What are these electrical contacts on top of the windshield washer reservior?

[surfblau]

Since I took mz digital camera down to the car todaz, I have one last photo.

What are these electrical contacts on top of the windshield washer reservior?

[Gilly]

That's for the washer solvent level indicator on the dash. It's kind of a "Euro" thing, they REALLY consider the windshield washer system a critical safety item. I agree with that. It seems the US automakers are just kind of getting into a monitor for the fluid level. Anyways, there is a light on the instrument cluster for the washer fluid level, and that's what this sensor is for. Probably the sensor is bad and stayed "ON" all the time and that's why it's disconnected, fairly common, the float craps out and sinks to the bottom of the tank, which makes the light stay on. Pretty easy to replace it, I wanna say it's in the $15-30 range for the part.
Gilly

[MikeTangas]

Find the connector and plug it back in, fill the reservoir and see if the sensor is shot, or not. If not, then watch the right front fenderwell closely. I'd bet the reservoir is losing fluid (that's why the sensor is unplugged), and that it's losing the fluid from cracked pump grommets, or a pinched washer fluid line, or both.

If only the grommets, then it's like a $1 fix.

[CSchmidt]

Folks,

Don't know if this is common knowledge.... I bought an 87 SDL in Jan (FL car). No washer sensor light, but the washer fluid looks like it is water. Two days in NC and it snows, the washer fluid freezes ( at least won't come out of the squirters). Bright little me drains it and fills it "blue" auto parts washer fluid. This doesn't freeze, but the sensor light comes on. I think the sensor is now bad. Picking up another part at the dealer ( only when necessary), I ask about it. They recommend the Mercedes washer fluid concentrate - a whopping $3 to make about a gallon. Probably the cheapest Mercedes part. I drain the blue fluid, put in the concentrate and water. Now the sensor is off! I tested back and forth with a voltmeter, and sure enough the float in the sensor sinks in the blue (alcohol based) fluid) and floats in the water based Mercedes solution. Don't know if they have a "winter" version of the concentrate that doesn't freeze.

Chuck

[surfblau]

I found the connector and plugged in, the light went on. I drained the blue stuff out and added plain water. The light on the dash went out. No leaks, everything works. I wish all repairs were so easy.

later