Washer Bottle Leak

[nicholls-a5119]

Hi All,
I treated myself to an F-Type 400 Sport which I collected on 1st March. I truly beautiful and wonderful piece of kit. Around mid April the warning light notified me of low washer fluid. I expect most if not all of you are like me and regularly keep the tank filled up. So, for me I found this strange. Anyway, I topped it up only to be notified about two days later that it was again low. I noticed dripping from the offside front wheel arch. Having studied this (you tube and internet search) I am fully aware of the rather complicated system that Jaguar has designed. Being that the main top up tank receives a demand from the sensor on the front tank to send water, then the transfer pump activates for about 10 seconds topping up the front tank. This front tank has a vent hole to allow air to escape as the top up process takes place.

My car has been with a Jaguar main dealer and the investigation was diagnosed as a faulty transfer pump. This has now been replaced. Upon collecting my car again I noticed the dripping from the wheel arch and that the main tank was not full. I called out the advisor and showed him. I was told some dripping is normal from the vent hole and to keep an eye on it and that their long time Jaguar Technician has tested it and is happy that it is fixed. At home I topped the main bottle up to the rim. This was without the ignition being on as I did not want to activate the pump. No dripping started immediately. I place a tray underneath the wheel arch to catch any loss. Two and a half hours later I check to see a persistent drip and about at least a litre of water in the tray. This cannot be right and will have to go back in for more investigation.

Has any other F-Type owner had this problem? Do you know any possible causes?

Thanks for reading from a frustrated Alan.

[JimMann]

Hi Alan, is everyone positive it is coming from the tank(s)? I ask because I had exactly the same issue on a Range Rover Sport and it took 5 visits to the main dealer to get it resolved because it was one of the pipes to the headlamp wash jet that was doing the leaking and it eventually required a full bumper removal to access and replace - something they obviously didn't want to do.
Jim Mann

[mike020150]

Assuming there are no leaking seals/joints, could it be a faulty level sensor rather than a faulty pump? A faulty sensor could cause the pump to run unnecessarily and to over-fill the front reservoir. Mike.

[nicholls-a5119]

Thanks Jim and Mike for your replies.

The car is going back in on Monday.

I think this is a gravity fed issue as this leak is happening while the car is parked up. Assuming that no electrics are live to the sensor to ask the feed pump to supply water. The leak is definitely from the area around the front tank. I really do think this will be something very simple like a pipe off or valve stuck. But they have yet to find it.

Hopefully, I will have success next week and will post the answer for everyone to benefit from.

Regards,

Alan

[davidr]

I'm sorry I've no good advice to give but I just had to remark on how complicated Jaguar appear to have made such a simple thing as a washer bottle! Blimey!!

[nicholls-a5119]

Sure is David. I told them so at the main dealer. I get funny looks each time I do. I am not sure why the F type has this setup. I did read somewhere or it might have been a Youtube link that it was to do with balancing the car out! I don't get that at all. As it is not a massive amount of water so why would it effect the car's balance if there was one main tank up front like most cars. Anyway she is back in with the main dealer and I have a sportsman bet with them that the culprit in a cheap in line one way valve that has failed. Update soon I hope.

[haydn154]

Hi, that’s some coincidence on the 2nd May, so a few days before you, I posted the exact same issue with my MY2018 V6 Coupe. I haven’t had time to resolve the issue, so I shall look forward to seeing how you get on.
I have driven the car on two separate occasions since the 2nd May, and the problem doesn’t seem to have reoccurred, but I cannot be sure.

[nicholls-a5119]

I am now pleased to say that the main dealer admitted their repair has failed and it is now fixed by changing (You guessed it!) the in line one way valve. So, I hope this helps anyone else out that finds this same problem.

[andypryce]

Thanks for update, amazing they have such a complicated system…