Windscreen washers not working R230

[G7Wagen]

I discovered on fathers day the windscreen washers my SL55 AMG were not working.. my assumption was there was no fluid, although I had no low fluid warning.. Today I found the time to investigate further.. adding water, resulted in water leaking out underneath.. iCarsoft MB11 reported a fault/short circuit in the pump.



I checked the fuse (14) in the engine compartment.. it was OK.. so a deeper delve was needed. Front jacked up.. Drivers side wheel removed.. rear section of wheel arch liner removed.. (a few hidden screws!)
I saw the reservoir was full of fluid.. so, it was overflowing when I was trying to fill it.
My car data card says it was originally ordered to the Cayman Islands.. and was not ordered with washer fluid heating. (one less thing to worry about !)
A bit of garden hose and a bucket drained the large resovoir (half filled an orange B&Q bucket!)
After a little bit of dismantling the reservoir , removing to one side the filler pipe, it was out..
I disconnected the pumps.. the white one is for the headlamp wash and is larger than the other black pump for the windscreen wash.
Both pumps tested on a 12v car battery.. only the windscreen one didn't work!
Time to order a new one!
I will also as a precaution order new rubber grommets that the pumps sit in on the reservoir.. mine don't leak (yet) but will eventually!!
filleer neck disconnected for removal of reservoir.


You can see the flap of the fluid level sensor.. which is a float.. I turned the car on after removing everything and the 'low fluid level' warning came up (sensor isn't connected yet!)
Waiting for a new washer pump and grommets now.

 

[G7Wagen]

I noticed on the headlamp washer pump two small square holes molded into the pump body.. presumably to let air in, for some kind of anti syphon system

 

[G7Wagen]

This is the WIS procedure for this job

 

[Dickster]

Nice write up John. I tried that MB jack on mine and didn’t get on with it, seemed to wobble all over the place !!!

 

[G7Wagen]

Nice write up John. I tried that MB jack on mine and didn’t get on with it, seemed to wobble all over the place !!!

Thanks! The Jack on mine is very stable, probably from low use.. I have a trolly Jack but its high lift for the G Wagen and won't go under the SL .. I do always use a Axle stand under the car.. as a precaution.. can never be too careful.



(You live near my dad! , I can hear the racing from his garden)

 

[Dickster]

Haha! Small world

 

[G7Wagen]

Indeed it is!

I gave the reservoir a clean up as I await a new pump.. part number is shown for the reservoir and when I get my parts and confirm they are correct will post them up also in case anyone else has the same issue. plus a better pic of the fluid level sensor.. the white bit floats upwards when past half full. I have refitted the old pump(s) so they dont get damaged.

 

[ToeKnee]

Are you sure you have the float the correct way round? I though the float part was underneath and dropped as the level went down turning the light on when the reservoir was almost empty?

 

[Petrol Pete]

Nice write up , and not having heated reservoir , hoses and jets is indeed a number of things not to have to worry about going forward. But NEVER let that bottle freeze, because of where it is located you would have to remove it to de frost it.

 

[G7Wagen]

Are you sure you have the float the correct way round? I though the float part was underneath and dropped as the level went down turning the light on when the reservoir was almost empty?

That's what I thought but there is a flat side on the sensor body that forces you
to fit it the other way round... float up... easy to connect the wire and check before I fit the reservoir back in... and see what the dash says. I did photograph the bottle before I removed it and it was float up. The sensor is quite low on the bottle...so should warn when there is only 25% fluid left.

 

[G7Wagen]

Nice write up , and not having heated reservoir , hoses and jets is indeed a number of things not to have to worry about going forward. But NEVER let that bottle freeze, because of where it is located you would have to remove it to de frost it.

It's my summer car.. it hibernates in my garage over winter....

 

[G7Wagen]

Windscreen washers now fixed!
The parts arrived.. replaced all the rubber grommets with new OE.
put it all back together.. everything is now working as it should!

Parts numbers below Pump was about £30 and the grommets About £2 each.

 

[G7Wagen]

If any R230 owner is suffering a leaky washer grommet ..and needs to replace it..
I have a couple spare, I can post one to you. FOC

John

 

[Michelten]

Hello John,
I am trying to fix my SL350 screen wash water leak, and found your comments extremely useful - thank you. I did yesterday take the F/O/S wheel and wheel arch lining, but stopped short of removing the tank - seems like mission impossible as it is all tightly fitted by the side body panel.
The car didn’t have a leak when I bought it about 6 years ago. It developed the leak one unfortunate day that I decided to use the headlight washer. I suspect the nozzles were clogged, and the pressure build resulted in one fluid line connection popping off - I suspect one right off the pump, as the tank gets empty quickly anytime I fill it up. I wonder if it would it be possible that the tank gets syphoned out as a result of a popped out connection downstream by the headlamp sprayers?
After reviewing your pics once again, I will give it another try. Would there be some advise you could share with me on how to remove the tank? (so tightly squeezed by the wing body panel).
By the way, let me pls know if you steel keep spare grommets. Thanks.
Michael