Low Washer Fluid light driving me buggy!

[Joeypete]

Ack...I'm about to pull the light bulb out! The low washer fluid light is always on when I turn the wipers on in my Toronado. The tank is full so I'm assuming there is an issue with the sensor. So I looked up the part and found one, but after looking at the tank I can not see where the sensor is anywhere! The tank has 2 openings...one to put the fluid into and another that has the plastic tube where the fluid gets sucked into the pump...it has a float on it, and has a purple and black wire going into it. One thing I noticed is there looks like a piece has been broken off next to the part where the float attaches to.

Is anyone familiar with this at all? I can't find it in my CSM...though it doesn't have electrical

Here is a link to the part:

http://shop.oreillyauto.com/ProductD...rtNumber=FLS38

Thank you, I appreciate any help.

[joe_padavano]

Originally Posted by Joeypete

Here is a link to the part:

http://shop.oreillyauto.com/ProductD...rtNumber=FLS38

Thank you, I appreciate any help.

That sure looks like the low COOLANT sensor in my Custom Cruiser. All the low washer fluid sensors I've seen on GM cars are float-type sensors that are either built into the filler cap or are part of a separate cap that snaps onto the washer tank. Do you even have a sensor or is the wire loose and grounding out?

Here is AC Delco P/N 557384, which is the coolant level sensor. Look familiar?



The GM washer fluid level sensors I've seen look like this:

[Joeypete]

Ahhh, maybe they got the part confused. Yes mine has the separate cap that has the float attached to it. It slides on a white tube that I assume is where the fluid gets sucked up through to the pump. Mine doesn't look exactly like the RockAuto pic...but maybe I can find one like that.

I couldn't tell where the 2 wires go to and I couldn't even get them off the sensor actually. I was hoping maybe I could reset it...

[Joeypete]

Originally Posted by joe_padavano

That sure looks like the low COOLANT sensor in my Custom Cruiser.

I think the part numbers got cross referenced because I looked on the AC Delco website and they list a windshield washer fluid sensor but the main number comes up as a coolant sensor.

[Joeypete]

I've attached 2 pics of what the float looks like in mine. The second one shows where it looks like something has broken off...but I'm not sure.

[joe_padavano]

Unfortunately I have been unable to find a listing for a new one for that car. I see used ones in wrecking yards all the time. That style switch was used on Cadillacs and other GMs for a lot of years.

[Joeypete]

Ok, thanks for checking Joe...I went to one junkyard here that had at least one Toro. Surprisingly most of the yards around here don't have cars from the 80's...I checked several and they all told me they crush cars that old...lol. Nice.

[kartmaster]

Yours looks exactly like mine. Attached to that float is a flat piece of metal that slides up into the cap. When the level drops enough, the float sinks down far enough to break the circuit. Mine worked when I got it, but now most of that metal is just corrosion dust on the bottom of the fluid tank. My low fluid light now doesn't come on no matter if the tank is empty or not. You can still see a little bit of metal still stuck up in the cap. So as far as the "sensor" can tell, there's still fluid in the tank.



I believe if you jumper the circuit that connects to the cap you can get your light to go out. As for where to find a replacement part. I've never seen any anywhere. But it looks like a pretty simple system, and on a weekend, you could probably fab up something that will last longer than the factory part!

Good luck!

[Joeypete]

Thank you so much! That really helps out actually. Funny thing is yesterday when I was trying to figure it out, I found a metal clip near the container and just tossed it. I wonder if it's from that...I attached a picture.

[kartmaster]

Looks like it could be. I believe the metal part originally had a wide flat part that sticks up and into the cap. Which by now seems to have rusted away.

Kinda like this:


May not be to scale or exact. It's been a long time since I've seen mine!

[Joeypete]

That makes perfect sense actually! I finally got the wire harness off so that stopped the light, I covered it with electrical tape for now. But yeah there was a whole bunch of corroded metal in the slot...so that could be.

Now that I got the light to stay off I'm fairly happy...heh...I'll see if I can find a new part sometime. I'm just so anal with stuff like that...I hate it when things don't work!! The driver side high beam fiber optic cable broke and even though I rarely use my high beams...it drives me crazy that it doesn't work...LOL. OCD

Thank you again for your help though, I really appreciate it.

Joe

[kartmaster]

Glad to help.