Disappearing screenwash C250 2014

[Animal]

Recently I'm having to top up the screen wash bottle more often even though the car is rarely used these days thanks to covid 19. Has anyone experienced a leaking washer bottle on C Class S205? Mine is a 2014 C250 bluetec and not under warranty. No sign of any puddles under it either! Thanks in advance.

 

[Farmer boy]

Very strange. The screen wash bottle on the S205 lives low down at the rear of the near side wheel arch and is accessed by removing the plastic wheel arch lining. If the grommet holding in the pump had perished, the bottle split or one of the two pipes to the washers had come off you would get liquid on the ground at the rear of the front near side wheel.
May be worth filling the bottle to the top with tap water and leaving it a while without using the washers to see if the level falls. The bottle holds about 6 litres so if it’s leaking there should be plenty of evidence.

 

[zipdip]

You must live in a dodgy area looks like somebody is stealing your washer fluid ,as above you need to look at the washer bottle,best of luck.

 

[Animal]

Hi Guys, thanks for quick replies. Interesting that you (Farmer Boy) say the bottle holds 6 litres. I was assuming the bottle was nearly empty as the dash warning said it was!!
Each time it says it's nearly empty I'm only able to get 2.5 litres in there, so maybe it's not leaking but the sensor is at fault!!
I will have to investigate further before attempting to access the bottle which could be a bit tricky I expect.
Thanks again.

 

[Petrol Pete]

Flush it out with a hose pipe, loosen it up a bit .

 

[Farmer boy]

My 6l was just a guesstimate which may be higher than the capacity. Cannot find the capacity in the handbook. Only true way to tell is to run it dry then measure how much you put in. 2.5L then the warning light comes on seems a little early for the warning. The warning light sensor seems to be sensitive to the concentration/ type of screen wash. Posts in the past have commented on the sensory giving odd readings.

 

[Farmer boy]

Just looked up capacity on Mercedes Workshop Information System. For some reason W/S205 capacity not showing despite pictures and full details of how to work on the washer reservoir. For the W/S204 it lists 3.5 or 6l depending on options.
interesting that the 205 has a pipe loop in and out of the reservoir to heat the reservoir. Removal of the reservoir looks a bit of a faff as you need to clamp the heater feed and return it disconnecting the bottle. The bottle has a long filler next with a couple of itchy bends which expains why you cannot get a hose down into the reservoir to give a good flush.

 

[Animal]

Just looked up capacity on Mercedes Workshop Information System. For some reason W/S205 capacity not showing despite pictures and full details of how to work on the washer reservoir. For the W/S204 it lists 3.5 or 6l depending on options.
interesting that the 205 has a pipe loop in and out of the reservoir to heat the reservoir. Removal of the reservoir looks a bit of a faff as you need to clamp the heater feed and return it disconnecting the bottle. The bottle has a long filler next with a couple of itchy bends which expains why you cannot get a hose down into the reservoir to give a good flush.

I have now found a puddle under the left wheel after being parked in the garage for a few days! I guess I need to remove some plastic shielding behind the wheel to access the bottle and have a look when I have the time!
I will report back.
Thanks again for your time

 

[MrGreedy]

Just for your reassurance, I had to replace the washer nozzles and pipe (it's all one piece), which involved removing the scuttle panel and wipers to get to the nozzles, and removing the passenger side wheel arch liner to get to the reservoir (well, the pump where the pipe connects). It was a relatively straight forward affair. Wheel off and put under the sill, relevant retaining clips removed, wheel arch liner wiggled out. This then gives full access to the reservoir, with the pump being rearwards, so should be easily on display. Mine is a W212, but I bet it's very similar.

 

[Animal]

Just looked up capacity on Mercedes Workshop Information System. For some reason W/S205 capacity not showing despite pictures and full details of how to work on the washer reservoir. For the W/S204 it lists 3.5 or 6l depending on options.
interesting that the 205 has a pipe loop in and out of the reservoir to heat the reservoir. Removal of the reservoir looks a bit of a faff as you need to clamp the heater feed and return it disconnecting the bottle. The bottle has a long filler next with a couple of itchy bends which expains why you cannot get a hose down into the reservoir to give a good flush.

Thanks again all for your tips. I ripped off the wheel arch liner, 3 plastic nuts and 4 plastic rivet clips, quite easy. Not sure what the white plastic thing is attached to the base of the pump but where it attaches to the pump you can see a split (pictures attached) for the time being I smothered the crack with some silicone sealant and will fill up with just water and see what happens. The pump is really easy to remove from the washer bottle. New pumps seem to be about £30 (not horrendous).
I see on the pump that it is made in China! The car is made in South Africa I think, that why you buy German isn't it!!