Windscreen washer empty warning

[RayReliable]

Ok so I understand that if no water comes out of the jets it probably means I have run out of water. But! Is there no warning or sensor to say when it is low?

Very common car feature I would have expected so was surprised when I was out of water.

 

[Rolfe]

At this time of year I'd say you were right, but in winter the probable explanation would be that the washer fluid was frozen. So there should be a warning. My Golf (2009 build) had a warning to say that the fluid was getting low, so I could top up before it ran out.

 

[RayReliable]

Exactly.

Has anyone spotted this so called low water indicator?

 

[Chequers]

First world problems

 

[Diggsy]

Don’t think it has a low level warning. Certainly not mentioned in the manual…at least not that I can find

 

[RayReliable]

I know right!

If I had known though I wouldn’t have been halfway driving home trying to get the bugs of my windscreen and just smearing a foamy leftovers across it.

The manual states not to operate the wipers if the windscreen is dry or you could damage the wipers. However you don’t know it’s empty until it is to late!

 

[Rolfe]

Oh great.

 

[Diggsy]

I know right!

If I had known though I wouldn’t have been halfway driving home trying to get the bugs of my windscreen and just smearing a foamy leftovers across it.

The manual states not to operate the wipers if the windscreen is dry or you could damage the wipers. However you don’t know it’s empty until it is to late!

Yep, I guess that’s why the manual advises to check it regularly…they have it listed as a ‘weekly check’

 

[RayReliable]

Yep, I guess that’s why the manual advises to check it regularly…they have it listed as a ‘weekly check’

Going to have to up that to biweekly then as I only topped it up Saturday.

The manual does also mention the operation of the rear wiper though which I don’t have so the manually can’t always be trusted!

Think I’m just surprised, haven’t had it run dry without warning since my first car which was an E reg MkII Golf. With all the included tech that one seems a given.

 

[Rolfe]

One of the extras I coughed up for when I ordered my Golf in 2009 was the "winter pack" which included heated seats and a larger washer fluid reservoir. I think the standard was 3 litres and the winter pack gave you 5 litres. On paper anyway.

Sometimes I didn't even need to top up between services. However.

The reservoir for the washer fluid in the Golf was apparently in the front bumper. I'd go out in winter and find the fluid frozen solid, and unlike in every other car I've ever driven, rather than getting a dribble from time to time as the engine heat thawed the fluid, it would stay frozen solid until spring. The position of the reservoir ensured that. Then someone told me about VW's own-brand washer fluid that's supposed to be good to -70. I don't know about -70, but it never froze with me. It wasn't cheap but good grief it was worth it.

Given that there is no engine heat anywhere to thaw out the fluid in an EV, I suspect I better invest in some more of that stuff for winter.

Has anyone checked what the volume of the washer fluid reservoir is in the MG4? You'd think with all that spare space under the bonnet they could afford something reasonably capacious.

 

[RayReliable]

I think it is 4ltr because I just googled the watering can I have and that is 4.5ltr and the car was full before it was nearly empty.

 

[DBedford]

At this time of year I'd say you were right, but in winter the probable explanation would be that the washer fluid was frozen. So there should be a warning. My Golf (2009 build) had a warning to say that the fluid was getting low, so I could top up before it ran out.

Your Golf cos relatively more than an MG, hence the extra tech!

 

[Alb]

Had the same issue on my MG5. If it's a cost thing, there's a myriad of features I'd happily drop in exchange for something genuinely useful like a low fluid warning.

 

[Rolfe]

Your Golf cos relatively more than an MG, hence the extra tech!

My Golf was bought 14 years ago, and the MG4 has enormously more tech than it ever dreamed of. Things that were premium features back then have become standard now. Including this.

You might as well declare that a radio was extra tech on a high-spec car in the 1970s, so we shouldn't be expecing the MG4 to have one!

 

[RayReliable]

Ok at least I have confirmed it doesn’t exist. Now I know, I can work around it. I was more worried it just wasn’t working because I couldn’t imagine that it didn’t exist.

 

[Rolfe]

Ok at least I have confirmed it doesn’t exist. Now I know, I can work around it. I was more worried it just wasn’t working because I couldn’t imagine that it didn’t exist.

That's what I felt about the lack of electrically folding wing mirrors. So many esoteric bells and whistles, but they leave out things we have come to expect as basic standard kit.

I think it is 4ltr because I just googled the watering can I have and that is 4.5ltr and the car was full before it was nearly empty.

That's not too bad then. I was beginning to imagine the wee rubber bag that might have held 500 ml that hung inside my Dad's Datsun's engine compartment from a wee hook, and had to be filled up about every journey!

 

[Diggsy]

Going to have to up that to biweekly then as I only topped it up Saturday.

The manual does also mention the operation of the rear wiper though which I don’t have so the manually can’t always be trusted!

Think I’m just surprised, haven’t had it run dry without warning since my first car which was an E reg MkII Golf. With all the included tech that one seems a given.

Would tend to agree. It’s something that seems a little bit daft not to include, as it’s almost an essential really. Important to always have fluid in there, and easy to forget to check it often enough

 

[Vingnut]

That's what I felt about the lack of electrically folding wing mirrors. So many esoteric bells and whistles, but they leave out things we have come to expect as basic standard kit.



That's not too bad then. I was beginning to imagine the wee rubber bag that might have held 500 ml that hung inside my Dad's Datsun's engine compartment from a wee hook, and had to be filled up about every journey!

I had that bag in my Datsun 120A (4 doors sedan), but nicked a bigger tank from a later cherry and the gearbox from a coupe (different gearing).
Kind of missing that old wreck, it was fun to drive.

 

[Rolfe]

Dad's was a 100A two-door and not a great deal of fun it has to be said. He had two of them, first a dark blue one and then a yellow one, I think because the dealer he had had his previous Fords from switched to Datsuns. They were mainly noteworthy for developing very obvious rust at ridiculously young ages.

Dad did lend me the yellow one a couple of times when I got my first job away from home so that I wouldn't need to rely on a 125cc motorbike in the winter, so there was that. I should think of it affectionately. But Mum traded it in for a Polo after Dad died, and really it was no great loss.

 

[tsedge]

There's no free lunch, MG have achieved their low prices by ruthlessly cutting out features and finding cheaper parts, so it is no surprise to me that there is not a level warning.

In the main I think they've made good choices but there are one or two I disagree with.

I check/fill mine often enough that I have never seen a level warning, so I can't say whether or not any of my previous cars had that, though I was aware that they exist.