Washer bottle

dragon · Post by **dragon** » Thu Feb 13, 2003 11:20 pm

Does the washer bottle have a sensor in it? I am on my 3rd 480 now and all three have had a light on the dash that liiks like a picture of a water jet/washer type thing, yet they never light up - was this an optional extra, or has my sensor been broken on all 3 cars? I never get a warning when the bottle is empty etc...   1995 480 Turbo, Flame Red Metallic, Jacquard/Leather

volvofox · Post by **volvofox** » Thu Feb 13, 2003 11:29 pm

Hi, Yes, my washer tank has a floater. (still looking for one, as mine broke) They are mount in the front side on the bottom. Maybe is wasn't standard in UK Very odd ...... JPF

lee · Post by **lee** » Thu Feb 13, 2003 11:52 pm

I had one on my ES. UK car I think i will keeps this now as i don't know if my turbo has one yet.

wedge69 · Post by **wedge69** » Fri Feb 14, 2003 9:45 am

Mine defiantly has one cos I have to keep topping the bugger up every week. It's fun accelerating cos the water sloshes about and the light keeps flasing on and off until it all levels out again.

DaveBrown2001 · Post by **DaveBrown2001** » Fri Feb 14, 2003 12:15 pm

My ES has one - on the front of the bottle as already stated - I unplugged it though for the exact reason wedge69 said - you're better off without it!

dragon · Post by **dragon** » Fri Feb 14, 2003 1:03 pm

Cheers all! Seems I've been unlucky with my bottles then - I feel a check-wires-with-multimeter session coming on this weekend <img src=http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/im ... s/wink.gif ALT=";)">   1995 480 Turbo, Flame Red Metallic, Jacquard/Leather

kevinwatsongriffin · Post by **kevinwatsongriffin** » Sun Feb 16, 2003 3:46 pm

I get the same thing as Wedge. Have to continually top it up and once it gets about half-way down the light comes on every time I accelerate. It does work properly and stays on when it's nearing empty. The capacity is huge, about 4.5 litres and involves about 3 trips into the house with the kettle!

Autobahnstormer · Post by **Autobahnstormer** » Thu Feb 27, 2003 9:51 pm

Evening All When I got my 480ES the bleeding washer level light never went off, and it seemed to be a fairly common complaint. I got another one from a Scrappy, and it appears never to come ON. Still, I'd rather have a completely clear dash than that annoying orange light taunting me all the time. One day, I'll fix it. Incidentally the unit in the tank is called a float, and not a floater. That is something completely different<img src=http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/im ... ns/eek.gif ALT=":eek"> See you at the factory in March

volvofox · Post by **volvofox** » Fri Feb 28, 2003 1:13 am

Hi, Sorry, try it in dutch. I translated the dutch "vlotter" in floater, thats a curve too sharp, as we here say. Today I installed again another float sensor, as the old (i have a '88 turbo by the way) broke, in an attempt to take it out six years ago. I think you have a look at the connector, and their pinns, as mine were totally green with oxides. I did a good job with "contactspray" and something to scratch them clean. Maybe you will see my wife driving around, as we live next to the factory, but not me, since I will have to have an eye operation then at the university Luck, JPF

Brasco · Post by **Brasco** » Thu Jan 05, 2006 12:54 pm

Did anyone ever fix their dodgy floater? Mine's doing the same as above, the light comes on when I accelerate... starting to annoy me now.

Ben Harris · Post by **Ben Harris** » Thu Jan 05, 2006 1:17 pm

I've just replaced the sensor in mine, as it has never worked at all, and I can tell you that even a brand new sensor (about Â£30!) will do exactly the same thing when you accelerate.

I have considered devising a little circuit based on a 555-timer which could be connected in-line with the sensor, and only turn the light on if it senses the water has been low for a continuous 5 seconds (i.e. it actually is low, and it's not just you accelerating!). It shouldn't be too difficult to do - and probably woudn't cost more than a couple of quid for the components.

Ben.

Brasco · Post by **Brasco** » Thu Jan 05, 2006 1:20 pm

Sounds interesting... let me know how you get on with that. Would a new floater fix the problem tho?

Ben Harris · Post by **Ben Harris** » Thu Jan 05, 2006 1:23 pm

Well, with my new sensor fitted, when the bottle gets below about half full, the light flickers when i accelerate. I haven't let it get low enough that it stays on permanently yet.

The old sensor was completely dead, so the light never came on at all.

[EDIT]

Just re-read your post - I don't think it would be possible to replace the floater with a different one - it's actually part of the sensor itself.

Ben.

Volvo 480 Club Europe

Washer bottle

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