What is the capacity of a car's windshield washer reservoir?
3 Answers
Car windshield washer reservoirs vary in capacity depending on the vehicle model, typically ranging between 4.5-7 liters; for family cars, it's usually around 5 liters. The functions of car windshield washer fluid and precautions for using liquid windshield washer fluid are as follows. Functions of car windshield washer fluid: The surfactants in car windshield washer fluid typically have wetting, penetrating, and solubilizing functions, thereby serving to clean and remove dirt. Car windshield washer fluid can significantly lower the freezing point of the liquid, thus providing antifreeze properties and quickly dissolving frost. Precautions for using liquid windshield washer fluid: Windshield washer fluid needs to be diluted before use; simply follow the instructions in the manual. When adding windshield washer fluid, be careful not to overfill. If there is foam in the container, it will not affect usage.
The capacity of the car's windshield washer reservoir really depends on the vehicle model. My compact sedan, which I measured last time when filling up the washer fluid, holds about 2.5 liters—it only takes four or five refills from a water bottle to empty it. The mechanic mentioned that SUVs generally have larger reservoirs; for example, a Highlander can hold over 4 liters, given its size. The worst part was one winter when I forgot to switch to antifreeze washer fluid, and the reservoir cracked from freezing. The mechanic said plastic reservoirs should only be filled up to 90% capacity in winter to allow room for expansion. For daily driving, I find that a full tank lasts about two to three months, but it depletes much faster during rainy days or when driving on highways with lots of bugs.
Just helped my elderly neighbor top up his washer fluid a few days ago. His old Camry could take two 1.5-liter bottles with some space remaining. The technician at the 4S dealership mentioned that nowadays new cars are quite stingy - most regular sedans have reservoirs sized between 3-3.5 liters. Interestingly, SUVs tend to be more generous with capacity. My friend's Tiguan L has its reservoir hidden behind the right front wheel, and lifting the cap reveals it can hold nearly 5 liters. Master Wang from the repair shop reminded me that during summer when dealing with more bird droppings and leaves, you can add extra fluid but shouldn't exceed the lower edge of the filler neck, otherwise bumps might cause overflow that could corrode the paint.
