NO indicator for winshield wiper fluid - Page 12

mcdiv · 10-02-2012, 05:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FordCustomerService

Hi there,

As the Owner's Manual states (page 26), depending on the vehicle options equipped with your vehicle, not all of the messages will display or be available. If you have questions about how your individual vehicle is equipped, you can reach out to your dealer.

Many message lights will display upon starting your vehicle to ensure that they work; if the Washer Fluid Level Low light illuminates and turns off during vehicle start up, that is an indication that it is functioning normally.

If you think your Washer Fluid Level Low light isn't functioning normally, please make an appointment at your dealership so they can inspect.

Thanks,
Crystal

So it is true that some trim levels will not have a washer fluid warning? Can you confirm which trims have it and which don't?

BetaDnB · 10-02-2012, 09:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcdiv

So it is true that some trim levels will not have a washer fluid warning? Can you confirm which trims have it and which don't?

My only advice is go back and read the thread to see how getting a straight answer is worse than pulling teeth.

mcdiv · 10-02-2012, 09:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BetaDnB

My only advice is go back and read the thread to see how getting a straight answer is worse than pulling teeth.

Yeah I think I read the thread a while ago but I don't remember any real solid answers. Fun stuff. I just want a warning. As others have said it's not easy to check the fluid level visually, and running out in the winter on a highway is not fun.

Tiger-Heli · 10-03-2012, 08:10 AM

Not sure what Crystal is looking at, but the info in the thread is pretty clear.

There is NO INDICATOR LIGHT - therefore no light to come on when starting the car. There is a message on the IP display - but these are not typically displayed during the startup testing.

Reply #66 shows the warning indicator on the high-level trims (4.3 inch display S/SE with SYNC or above).

Reply #82 - BetaDnB stated he got a slightly different indication on his SE with the smaller 3.5-inch display without SYNC. But he did get an indication.

Reply #41 states there is a TSB for early cars where the feature was not programmed into the "as-built" codes from the factory.

The only real remaining question as I see it would be whether an S-model without SYNC would also get the display - I can't see a good reason that it wouldn't if the SE without SYNC has it, but I haven't seen anyone confirm it either.

BetaDnB · 10-03-2012, 08:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tiger-Heli

Not sure what Crystal is looking at, but the info in the thread is pretty clear.

There is NO INDICATOR LIGHT - therefore no light to come on when starting the car. There is a message on the IP display - but these are not typically displayed during the startup testing.

Reply #66 shows the warning indicator on the high-level trims (4.3 inch display S/SE with SYNC or above).

Reply #82 - BetaDnB stated he got a slightly different indication on his SE with the smaller 3.5-inch display without SYNC. But he did get an indication.

Reply #41 states there is a TSB for early cars where the feature was not programmed into the "as-built" codes from the factory.

The only real remaining question as I see it would be whether an S-model without SYNC would also get the display - I can't see a good reason that it wouldn't if the SE without SYNC has it, but I haven't seen anyone confirm it either.

This is the thing I'm starting to not like. Nobody having anything to do with Ford has a clue about this system. The photos and text that have been posted clearly show and state that it's not an indicator LIGHT, but a message on the display.

Then this from Thomas in post #68: It's only on trims with the high level message center. Your dealers are best to tell you if it's equipped or not.

This was before I had mine done. I don't consider my monochrome display to be "high level".

Then the fact I was told twice by a service adviser "I looked in to your car and you don't have it." Dealer is best to tell us if it's equipped? I think not.

Obviously the right hand isn't talking to the left. With this being a 10 page thread and some of us disproving the whole "you don't have this feature" thing, you'd think a memo would go out or something. Ford should be able to give us a simple answer to this simple feature and they've not yet been able to do so on several levels. At least my gripes are about the company and not my car itself.

Tiger-Heli · 10-03-2012, 08:51 AM

I feel your frustration.

Basically, that's what I don't like about as-built codes and flashing EEPROMs to enable/disable features. In the old days, you looked under the hood and if there was a sensor on the fluid bottle and there were wires connected to it, you were pretty certain there was a light on the dash that came on.

In the dealer's defense - the TSB stated that the as-built codes were incorrect, so if the dealer connected to their system and the codes said "Not Equipped" or "Disabled", I don't know that they would think about "Well, it has the sensor and the wiring, and we know that SOME of the cars have the feature so if we flash the BCM with the as-builts from a later car it MIGHT work (and MIGHT not mess up something else)".

Quote:

With this being a 10 page thread and some of us disproving the whole "you don't have this feature" thing, you'd think a memo would go out or something.

<sarcasm>You mean like the MFT fix that everyone is still waiting on, correct? (And no - they didn't fix it, they re-wrote the code and disabled some features and are now adding some of them back in. (But I don't have a dog in that fight.)</sarcasm>

BetaDnB · 10-03-2012, 09:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tiger-Heli

In the dealer's defense - the TSB stated that the as-built codes were incorrect, so if the dealer connected to their system and the codes said "Not Equipped" or "Disabled", I don't know that they would think about "Well, it has the sensor and the wiring, and we know that SOME of the cars have the feature so if we flash the BCM with the as-builts from a later car it MIGHT work (and MIGHT not mess up something else)".

I would accept this if they had actually connected my car to their system. I was given answers when I was checking in for my oil change, so the car was still waiting in the lot.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tiger-Heli

<sarcasm>You mean like the MFT fix that everyone is still waiting on, correct? (And no - they didn't fix it, they re-wrote the code and disabled some features and are now adding some of them back in. (But I don't have a dog in that fight.)</sarcasm>

Oh right. I forget about the things I don't have to worry about.

In all fairness though, that is a bit more complicated of a system than the washer fluid sensor. You guys have definitely gotten the shaft on that one. I purposely bought without "new technologies".

Tiger-Heli · 10-03-2012, 09:55 AM

We avoided MFT on my son's car also. My point was there is a 102-page thread on here and another 70-page thread on here specifically saying what and where the errors are with MFT and they still haven't addressed them, and you're expecting them to send out a memo due to a 10-page thread on WW fluid sensors?

TboneZX3 · 10-03-2012, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tiger-Heli

We avoided MFT on my son's car also. My point was there is a 102-page thread on here and another 70-page thread on here specifically saying what and where the errors are with MFT and they still haven't addressed them, and you're expecting them to send out a memo due to a 10-page thread on WW fluid sensors?

"They" and "them" would not refer to the same people in this case. Ford engineers don't write MFT code, but they would oversee a sensor issue.