When I mentioned in another thread that the Canadian model has a washer fluid warning but the US model does not I got to thinking this might be an easy mod.

I know there could be a programming issue for the cars computer but it seems to me it might be just a sensor you guys did not get installed.

Someone who has the electrical manual might be able to tell if the wiring is in place for both models. There are only a few differences between US/Can and the one that comes to mind is the XM - but we do have an input for it. Also the Can. model has DRLs but no fogs. Sine they are so few differences they may use one harness.

I've ohmed out the sensor and it is closed when the tank is empty. I verified this by driving with the sensor disconnected from the system and no warning came up tank full or empty. Having a N.O. circuit would mean that you may have the wiring in place and it would not need to be bridged (to fake a the switch) since the only time you'd get a warning is if the switch was closed.

The connector is located just below the pump module on the outboard side of the tank. If there is a provision on the US wiring harness it may simply have a connector capped off. There are 3 push pins and one 10mm bolt to remove to get a better view but to really have access I think the inside fender liner has to come out.

Here's some pics.

Look under here


You can see the tank


Another peek


Switch at tank botton


Wiring harness - note I've disconnected it

Dash indication


The momey shot

 

I have not noticed, but I bet the US cars do not have a bulb installed in the dash.
I doubt the alarm goes through the computer, that would be silly.
It seems to me, it would cost more money to make 2 different setups, one with the alarm, one without, than to just give it to everyone.

Brett

 

By "bulb" I assume you are referring to the MIDs display. The MID displays important warnings in amber. Eg: Fasten Seatbelt, release Handbrake..and of course some less important ones like Low Washer Fluid. Since the MID display is dot addressable I believe you have the necessary display parts. Your seatbelt and handbrake warnings are in amber arn't they ?

When someone checks the US model to see if there is a spare connector beside the washer pump we can eliminate the speculation. If there is a spare connector there simply short out the 2 pins and check your MID for the warning.

 

cooll ideal. This would be a great simple (hopefully cheap) mod!

 

Here's the scan for the windshield washer reservoir replacement and fluid level test. It shwos where the connector is. We may not have that connector in the US models though, but someone can check and find out.

You will need a different reservoir, because the Canadian model is not only much larger but also has the cutout for the fluid level switch.

 

I think the reservoir could be cut to install the fluid level switch, but if the connector is not there, then we're SOL.

 

is it possible to just switch the washer fluid tanks...or is there not enough room because the tanks are different sizes?

 

Hopefully the Tanks are not that different ... But if this mod cost's more than $25-$50 ... I dont see many people doing it ...

 

AAP,

id do it....i mean not that i really need to know that my washer fluid is low....but im the type of person that likes to utilize everything that he has.....if someone can find out more info...and its like an easy swap...id be glad to be the first guinea pig and try it out

 

Did anyone ever check out the US version to see if the plug is there? I did a search but was unable to find any responses. This would be a nice mod if the wiring is in place already.

 

Not sure, but I will bookmark this, and see if I can get some time to check mine. And take some pics while at it. I won't be able to try for a couple of days though since I have to work late tomorrow evening.

 

My so cal mod would be to eliminate the whole tank and pump for weight savings and replace the mid display image with a pictogram of the shinning sun. Think I will loose those automatic handbill removers while I am at it too!

 

With all the weather we are experiencing here in the midwest, I was wondering if you ever able to verify if the US version had the harness necessary to do this mod??

Thanks!

 

Truthfully, I completely forgot! I will make a point to check in the next few days. Marking it on my calendar so I do not forget.

 

There is only one connector. I looked and felt around in that compartment and could not locate a 2nd connector. The only other items were the airbag module, two horns in that area with connectors. So it looks like we might be out of luck.

Here is the best pic I could get.

 

well that solves the mystery right there

Still wish we had heated washer fluid

 

Thanks so much for your efforts. Looks like we are out of luck - oh well, we will just have to keep an eye on the level.

Regards,

Dennis

 

I did virtually the exact same mod on my 2002 VW...
This retrofit requires 3 things:

1) Hardware, we need a canadian Acura dealer to sell us the float assembly and seal.

2) Wiring. This is probably wired directly to the ECU or "convenience module". One wire from the sensor to the ECU, and one to ground. We need the wiring diagrams of the washer pump to see the difference. Anyone have those?

3) (maybe) need to re-region code the ECU/convenience module to "turn on" the software that would look for this code. This may be native to our ECU's too, and all we'd need to do is run the wire and install the hardware.

These are my kinds of mods...
Any help on the wiring?

 

So noone out there has the wiring diagrams to the washer sprayers for me. I'd love to see what this sensor is wired to, and I bet, if you ground it, you'll get a low fluid indicator...

Any help out there?

 

here is the diagram, seems as if nothing more than 1 wire goign to the back of the gauge cluster(A4), which goes to the float, and the other wire is grounded.

best way to test it out is connect a wire to A4, and ground it.

 

Yep...
I came to the same conclusion in my otehr post.

I'll give it a try this weekend, unless someone with quick access to thier gauge cluster wants give it a try...

 

Rereading the OP find... it seems this might be a "ground interrupt" trigger, which isn't a good sign.

It seems when he disconnected the switch, it triggered the "low fluid flag". If that's the case, without the wire installed (as we have), we should be seeing the low fluid flag if the firmware of the cluster supported it.

UNLESS the switch works by "making the ground" to trigger the flag, no way this is gonna work... which doesn't seem to be the case from the photos above.

 

it seems to work the same as the brake fluid indicator, and that works when the float is down(fluid is empty) it's grounded, and when the float is up(full fluid) it's a short or open wire.

thats means either our clusters aren't programmed to do work with the washer float, or the blue wire is already connected to A4, and grounded somewhere.

only way to know is remove the cluster, which is a 5 minute job.

 

i was a little wrong in my last post


since it works the same as the brake fuild indicator, and open/short would mean the washer fluid is full, and when grounded it would be empty. so hooking a wire to ground should trigger it

 

This would make the mod as easy as buying the sensor and the grommet. Then all you have to do is run a single wire from the cluster to the sensor, and a second wire from the sensor to the body-ground.

Can anybody tell us off hand the part number for the Canadian gauge cluster (specify year & transmission please)? If it's the same as the US, I would put my money down that the Low-washer-fluid indicator circuit was built into our clusters as well...

The US part number for my 05 6MT cluster (#2 in pic below) is 78100-SEP-A31

 

rbf...
I hope you're right. Again, the OP shows a full reservoir, with switch disconnected and a flag showing. With the switch disconnected = open circuit = flag... which would imply grounded = no flag, which is the opposite of what you describe.

Ya gotta go try this real quick and put this to bed. I'm in a conference call at work right now and can't.

 

the OP wrote this " I verified this by driving with the sensor disconnected from the system and no warning came up tank full or empty."

so the pictures he showed couldn't have been with the sensor disconneted. i'll see when i get home from work, and after i drop my wifes car at the body shop, if my son wants to sit in the car with me while i try this out.

 

good catch, the pictures deceived me.

please do. fingers crossed.

 

Do you guys really want the light to go off when your washer fluid is low that bad? You guys are just running our of things to mod on your cars.

 

for me it's just boredom. wasn't my idea to start, but since i love playing with electrical system i'll try it out

 

It doesn't go off when you're out... It warns you when you're low... Which is actually very valuable considering the warning you get now... NONE.

It's one of the few pratical mods I've seen discussed here, opposed to RIMZ, DROPZ, and TINTZ... please don't derail it becasue you're not into it.

 

I'm just giving you guys a hard time

 

i tried, grounded a wire, then pushed it into connector A pin 4 (which is empty), and got nothing on the MID.

i did this while the car was running. it's very possible i didn't make agood connection in the cluster, but i don't think it's gonna work

 

Has anyone verified if the '07 TL has the sensor ? I don't understand why Canada would get the sensor and a bigger fluid reservoir.

 

ONLY Canadian TL's have the sensor and wiring. I'm not aware that your tank is larger, but it would not suprise me. Our US tanks have a "cutout" for the sensor, but no sensor. It's not a sensor either, it's just a simple float mechanism.

You have this because the average Canadian winter and the average US winter are vastly different. It is a safety issue if you run out of fluid in your climate.