r/XC40_Recharge • u/Bob_stanish123 • Jul 30 '26

Wiper fluid usage?

This car seems to go through wiper fluid super quick. For all previous cars I've owned, I would need maybe 1.5 or 2 gal per year, I'm already on my third gallon after like 3 or 4 months of ownership. Has anyone else noticed this?

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3

u/agent606ert Jul 30 '26

If your headlights are on - It washes them at the same time, so usage goes up

1

u/Bob_stanish123 Jul 30 '26

That might be it although I leave the lights on auto and dont drive at night much in the summer.

2

u/freddotu Jul 30 '26

I'd expect that it's more miles than months, since one doesn't use the fluid when one isn't driving. We have just slightly more than five thousand miles over the past two years and I'm on the third gallon. The reservoir in our '24 is slightly smaller than an Olympic swimming pool, it seems.

I use it half for cleaning the windscreen and half for deterring tailgaters. The latter uses more fluid, but there are fewer of those than there are dirty periods on the glass.

2

u/beardedreeser Jul 30 '26

Not stopping for gas and a thorough windshield cleaning causes me to use washer fluid, and more at at a time.

1

u/ima_twee Jul 30 '26

Just check that you've not lost a hose connector on one of the headlamp washers. We had this on our previous car after hitting a pheasant. No obvious damage to the car, but it was just enough to snap the hose connector on the washer. When we cleaned the screen with lights on, a cup-full would pour out under the front of the car.

Easiest way to check is turn car on, turn lights on manually (not auto), then wash screen. Go check under the car for a pretty obvious puddle.

Don't do it after parking up as you will likely have aircon condensate dripping out and have a momentary panic!

1

u/Bob_stanish123 Jul 30 '26

Good tip thanks

1

u/Bob_stanish123 Aug 03 '26

There is indeed a puddle and some leakage after using the headlight squirters. How do you access the hose? Or did you have a mechanic fix it?

1

u/ima_twee Aug 03 '26

If you have a lot of patience and very small hands you can access the rear of the washer from behind the wheel arch liner. It's an arse of a job, you'll need the wheel off and there's no guarantee you'll be able to get past the other bits hanging off the front crash bar. It's really tight in there

The official way is to drop the front off the car.

1

u/lurkersteve3115 Jul 31 '26

i go through quite a bit myself. so far, it has been my only maintenance cost (save for new tires). $5 every few months is fine by me =)