[DIY Guide] Windshield Washer Reservoir Replacement
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 498
Likes: 7
From: South Florida
1998 C43, 2017 Honda Accord Sport
[DIY Guide] Windshield Washer Reservoir Replacement
This one is pretty easy guys. Cost me $73.63 USD for a new tank, mounting plate (where metal heating coil goes into the tank), cap, and new rubber seals.
- [Optional/Ideal] Drain washer fluid via manual or electric pump/vacuum.
- Remove washer fluid level sensor electrical connector (pull straight out towards front of car). Route it out of the way (flop it towards the brake reservoir)
- Loosen hose clamps and detach hoses from metal heating coil (label hose orientation). Note, you will spill some coolant, so prep for that.
- Remove 10mm retention nut on top of the tank
- Lift tank straight up, slowly.
- Carefully remove metal heatshield (1 retention clip - use pliers) and slide heatshield out towards the firewall.
- Carefully remove coolant hoses (note orientation). I found routing the hoses towards the back of the engine bay kept them out of the way, reducing spillage from them flopping over.
- Remove pump electrical connector - this connector joins the fluid level sensor in the loom (FYI)
- Twist pump towards front of the car (counter clockwise) about 90 degrees. Lift pump straight out (washer fluid spillage will occur from the hole you remove it from if you didn't pump the fluid out already)
NOTE: You will need to do steps 8 and 9 twice if you have headlight washers as there is a separate pump (front side of the tank). - Remove reservoir
- Remove heating coil from reservoir (unless you want to spend another $40 for a new one). This took some handiwork to get it out of the tank and was by far the hardest part. It has a plastic peg that goes into a hole at the 9 o'clock side of the tank (towards engine). Push the heating coil apparatus to the right until it pops out of the hole. Then play some twister getting it out.
- Prep new reservoir, with replacement parts (will need a plug if you don't have headlight washer pump to plug that hole).
- Put the new heating coil seals on the heating coil (push them all the way down until you hit the metal bracket); lube them up a bit to make them going through the new mounting plate smooth (highly recommended).
- Remove the fluid level sensor from old tank (optional, unless you want to spend another $40). This took some strength as I had to pull it straight up (gasket didn't want to budge; I used a pick).
- Place all new parts back together in reverse order. I recommend putting the heating coil in while the new tank is outside the car.
If you opt to replace the fluid sensor and the heating coil, you're looking at $160 USD total.
Some pics of the process. -
New plug (this is where headlight washer pump would go; would need a gasket instead if you have one).
Fluid level sensor (with gasket on it).
Last edited by importfan21; Jul 28, 2021 at 10:44 PM.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 498
Likes: 7
From: South Florida
1998 C43, 2017 Honda Accord Sport
Restoring the car and the tank plastic was stained with blue dye, dirt, plastic yellowing (as evidenced in one of the pics where I compare old vs new tanks). Also a lot of the plastic and rubber was brittle.
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 435
Likes: 8
From: Mizzou
1998 C43 AMG
Excellent write up and pics! I've never replaced my reservoir, just the wiper gaskets. However, it looks like I need to do some trouble-shooting as both washer nozzles no longer work. I'm guessing it's a clogged t-valve and/or inoperable wiper pump.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,418
Likes: 194
From: America
1999 C43 AMG, 2005 E55 Wagon
I feel silly because I had my whole reservoir out last week to fix the leaky grommet beneath the pump. I put it all back together and then realized "I should have just replaced ALL of that."
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,418
Likes: 194
From: America
1999 C43 AMG, 2005 E55 Wagon
rockauto.com
autohausaz.com
partsgeek.com
Find the best deal, buy it. FCP Euro comes with a LIFETIME warranty on everything they sell. But parts like this likely won't fail in the next 15 years so the warranty won't matter much.
