Washer Fluid Low!

[NickFie]

This use is a least twice the rate and maybe more the use rate of any car I have ever had. Is this normal ?

How many miles have you driven, compared to your previous vehicle? I remember early days with our first Tesla - I seized every opportunity to drive. We’re out of milk? I’ll zip over to the market and get some! If I went out for barbecue, the joint had to be at least 100 miles distant. Our son-in-law explained, “The Tesla is very fast, but it never takes the short route!”

Also, I wonder if FSD / Autopilot occasionally “blinks” - triggering a windshield cleaning cycle to ensure the forward facing cameras have a clear view for optimal safety.

Finally, I expect that Robotaxi will eventually adopt a Scandinavian & German design with small defroster, wiper and cleaning nozzle for each camera. Else the car will be immobilized in winter when a passing lorry applies a slushy coating to the vehicle.

 

[MrBadger]

Milk is still labelled both in pints and its equivalent in some vague mls, I guess.

Milk is officially sold and priced in litres, but many will still be sized in pints.

So you officially buy 2.2x litres of milk, but that happens to be the size of 4 pints.

 

[spdpsba]

Milk is officially sold and priced in litres,

Does it also not say 1/2pint - 222ml or something?

 

[MrBadger]

Does it also not say 1/2pint - 222ml or something?

You should find that the ml is the prominent measure and shelf unit pricing will reflect that, ie 100ml.

Ie 222ml (1/2 pint) etc

 

[djtaylor]

I think I would like that - great conversation topic to tell all your annoying friends from Norway that how your amazing Tesla can calculate washing fluid and make them leave the party early - a good retort for their constant chattering about Tesla graveyard in Norway.

Yes indeed. I wouldn't mind the stray wiping behaviour when AP is engaged but wish it would wash at the same time instead of first streaking or grinding dust across the screen.

 

[Ctuna]

3.5 gallons in 6 months . I drove 5500 miles about a 1000 miles a month average
(but it's because I do a round trip to the lake about 150 miles a couple of times
a week during the summer . )
although I don't see how this has anything to do with the number of times you have activated the wipers. We get washer fluid by the gallon here and pretty much everything in the gorcery store is the same. I think the capacity is near 1.5 gallons for the washer reservoir.
I don't have FSD and I have seen the self cleaning for camera's pop up maybe once or twice in 6 months.

 

[GRiLLA]

3.5 gallons in 6 months . I drove 5500 miles about a 1000 miles a month average
(but it's because I do a round trip to the lake about 150 miles a couple of times
a week during the summer . )
although I don't see how this has anything to do with the number of times you have activated the wipers. We get washer fluid by the gallon here and pretty much everything in the gorcery store is the same. I think the capacity is near 1.5 gallons for the washer reservoir.
I don't have FSD and I have seen the self cleaning for camera's pop up maybe once or twice in 6 months.

If there was a leak it must be going somewhere. Fill it up then look under the car the next day.

If it's not dripping out then the only explanation is that you are using it.

Or ... someone has figured out how to use a 9v battery to get access to your frunk, then is siphoning out washer fluid. Rough neighbourhood ?

 

[Adopado]

You should find that the ml is the prominent measure and shelf unit pricing will reflect that, ie 100ml.

Ie 222ml (1/2 pint) etc

 

[Billbrown1982]

If there was a leak it must be going somewhere. Fill it up then look under the car the next day.

If it's not dripping out then the only explanation is that you are using it.

Or ... someone has figured out how to use a 9v battery to get access to your frunk, then is siphoning out washer fluid. Rough neighbourhood ?

Not neccesarily...I had a coolant leak on my model 3 and it go to the point of being so low it was making a god awful racket when pre heating.

Not so much as a drip anywhere under the car though. It was all contained in the undertray and just evaporated.

 

[init6]

I think the capacity is near 1.5 gallons for the washer reservoir.

Manual says 4.5L (even the US manual!) which is 1.18 US gallons.

Not neccesarily...I had a coolant leak on my model 3 and it go to the point of being so low it was making a god awful racket when pre heating.

Not so much as a drip anywhere under the car though. It was all contained in the undertray and just evaporated.

OP should be able to check if the level has dropped overnight if filled to the brim.

 

[MrBadger]

Manual says 4.5L (even the US manual!) which is 1.18 US gallons.

Do we have any idea how much is left when the low level warning comes up. On my ICE car, first you know you are empty is when screen or headlight washers stop working. That has two reservoirs that need filling.

I think I’ve only seen the low level indicator on our Model 3 twice in last 4 years, although I have topped up a few times just as a matter of routine. Even so, it’s very frugal but that is to be expected when it only applies fluid (from both squatters so they both work) to the windscreen when on the passenger side of the sweep. Drivers side just gets the leftovers.

 

[NickFie]

Even so, it’s very frugal but that is to be expected when it only applies fluid (from both squatters so they both work) to the windscreen when on the passenger side of the sweep. Drivers side just gets the leftovers.

The passenger side wiper clears the Front Facing Cameras’ view through the windshield. That’s the car’s highest priority.

 

[MrBadger]

The passenger side wiper clears the Front Facing Cameras’ view through the windshield. That’s the car’s highest priority.

Well depends who/what is driving. And when washing the screen, it’s the driver not the car instigating the wash normally because they have deteriorated view rather than the car doing it because camera vision is deteriorated, which of course it doesn’t.

But the point was, the car only applies water to the screen when the wipers are on the passenger side of the car. When the wipers start sweeping over the drivers side, the washer motor turns off (you can hear it) and drivers side only gets the residual water that was applied on the passenger side.

Nothing to do with what blade clears what. The both sweep both sides of the screen, but only apply washer fluid when on passenger side.

 

[init6]

Do we have any idea how much is left when the low level warning comes up. On my ICE car, first you know you are empty is when screen or headlight washers stop working. That has two reservoirs that need filling.

I think I’ve only seen the low level indicator on our Model 3 twice in last 4 years, although I have topped up a few times just as a matter of routine. Even so, it’s very frugal but that is to be expected when it only applies fluid (from both squatters so they both work) to the windscreen when on the passenger side of the sweep. Drivers side just gets the leftovers.

1.2L in a model 3 according to this post:

Window washer fluid low

I hate washer fluid. The bottles you buy are never the right size for your car, so you end up putting the dregs in the cupboard under the sink, then forgetting about it next time so you build a collection of dregs. I’m always reassured to have some left over! It means that if ever I run out I...

teslamotorsclub.com

I hadn't noticed the model Y has a bigger reservoir 4.5 vs 3.2L

 

[MrBadger]

1.2L in a model 3 according to this post:

Thanks. So no immediate rush to stop and fill when warning comes on.

I'm guessing that your 1.2L comes from size of reservoir on car - 2l topup? ie Model 3, 3.2L - 2L = 1.2L

Potentially more useful as a ready reckoner, is that 1.2L is approx 60% of what you have already used from full. So when you get the warning, you have potentially half as much again in reserve, on Model 3 at least.

 

[init6]

Thanks. So no immediate rush to stop and fill when warning comes on.

I'm guessing that your 1.2L comes from size of reservoir on car - 2l topup? ie Model 3, 3.2L - 2L = 1.2L

Potentially more useful as a ready reckoner, is that 1.2L is approx 60% of what you have already used from full. So when you get the warning, you have potentially half as much again in reserve, on Model 3 at least.

Yes.

It would be interesting to see at what point the model Y alerts at. It might not be the same point - it might not even alert

 

[Ctuna]

It started to give me little reminder at 1 gallon low .
When it was nearly empty it gives a windshield wiper fluid low
indication .

 

[rubenarakelyan]

I've found that I'm getting the washer fluid low message more frequently than I would normally check in my old ICE car. But then again I didn't know the capacity was 4.5L, so maybe I'm refilling too little each time to make the message go away. So if empty I'd need to nearly empty a whole container in there? Mine's a 2022 MYLR.

 

[Ctuna]

Yeah I filled it to the top every time.
And was surprised when it wouldn't fill with a gallon the first time.
When I get the first reminders it's a gallon low.
I took factory delivery and there was only about enough fluid to get
home . I live about 45 miles from the Fremont factory.