with that sort of light but even if I had I would’ve seen it illuminated as I always open and check once a week, plus I always have a 1ltr ready mixed screen wash in the boot as I do travel a bit more. The bonnet is perhaps the most used door after the drivers one in my car, 😂 

[Mooly]

I think the Datsun Bluebird my father owned had a low washer fluid light along with one for low electrolyte level of the Battery. I remember how impressed he was at all the detail and also that everything 'just worked' and never gave trouble.

There was a neat row of all the warning lights concisely grouped. Seen here above the centre vents.

[APS]

I have to say, quite a few of them are a bit rubbish. Often they warn when the level is really low and you probably only have a couple of seconds of squirting left. 

Some (French only?) rely on the conductivity of water but are not sensitive enough. So, if you live an area with soft water they don't sense the water and always warn about low fluid level. You then need to add a little bit of salt to the mixture to increase the conductivity and stop the nuisance warnings. 🙂

[Bernard Foy]

1 hour ago, APS said:

I have to say, quite a few of them are a bit rubbish. Often they warn when the lever is really low and you probably only have a couple of seconds of squirting left. 

Some (French only?) rely on the conductivity of water but are not sensitive enough. So, if you live an area with soft water they don't sense the water and always warn about low fluid level. You then need to add a little bit of salt to the mixture to increase the conductivity and stop the nuisance warnings. 🙂

I would hope that nobody ever would put salt in the windscreen washer fluid it would encourage rust, and it doesn’t need any encouragement.😡

[Derek.w]

On 7/9/2023 at 11:42 PM, Stevie J said:

The last car I had which had a low washer fluid warning light was a 1999 Ford Mondeo Ghia X (pictured). Even had a low coolant light as well. Never had a Japanese car with this warning light though. Would be a useful warning light though, along with a low oil level light. 

That was top of the range back then.

[Derek.w]

If its such a big problem the another option is build your own using a led, transistor ,resistor & wires for probes.

Its a lot of work for minium gain plus using a fused igniton on signal after all that you may need to screen the wires to cut down on interferance from other electrical devices.

 

[Primus1]

If only there was a light that warned me when my wife was low on patience…🤔