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The tank is located on Pass side inside that fender. If you see water from here, that is your leak. But, be sure it is not AC. Also, the neck of the tank may leak if over filled, It can be removed from under the hook by removing the nylon push fastener and pulling it up. You will have to do this to remove the tank. Start with an empty tank or take a bath!

You can disconnect the pictures hoses and it will drain.

To get to this location. Jack up the X and remove the Wheel. Use Jack stand. There are screws around the outer edge that hold the plastic inner fender in. Remove these taking note that some of the inner fender goes outside the lip and some goes inside the lip. Some screws are longer than others, take note what came from what hole.

About in the center of the inner fender are 4 or 5 push in nylon fasteners, to be removed by prying the centers straight up and then out, then remove outer part of fastener that remains. They install in reverse.

Now pull the inner fender out and set it aside.

This is what you will see.


Look for your leak, If it's a motor problem, it is right there. You see the two hoses? One goes to the rear washer, one to front. Take note or you may put it all back together and realize when you push front washer the front wipers wipe and the wash goes to the rear and versa visa! I suggest you test before you reassemble. The hoses are different sizes, but trust me heee heee the can be reversed! Ha ha.
Close up of what it looks like the right way.


If your problem is really the tank, or it must be removed proceed like this. Go into engine bay and remove the black nylon fastener that holds the neck to the radiator tank, it just pulls up with a trim tool or small pry bar - screwdriver. Now, twist and pull up on the tank filler neck, it is held in by a rubber gasket and will come right out.

Shown here;



Now disconnect the hoses and the plugs. Look for the latches on them.

There are two 10 mm bolts that secure the tank. Remove. Now don't get all muscular on me! The tank is on a slider, you must slide it forward toward the headlamps. And then finagle it out. Slider shown.


Now, do whatever it was you were going to do in there. And figure out how it goes back in! Test before putting the inner fender back on. Also clean out the rocker of debris and squirt it with WD 40 to ward off rust.


Proof! I am so cheap, I took a bath! I did not want to loose the 98 cents worth of washer fluid! If I wasn't cheap, I'd have paid someone to do this! Squeak squeak!

MC
 

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Thanks, I was in there by "Mistake" Ha haa. So I did the how to for sometime way off in the future.
In case someone needs it. Hope not. But good to know in advance! I had no idea it was so big! And shaped that way too. MC
 

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I was wondering why you got into that... was thinkin "what the hell could he have done to his washer tank"?

You know what gets me about the arrangement is that you never know if you're running low... you just have to wait til you run out... or always keep adding a little at a time.
 

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lifeinthesouth said:
Ahh there is an indicator light that lets you know when you are low!!!
OOOOHH! These damned modern conveniences! Something new everyday.
The indicator light is set to come on when you have about 1 qt. of washer fluid left. The tank is big enough that you can pour a whole gallon in and not have to deal with a partly empty bottle rolling around in the back seat.
 

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just wanted to thank usmc for this thread and the pics. used it today to fix my clogged front washer line. still not sure what got in there. i sprayed air through each line after disconnecting them from the motor to determine which one was front and rear. they still wouldn't spray after that. reversed the lines for the heck of it and gave it a go. whatever was in there blew out i guess because it started working. put the lines back to normal and everything is perfect now.
 

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Thanks for the post. I fixed a large crack in the tank this weekend. Anyone have difficulty re-installing the filler tube? It doesn't seem like it pressed all the way back in. I was pushing pretty hard, I didn't want to break the tank.
 

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just bought a used '11 X and it has this weird issue where teh front washer swuirts with the rear wiper and vice-versa, being new to the X, i wanted to know to access the washer tank. thanks a bunch to the Op for this how-to.

anybody knows how the single pump of the washer bottle handles the front & rear washer nozzles selectively ? the Mistubishi pajero/montero i used to drive before the X had two washer bottles and pumps independent of each other.
 

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Bringing this back from the dead. Just finished replacing my GF's washer tank, was leaking from one curves near the pump. Wouldn't hold more than half a litre. Changed out for a new tank, added extra padding to the part that cracked (think it was due to rubbing against the fender) changed it out in about an hour. Didn't even remove the wheel due to not having a jack or stands handy (follow the instructions and remove the wheel, will save you lot of time but can be done without removing the wheel)

Anyway thanks a lot to the OP for the walk through. Next weekend I will replace the pesky drivers side window motor which I have found a walk through for as well.

Cheers, Mike
end rant
 

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Theres only ony tank. My Trooper had a tank in the rear door.

just bought a used '11 X and it has this weird issue where teh front washer swuirts with the rear wiper and vice-versa, being new to the X, i wanted to know to access the washer tank. thanks a bunch to the Op for this how-to.

anybody knows how the single pump of the washer bottle handles the front & rear washer nozzles selectively ? the Mistubishi pajero/montero i used to drive before the X had two washer bottles and pumps independent of each other.
 

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Just did this and fixed a crack in my tank. $10 for reservoir crack putty, well worth it. At the same time I was able to put my fog light back in place. It got dislodged after semi tire shrapnel got spit back at my X.
 

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Just wanted to say thanks for this. I also managed to do it in about 15 minutes without taking the wheel/tire off.... just had to have the right screwdriver and clip removal tool. Somehow we managed to rip one of the hoses in half!

My tank was black BTW...
 

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Thanks, I was in there by "Mistake" Ha haa. So I did the how to for sometime way off in the future.
In case someone needs it. Hope not. But good to know in advance! I had no idea it was so big! And shaped that way too. MC
^^ It looks like I will be doing this sometime soon. Hopefully just the plastic glue stuff. Thanks for the how to. :)
 

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3 year bump.

It looks like I am doing this again. I used some plastic glue on the seams near the bottom of the tank and it's lasted not quite 3 years. I'm trying to source a new tank, but failing that, I'll try some more plastic glue. It looks like my latest leak has developed right at the very bottom near the grommet at the base of the pump, in the seam.

I will recommend to anyone doing this to put it up on a jackstand and remove the wheel. Though it CAN be done without removing the wheel, it makes it SO much easier with the wheel off.

Edit:
Score! Boulder Nissan had a new tank in stock so I went and picked it up at lunch.
 
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