Washer fluid light: a small light, a real safety problem
The washer fluid reservoir is nearly empty. Top it up, and use a freeze-rated fluid in cold weather, because an empty or frozen bottle in winter road spray makes it impossible to see.
Can you keep driving?
Yes, but top it up at the first opportunity.
What the warning actually means
The symbol shows a windshield with a fan-shaped spray. It measures the level in the washer bottle, and nothing else.
Common causes
- Normal use
- A leak in the reservoir or a hose
- Frozen fluid, which gives the same symptom as empty
What to do now
- Top up with the right fluid for the season.
- Use up the summer mix before the cold, then fill with a freeze-rated fluid.
- Keep spraying until the new mix has worked through the hoses and jets.
What people often get wrong
That it is trivial. In winter road spray and low light, an empty washer bottle is a safety problem: you simply cannot see.
When the car must go to a workshop
If the reservoir empties quickly without you using the fluid, you have a leak, and it should be found.
Read next
- Snowflake on the dashboard: an ice warning, not a fault
- Service light on: is something actually wrong?
- Tire pressure light: a puncture, or just the cold?
This page is general information and does not replace a professional assessment. Symbols, codes and behaviour vary between makes. Always check the handbook for your own car.
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