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Screen Wash Empty Indicator


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LS400 1998

Were or how do you get at the screen wash bottle level indicator?

Mine shows it need filling (on dash) where as it is actually full.

Not a major issue, just an iritant.

TY

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LS400 1998

Were or how do you get at the screen wash bottle level indicator?

Mine shows it need filling (on dash) where as it is actually full.

Not a major issue, just an iritant.

TY

I could be wrong here but my 94 model has 2 screen wash bottles one at the rear of the Battery ( screenwash/water mix and one infront of the radiator ( plain water only for rinsing) probably changed for your year if so sorry for duff info.

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I could be wrong here but my 94 model has 2 screen wash bottles one at the rear of the Battery ( screenwash/water mix and one infront of the radiator ( plain water only for rinsing) probably changed for your year if so sorry for duff info.

Thanks, but deffinately, as far as I can see :duh: . one bottle only.

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  • 1 month later...
LS400 1998

Were or how do you get at the screen wash bottle level indicator?

Mine shows it need filling (on dash) where as it is actually full.

Not a major issue, just an iritant.

TY

Hi TY,

Have you sorted out your level sensor?

I also have a '98 and recently have the same warning light showing when the reservoir is full, and remembered reading your posting.

I sorted mine out this weekend.

To get to the reservoir jack up the near side front and loosen the horizontal flush closing panel in front of the wheel, this also forms part of the wheel arch liner but there is no need to remove it all just enough to get access to the bottle.

When you have gained access you will clearly see the reservoir with attached pumps (2 off, seperate ones for windscreen and headlights) and pipes, there is also a round sensor approx 35mm dia with two wires going into it at the very bottom of the bottle, this is the offending level switch.

The switch is of the normally open type, eg when the bottle is full no current can pass, on mine the switch had stuck closed wrongly indicating lack of water, quite why this occurred I don't know as it has never run out, so should never have closed.

To avoid damaging the seal and causing a leak (due to its age) I decided not to remove the sensor and tapped it lightly, this immediately cured the fault, now I know where it is, if the warning light shows again I will tap the switch in situ without removing the closing panel, however if it happens on a regular basis I will risk it and remove it completely to see if it can be freed off/ cleaned or repaired.

Regards,

Chris Vince

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  • 1 month later...

LS400 1998

Were or how do you get at the screen wash bottle level indicator?

Mine shows it need filling (on dash) where as it is actually full.

Not a major issue, just an iritant.

TY

Hi TY,

Have you sorted out your level sensor?

I also have a '98 and recently have the same warning light showing when the reservoir is full, and remembered reading your posting.

I sorted mine out this weekend.

To get to the reservoir jack up the near side front and loosen the horizontal flush closing panel in front of the wheel, this also forms part of the wheel arch liner but there is no need to remove it all just enough to get access to the bottle.

When you have gained access you will clearly see the reservoir with attached pumps (2 off, seperate ones for windscreen and headlights) and pipes, there is also a round sensor approx 35mm dia with two wires going into it at the very bottom of the bottle, this is the offending level switch.

The switch is of the normally open type, eg when the bottle is full no current can pass, on mine the switch had stuck closed wrongly indicating lack of water, quite why this occurred I don't know as it has never run out, so should never have closed.

To avoid damaging the seal and causing a leak (due to its age) I decided not to remove the sensor and tapped it lightly, this immediately cured the fault, now I know where it is, if the warning light shows again I will tap the switch in situ without removing the closing panel, however if it happens on a regular basis I will risk it and remove it completely to see if it can be freed off/ cleaned or repaired.

Regards,

Chris Vince

Well it went wrong again, I find this type of fault really irritating so this time I was determined to fix it properly.

So for the benefit of any other owners whose washer indicator shows a false light I have a really easy, cheap (almost nothing) repair.

Stripping the sensor out was pretty easy, as you can see from the picture access is straightforward once you have partially removed the splash shield, disconnect the wiring, then remove the sensor connector from its holder so that you can completely remove the entire sensor to work on, it is held in place by a flange in the rubber seal only, to remove it just ease it out of the recess leaving the seal in place.

P1010179.jpg

The sensor works using a fixed magnetic switch (see the photo) it is surrounded by a tiny ring magnet in a float, it is this float that fails, they absorb water get heavy and trip the switch.

P1010174.jpg

I cured mine by force drying it. Gently heating it with a hot air gun then blowing it through with an airline, repeating this process several times (although I think natural air drying will achieve the same if you have the time), once I was sure that it was dry and very clean I coated it with very thinned (to ensure the varnish was sucked into the porous holes as the previously heated float cooled) polyurethane varnish, again drying it with the hot air gun, the next coat was slightly less thinned and so on until I had given it about 6 coats the last being neat.

I left it overnight and tested it in the morning, although the buoyancy was better I was unhappy with it so made a ring float of polystyrene about the same diameter and 5mm thick making the central hole with a hot 4" wire nail, I then made sure the original float was perfectly dry and gave it another neat coat of varnish whilst it was still wet I stuck the polystyrene 'float' on top of the original one, when it was dry I tested it again, the result was perfect.

P1010177.jpg

I reinstalled the modified sensor back in the car to date there have been no more false indications.

Regards,

Chris Vince

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  • 1 month later...

I have just bought a '98 MK4 myself, and have the same problem with the washer bottle float switch.

The front fogs did not work either.

Funny thing is I removed the plastic cover and found a connector had become disconnected, but even after connecting it I could not get the washer light to go out.

Having seen your photos, and checked the car again, I have discovered that both the front fog light connectors are undone (that was the one I saw originally) and I have a faulty washer float switch.

I now have two working front fogs, and a solution to the washer light problem :)

Thanks for your photos, they have saved my many hours of wiring loom diagnosis.

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I have just bought a '98 MK4 myself, and have the same problem with the washer bottle float switch.

The front fogs did not work either.

Funny thing is I removed the plastic cover and found a connector had become disconnected, but even after connecting it I could not get the washer light to go out.

Having seen your photos, and checked the car again, I have discovered that both the front fog light connectors are undone (that was the one I saw originally) and I have a faulty washer float switch.

I now have two working front fogs, and a solution to the washer light problem :)

Thanks for your photos, they have saved my many hours of wiring loom diagnosis.

Hi Longboarder,

No problem at all, glad to help out another owner.

The reason your's was disconnected is probably due to the fact that these switches are a normally open type, when the floats fail they sink and close the switch, easiest thing for a seller to do (who doesn't want to spend anything) is to disconnect the switch, it will then be open permanently, and not false indicating.

Since this thread started there seem to be quite a few owners with the same defect, makes me wonder how many other cars there are with this sensor disconnected?

I repaired mine as per the photos quite a while ago, and its still OK.

Best regards,

Chris Vince

PS

I am about to replace the dashboard capacitors for the new owner of my last LS, a MK2, they failed about 18 months after I sold it to him, no arguments from him, he loves Lexus and won't go back to anything else now.

My posts may become a little erratic now as I retire in 12 days time, so will not be stuck in front of a PC quite as much.

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  • 6 years later...

The majority of dash problems as you say were with the 1990-1994 models and the later versions seem to be OK but the 1997 I am now breaking did have a dash illumination problem in that it all lit for a second when the ignition was turned on then went completely dark.

I stripped down the cluster to discover burnt tracks on the printed circuit board, even after repairing the damage the fault was still present.

Now I don't know if the series IV LS400 has the same circuit board but I am now wondering if there are problems developing with this cluster which may start off with the illumination just flickering until it fails completely.

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My 99 Ls has the same problem so i will follow your guid, now if i could only sort the dimming dash.

Not sure if yours has the dimmer control but if it does have you tried turning it fully until it clicks and then see if the dash behaves as it could be a faulty dimmer switch.

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  • 3 months later...

To avoid damaging the seal and causing a leak (due to its age) I decided not to remove the sensor and tapped it lightly, this immediately cured the fault, now I know where it is, if the warning light shows again I will tap the switch in situ without removing the closing panel, however if it happens on a regular basis I will risk it and remove it completely to see if it can be freed off/ cleaned or repaired.

Regards,

Chris Vince

I've had a look at mine this morning. Cover came of pretty easily and all as described. I've gone for Chris' approach and given it a gentle tap and a bit of a wiggle! Seems to have worked and the light is now off. Will seem how long this 'temporary' fix lasts for!

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