Toyota wants almost 500 dollars to replace a windshield wiper fluid tank which leaks. I checked it and it really does empty out in a few hours. I’m not going to spend 500 dollars on it. Any suggested hacks? Duct tape? The main issue is getting at it.
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Year and model of your Toyota Rolls-Royce would really be helpful here…
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2016 Corolla.
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I fixed a non-pressurized coolant reservoir using JB-weld plastic weld. Rough up it up with sand paper and apply a good amount along and around the crack. Let it dry overnight and fill with water to check for leaks.
Or, for $50 you can buy one on Amazon.
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I’d suggest taking a peek at the reservoir feed pipe to see if it has somehow become dislodged, or if there is impact damage to the reservoir itself - cracks etc. These are often in almost impossible to reach locations hidden inside the wheel well. You may have to raise the car up and remove the inner fender liner to gain access (labor intensive at a dealer or shop @ $150 to $200 per hour adds up quickly.
An aftermarket reservoir if needed is about $60.
https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=6833084&cc=3342018&pt=10585&jsn=848&optionchoice=0-0-9-1
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Thanks both! Now I know if I buy one it’s not very expensive. Or how to fix the crack if I find it.
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Rob,
I am sorry to hear that you have been afflicted with such BS on a nearly new car. What Tom above said about the hose is more likely than the container spontaneously cracking. If you put water in it and try to operate the wind shield spray pump and nothing comes out, then the hose is probably disconnected at the container or the pump. The liquid container could be cracked from: a crash, hitting road debris that bounced up into the engine compartment or had contained plain water on a sub freezing day. But you didn’t have any of these circumstances recently. It could also leak do to the pump gasket or level sensor gasket. Cheap for the par but expensive labor wise due to horrible placement of the container.
Are you sure that it isn’t under warranty?
You can pass State inspection without a working sprayer, so no urgency due to that. Actually, I don’t find myself using the windshield spray very often at all. If you find a crack on the container there is aluminized tape for ductwork that is water resistant; it is cheap and widely available. If you want I can leave you some in your storage bin, as I already got some for a small project and have plenty left. Check this YouTube on the subject:
Actually, I was trying to find a discussion of how to appeal to a manufacturer to cover a chicken sxxt premature failure even though it is not technically warranty covered, but I didn’t find that. Still, I believe that I had heard of such in the distant past.
Regards,
Bob
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Ive made repairs with some fiberglass cloth and quick set epoxy:
- clean and lightly sand the area
- cut a decent size square patch of fiberglass cloth
- mix the resin and hardner
- soak patch in mixture
- apply patch over crack
- clamp down with something
Wiper fluid contains methanol so would need an epoxy thats resistant to at least alcohol if you want the repair to last.
JB weld water would work for a short time and is less invasive. no idea of its chemical resistance. I did use on a cracked radiator and it lasted for months.
You could go the extra mile and weld the crack using a soldering iron; look at the container and see if you can shave off some pieces in a thicker area so as to confirm you are using a compatible material. Maybe the plastic department has some technology for this.
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Thanks Bob. I’m pretty sure the hose works as there is residual fluid in the tank that sprays which suggests the leak is not actually on the bottom but perhaps on the side. I’m fairly sure it’s not under warranty even the ridiculously expensive extended warranty I was duped into buying.
We have two different styles of “plastic welder” and various types of plastic “welding rods” in the machine shop plastics area. Might be another option if it’s a cracked plastic tank.
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I looked up the “Toyota parts” and a dealer would charge you close to $200 just for the reservoir parts. Most everything at a dealer is billed as individual parts i.e. the reservoir, the filler neck, the grommet in between, the pump, the pump grommet, the fasteners that secure the assembly to the car, and so on. Plus their bargain labour rates theses days of $150 to $225 per shop hour.
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As Jay mentioned plastic welding is a thing, but know that if you go that route that you also need to melt the plastic at the crack site in order for the rod to properly bond to it. Otherwise, you will likely have them seperate with extreme temp swings. You can alternatively get a Gator Patch repair kit for about $22 on amazon (its a plastic boat hull repair kit and they work great). these are both assuming you can get to the crack without disassembly. Otherwise, if you have to fully remove the old one, get the $50 aftermarket one for peace of mind.
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plastic welding!
this… because it sounds more fun!
I appreciate all the answers. Here is an update. When I shed more light on the subject (literally) I realized that the tank itself remained full but the neck would drain so I thought that the seal between the two was leaky. I initially stated that I filled it up and it drained in a few hours. I now think it was near empty and I filled it but it only drained to the top of the tank and I failed to notice that. Lately, I noticed the neck leaks so slowly, like an inch per week, that I really don’t need to replace anything yet. Somehow the situation resolved itself. Perhaps the cooler weather? Thanks again!
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In my old days of military Avionics we would have called that fix “F.M.” or Fukin Magic" !
That Looks About Right!
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I’m reminded of this stupid little story…
Most of my work on automobiles had been on non-American, so when a family member asked me to fix a burnt valve in a Ford, I was mostly without reference materials (remember when everything wasn’t on the Internet, because there wasn’t an Internet?). I asked a friend whose business was mostly fixing 'Murcin stuff what the torque specs were on the camshaft caps. He pushed his trucker cap back on his head, stroked the stubble on his chin, spit his tobacco juice over his left shoulder, and said “just grab yer Ingersol Rand 3/8ths air ratchet, and run’er down til it pulls pretty good. That’ll be about right”.
Now imagining him working on a helo.
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We have a similar term FMS. Fukin Magic Shit.
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