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How to remove the windshield washer fluid bottle

9K views 7 replies 5 participants last post by  DrSleep 
#1 ·
I noticed today after a drive, the inside of the washer fluid bottle is full of these dark green algae or some kind of bacteria blooms.

I want to take the bottle out & clean it with a brush or something. The bottle for the '06 Exige is located in the engine bay, not quite sure how to remove it by looking at the parts diagram, does it just snap on, do I just slide the bottle upward until it comes off the clip? Any help is appreciated... Thanks in advance. :)
 
#6 · (Edited)
Reviving an old thread...
Washer fluid stopped spraying this morning on my '05 Elise. After work thought I'd top up reservoir. It was full of dark algae-like crud. Decided to remove the plastic reservoir bottle and after much bumbling about to do it here's what I learned:

-slide bottle straight up to remove from mounting bracket..it's held in place by gravity only
-disconnect the flexible little hose (it just slides off with a bit of careful persuasion) from the nipple @ bottom of fluid pump..you have to turn/rotate/reposition the bottle to get to this
-disconnect the electrical supply connector from the pump. This part was tricky for me. There is a wire clip with a couple of tabs that must be squeezed together (apparently) to get the connector unclipped. I couldn't budge it with fingers, pliers, screwdrivers, etc. I ended up using needlenose pliers to remove the clip entirely by pulling it off one side at a time. Be careful not to drop the clip into the engine bay. Wiggle the connector loose from pump.
-with he reservoir bottle removed from the car you can easily clean it. I used Dawn dish detergent and a wheel detailing brush to clean mine.
-I used a couple shots of compressed air into the end of the flexible little hose to clear the clog from my line. You can tell when it's cleared when the old fluid shoots finally shoots completely over the car. I suppose you could use a bicycle pump with a proper connection to the hose to blow the line out..I used my little air compressor
-reconnect hose, bottle, and electric. Refill reservoir with fluid of your choice. Squirt a bit of water on windshield, start car, pull wiper/washer lever several times until system primes, and you're back in business.

Okay, I'm done now.
 
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#7 ·
Wow, totally helpful article. I have the same issue with the same green/black sludge. Yuk. This helped and I plan to keep a very dilute mixture of windshield washer fluid in the tank to stop the crud in the future. I normally run just water but maybe I will deviate this time. Probably good for everyone to take not of to prevent needing to do this job in the future! Thanks!
 
#8 ·
I also had same problem with mold in my washer fluid tank. I hardly use it and i recall topping it off with distilled water once. That was a no no.
Really appreciate finding this thread.

I followed blaising instructions except there is no need to remove the wires or that clip that is stuck on. Just pull the pump with wires connected straight up the reservoir just like asuen435 mention. The pump should be removed anyway as the black plug where the pump goes into the reservoir needs to be removed and cleaned. Mine was clogged with mold.
 
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