If you are getting the “Top up washer fluid” alert on your Mercedes dashboard, you may wonder what this means.
In this article, I will explain what “Top up washer fluid” means, the main cause, and how to fix and reset this message on your Mercedes.
Let’s get into it!
What is Washer Fluid on a Mercedes Benz?
In simple terms, washer fluid, also known as windshield washer fluid, is a type of liquid (normally made of methanol and other ingredients).
The main purpose of washer fluid on your Mercedes is to clean your windshield, front window, and rear window.
The fluid helps remove dirt, dust, insects, and other debris from the surface of your windshield.
What Does “Top Up Washer Fluid” Mean on a Mercedes?
Now that I have briefly explained what washer fluid is let’s get into the main topic of this guide:
What does Mercedes’s “top up washer fluid” mean?
In short, The message will appear on your dashboard once you have run out or nearly run out of washer fluid.
Your Mercedes Benz windshield washer fluid reservoir comes with a level sensor that will indicate when you are low on washer fluid.
The message will appear on your dashboard once the sensor detects that there is only a small amount of fluid left in the tank.
What Causes the Top Up Washer Fluid Alert on a Mercedes?
From my experience as an auto technician, there are two leading causes of this warning which are:
1. Your Windshield Washer Fluid is too Low:
The most common cause of this message is that your windshield washer fluid is below the minimum level.
Over time as you drive your car and use the windshield washer fluid to clean off the windshield, some fluid is lost through usage.
If you don’t keep up with refilling your windshield washer fluid, then this warning will appear on your dashboard once it reaches a certain point.
2. Malfunctioning Washer Fluid Sensor:
Another common cause of this warning is that the washer fluid sensor has failed.
As I mentioned above, your Merc washer fluid bottle has a sensor attached to it, sometimes, the sensor can fail due to various reasons.
If the sensor fails/malfunctions, it will send inaccurate information to your ECU, and this can result in the alert being displayed on the dashboard.
The quickest way to tell if the sensor is causing this problem is by physically checking the washer fluid level.
If you have more than enough fluid, then it is likely that the sensor is bad,
Causing it to display the “Top Up Washer fluid” message, although you do not need to top up the fluid.
How to Fix and Reset the Top Up Washer Fluid Alert on a Mercedes
Now that you know the two main causes of this alert, you can easily fix this issue. Here is how:
Check and Top Up Washer Fluid if Required:
The first step is to check the washer fluid level and make sure that it is not low.
If it is, then top up the fluid to the appropriate level.
How to Fill Up Washer Fluid on a Mercedes
Follow these simple steps to top up windshield washer fluid on a Mercedes Benz:
- Begin by raising the hood of your Mercedes,
- Next, identify the location of the windshield washer fluid tank, which can typically be found in the front-left section of the vehicle,
- Pour in the windshield washer fluid concentrate, adhering closely to the directions given on its container,
- After adding the fluid, confirm that the reservoir’s lid is firmly and properly fastened,
- Lastly, verify the operation of your system by activating the windscreen washer function.
After following these steps, the “Top up washer fluid” message will automatically reset once the sensor detects that the fluid level is at its correct level.
2. Replace the Washer Fluid Reservoir
If you added washer fluid to the reservoir, but the “Top up washer fluid” message still remains on your display,
The culprit is probably a bad sensor; instead of replacing just the sensor,
I personally recommend replacing the entire washer fluid reservoir since it comes with a new sensor and it’s much easier to replace the whole bottle than the sensor.
This will ensure that you don’t have to go through this process again in the future.
Once you replaced the windshield washer fluid bottle, top it up with some washer fluid.
This should solve the problem.
Additional Sources
https://operatingfluids.mercedes-benz.com/category/windshield-washer-fluid-concentrate