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Screen wash warning.

Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2018 8:47 pm
by Handy Andy
Today the screen washers stopped. There was no warning light although one is mentioned in the Owners Reference Guide. There is a dip stick attached to the filler cover.
I filled the reservoir up and all is fine.
Have I got a fault or is this yet another penny pinching exercise by Mazda against UK customers?

Re: Screen wash warning.

Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2018 8:52 pm
by Deleted User 406
Same has happened to me, no warning light.

Re: Screen wash warning.

Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2018 9:11 pm
by st3v3cx-3
You have not got a fault on your car. A warning light for low-level screen wash has never been available on UK and possibly for the majority of Euroepan countries. Mazda, like probably all manufacturers, produce an Owner's Manual for a whole region - e.g. Europe in our case - with all the possible options described. Those not common to all variants sold in a region will be marked up in some way - in Mazdas case, with an * after the item and narrative at the bottom of the page saying "* Some models". This is shown on page 7-45.

Re: Screen wash warning.

Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2018 10:26 pm
by Strangways
I don't think I have ever owned a car with a low level screen wash warning light. Or maybe I just check before it gets that low.

Re: Screen wash warning.

Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2018 8:20 am
by zoylander
Strangways wrote: Wed Mar 07, 2018 10:26 pm I don't think I have ever owned a car with a low level screen wash warning light. Or maybe I just check before it gets that low.
Neither have I. Every time I wash the car I open the bonnet and check all the levels. Old habits die hard.

Re: Screen wash warning.

Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2018 9:33 am
by Handy Andy
zoylander wrote: Thu Mar 08, 2018 8:20 am
Strangways wrote: Wed Mar 07, 2018 10:26 pm I don't think I have ever owned a car with a low level screen wash warning light. Or maybe I just check before it gets that low.
Neither have I. Every time I wash the car I open the bonnet and check all the levels. Old habits die hard.
Strange as all of my cars over the last two decades have had a warning light. I thought it was standard for the UK.

Re: Screen wash warning.

Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2018 9:41 am
by Handy Andy
st3v3cx-3 wrote: Wed Mar 07, 2018 9:11 pm You have not got a fault on your car. A warning light for low-level screen wash has never been available on UK and possibly for the majority of Euroepan countries. Mazda, like probably all manufacturers, produce an Owner's Manual for a whole region - e.g. Europe in our case - with all the possible options described. Those not common to all variants sold in a region will be marked up in some way - in Mazdas case, with an * after the item and narrative at the bottom of the page saying "* Some models". This is shown on page 7-45.
Yes I saw that. I think it is a bit misleading. If it said "Some Countries" then that would make sense, but "Some models" indicates to me that some models in the range have it whilst others don't. e.g. entry levels may not have but would expect top of the range to have it. Especially for twenty four grand and in 2017.

To me it is a basic safety feature, (now I know it doesn't exist I will check the level before setting out) after all you can have lane departure, blind spot, reversing camera plus sensors etc. but nothing to warn you that you may be looking through a dirty windscreen that you cannot clear.

There is precious little storage space in a CX-3 anyway, let alone having to carry bottled water, just in case.

My situation was made worse as it ran out on the motoring at night some way before the next service area and I was left with what was less than a perfectly clear windscreen.

Re: Screen wash warning.

Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2018 12:27 pm
by jtonline
I think the low level sensor is only installed on bottles in markets that have a 2nd pump attached for headlight washers.

Over the recent cold weather period, my problem was that the nozzles kept freezing up, despite having washer fluid that was spec'd to go to -10°C :)
My last car had heated nozzles that worked with the heated door mirrors.

Re: Screen wash warning.

Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2018 2:19 pm
by Handy Andy
Hi jtonline, yes my previous car had heated nozzles that worked when the heated windscreen was on - the heated screen is one feature I really miss on the CX-3. I have not had any trouble with freezing nozzles on the CX-3 though.

Re: Screen wash warning.

Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2018 3:12 pm
by Greenman
I've been caught out by this, despite the weekly check and top up

The pain is the dash warning lights has provision for it...