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      09-18-2011, 11:47 AM   #1
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Washer fluid

The window washer fluid reservoir must be small in the X3 as mine has been filled now 3 times since May and thats not including any winter driving?

Never had headlight wash before and they are obviously using additional fluid but I normally just splash windscreen and the headlights rarely spray.

Anyone else noticed this? Its gonna be a pain in winter
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      09-18-2011, 12:09 PM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BIMMER UK 76 View Post
The window washer fluid reservoir must be small in the X3 as mine has been filled now 3 times since May and thats not including any winter driving?

Never had headlight wash before and they are obviously using additional fluid but I normally just splash windscreen and the headlights rarely spray.

Anyone else noticed this? Its gonna be a pain in winter
According to the manual, the reservoir capacity is approximately 5.3 US Quarts/5 liters.
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      09-18-2011, 01:12 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 02420X3 View Post
According to the manual, the reservoir capacity is approximately 5.3 US Quarts/5 liters.
Cheers

Same as my previous E60 but I didnt seem to suffer same useage!?!?!

Time will tell
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      09-18-2011, 02:03 PM   #4
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It's probably the xenons headlight washers. I noticed it going down a lot more on my GTI (with xenons + headlight washers) compared to the Golf I had before (no xenons)
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      09-18-2011, 04:14 PM   #5
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If you search for this topic you will see many have experienced partially filled reservoirs at delivery (there are other theories). Result: fluid light comes on. As you will see when you fill it the reservoir is actually the biggest I've ever seen in a car and should last quite a while. It runs the length of the left side of the engine bay.
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      09-18-2011, 05:05 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeBimmer View Post
If you search for this topic you will see many have experienced partially filled reservoirs at delivery (there are other theories). Result: fluid light comes on. As you will see when you fill it the reservoir is actually the biggest I've ever seen in a car and should last quite a while. It runs the length of the left side of the engine bay.
Interesting. I've never checked my level. I would suppose that they do this to avoid splashing/spilling during transit. It should be the dealer's obligation to fill it prior to delivery. But I suppose this is something they either overlook or don't do so save a few pennies.
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      09-18-2011, 06:23 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeBimmer View Post
If you search for this topic you will see many have experienced partially filled reservoirs at delivery (there are other theories). Result: fluid light comes on. As you will see when you fill it the reservoir is actually the biggest I've ever seen in a car and should last quite a while. It runs the length of the left side of the engine bay.
+1

The light came on at 4K miles, and I put just about a gallon of "bug juice' in it.
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      11-18-2011, 10:23 PM   #8
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Came one at 3K miles, bought BMW windsheild fluid and dealership filled it up for me. Costed me $5 and 5 minutes, still have half bottle left for next service! It's super easy to do, they pop open the trunk, pour in half the bottle and pour in a gallon of water.
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      11-18-2011, 10:56 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by silverforumsurf View Post
Came one at 3K miles, bought BMW windsheild fluid and dealership filled it up for me. Costed me $5 and 5 minutes, still have half bottle left for next service! It's super easy to do, they pop open the trunk, pour in half the bottle and pour in a gallon of water.
If they added washer fluid in the "trunk", you must have a very unique X3. Every F25 I've ever seen has the washer fluid tank in the right front fender (which would be extremely hard to reach from the "trunk".).

Now if they popped open the "hood" or in the UK, popped open the "bonnet" it would probably work.

I use Rain-X "Orange"
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      11-19-2011, 06:14 AM   #10
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If you want to conserve fluid and don't need the headlights sprayed (and it's light enough) you can turn off your headlights manually, wash the windshield, and then turn them back on. At least on my NA car it doesn't wash the headlights when they're off. The headlight washers seem to kick out more fluid than on my 330i's. Haven't been needed so seemed like a waste, maybe will be nice in the bad weather.

Am surprised to hear your comment, though, as I've been happy with how large the reservoir seems to be.

Re which fluid. I've had trouble with the BMW stuff freezing (in a 330i) even when mixed as instructed for the temperatures I was experiencing. Switched to the Rain-X Orange stuff and have had much better results.
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      12-01-2011, 10:09 PM   #11
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I use Rain-X Orange too. I now feel that the reservoir size is a little light, especially with winter coming and the frequency with which my headlights are washed, so I store a spare jug in the right rear storage bin.
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      12-02-2011, 05:21 PM   #12
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I got the message around 4k miles. I filled in RainX orange. I gotta monitor hwo long it lasts before next time the message pops.
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      12-02-2011, 11:26 PM   #13
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It holds (5) liters. That should be enough for a long Christmas party!
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      12-03-2011, 01:49 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lotus7 View Post
It holds (5) liters. That should be enough for a long Christmas party!
Thats just a wee dram to warm ur cockles!
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      12-03-2011, 07:35 AM   #15
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Originally Posted by Sir Wolfie View Post
Thats just a wee dram to warm ur cockles!
Ay, but the cost of filling ur X3 reservoir with a decent supply of Bowmore or Laphroaig or anything else that's decent from Isle Islay, will set you back a wee bit more than a gallon of Rain-X "orange".
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      12-03-2011, 11:12 AM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sfax View Post
It's probably the xenons headlight washers. I noticed it going down a lot more on my GTI (with xenons + headlight washers) compared to the Golf I had before (no xenons)
Slightly off track, why do we need headlight washers? Though I hv adaptive xenons but no washers, was wondering when do we need to use headlight washers when in motion? Sorry, no experience of this luxury.
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      12-03-2011, 01:33 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by alokbhargava View Post
Slightly off track, why do we need headlight washers? Though I hv adaptive xenons but no washers, was wondering when do we need to use headlight washers when in motion? Sorry, no experience of this luxury.
I think they are a legal requirement here if you have xenons (xenons have added washers all both new cars I have bought with xenons). In theory they are handy in the winter when the headlight plastic gets caked in dirt. In practice they aren't all that and you can't beat a proper wipe!
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      12-03-2011, 01:34 PM   #18
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Got the empty warning again today
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      12-03-2011, 05:03 PM   #19
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Either I don't squirt as much as some of you or you have a water problem. I got to 7k miles and no sign of a warning light that the fluid is low (I have xenons and therefore headlight washers). I filled up in any event to make sure properly concentrated for the colder weather but it didn't need that much.

I have used the washer when needed but I don't think the reserve tank seems small in any way.
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      12-03-2011, 07:48 PM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DJ Daddy-O View Post
I have xenons and therefore headlight washers.
X3 made for US follow different norms, xenons need not have washers so I will modi fy your sentence to something like this: "I have xenons, I live in UK and therefore headlight washers"

I think the X3 s built for NA have cost reductions into force. We will slowly find out all other differences.
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