Low Windshield Wiper Fluid (leak)

[BroncoFuji]

Found the leak! Ford routes a rubber line from the wiper bottle to the rear of the passenger seat, inside the vehicle, and then it makes a 90 degree with a plastic fitting. Then, the fitting connects to a plastic ribbed line that crosses under the passenger seat to the driver's side...where it connects to another 90 and then to a rubber line that goes to the rear window nozzle. My plastic ribbed line has a pinhole leak...and only after running the rear squirts it would build a vacuum and then slowly draw all the fluid out of the bottle. It ran down the footwell, then forward until it could run out of the door sill and under the car via a cutout near a pinch weld in the rocker. Dunno why Ford chose to use a plastic line in an area in which someone could easily step on it, but I may replace that section with a rubber line. Good thing I have a Badlands, with no carpet...

Mine is leaking somewhere by the pasenger seat! How did you access the hoses? I'll just fix it myself.

Sponsored

 

[broncorik]

Mine is leaking somewhere by the pasenger seat! How did you access the hoses? I'll just fix it myself.

I had to take out back seats, then pulled out the rubberized flooring. It runs from passenger side (under the door jam and up over the hump into the side panel) then across the floor next to the wiring loom to the driver side. The entire span across the floor is a stupid corrugated section that has special clips to attach it under both the driver side and passenger side panels (and clips break easily in those side panels...sigh...). When mine leaked it resulted in a huge pool in the passenger footwell. You might get lucky if it is leaking under the door jam...

 

[BroncoFuji]

I had to take out back seats, then pulled out the rubberized flooring. It runs from passenger side (under the door jam and up over the hump into the side panel) then across the floor next to the wiring loom to the driver side. The entire span across the floor is a stupid corrugated section that has special clips to attach it under both the driver side and passenger side panels (and clips break easily in those side panels...sigh...). When mine leaked it resulted in a huge pool in the passenger footwell. You might get lucky if it is leaking under the door jam...

What a pain in the ass. lol.
Did you buy new clips and where? And was the hose broken or just detached? Finally, would you just recommend I take it in to Ford? haha

 

[broncorik]

What a pain in the ass. lol.
Did you buy new clips and where? And was the hose broken or just detached? Finally, would you just recommend I take it in to Ford? haha

The washer line was like 15 bucks and I had to get it from Ford...it took a couple days. Same for the clips, those too from Ford and a couple of days. It's under warranty so you could just sit back and relax and let them sort it out. I had to remove all my parts because before I installed my goose gear platform I had installed a temporary one and after that install I think the line might have got pinched which created a pinhole. The problem is that Ford is going to have to diagnose the issue so that will take them part of the day, and then if they need those pieces that could take even more days...but if you can be without your Bronco for a bit then that's got to be the easiest route.

 

[BroncoFuji]

I was going to take my Bronco into Ford but I decided to take a look for myself. I’m glad I did because I found the leak. It was a hose that disconnected. At first I though it was a broken connector but I saw it just had popped out of the fitting. I reconnected it and added some zip ties to secure it from popping off again.
The hose can be found running under the passenger side door sill. The plastic pieces can be pulled up. It runs with the wiring. I followed it to the back seat. I then had to pull back the side paneling. This is where it connects to a right angle connector where it looks like it runs behind the back seat towards the driver side. Luckily I found it had disconnected here and I didn’t have to remove the seats or any more paneling.

 

[broncorik]

I was going to take my Bronco into Ford but I decided to take a look for myself. I’m glad I did because I found the leak. It was a hose that disconnected. At first I though it was a broken connector but I saw it just had popped out of the fitting. I reconnected it and added some zip ties to secure it from popping off again.
The hose can be found running under the passenger side door sill. The plastic pieces can be pulled up. It runs with the wiring. I followed it to the back seat. I then had to pull back the side paneling. This is where it connects to a right angle connector where it looks like it runs behind the back seat towards the driver side. Luckily I found it had disconnected here and I didn’t have to remove the seats or any more paneling.

Yep that's the one...at the time I replaced mine I was tempted to simply run a neoprene line from side to side and skip that stupid corrugated line with the complicated fittings altogether. I caved, however, and just went OEM to keep everything as was meant to be in case of warranty.

 

[emore93x]

Well thanks guys.
You helped me find a leak and a trip to the dealer.
At least a 2 week wait to get an appointment.

My leak was on the passenger side foot well.
Pulled the passenger kick panel and there was the BS rubber union and washer fluid every where.
Used BronoFuji method of double zipties.
Hoping that fixes it.

 

[UncleTerry]

Also just had this issue. Disconnected in the exact same place. What a stupid design. Appreciate the zip tie idea. Definitely needed this fixed as I go through almost a jug of fluid a week this time of year.

 

[jevus2006]

Thanks for the pics, had the same just happen to my 2 door. The connector looks different but I still added a zip tie. Hopefully it holds.

 

[traviswilliam79]

Just happened to mine....Rain X Bug Remover green fluid all over the concrete.....helpful info for sure. 2 door same spot was disconnected.....Lame.

Sponsored