How to Replace the Windshield Washer Reservoir in a Nissan Maxima
The Nissan Maxima is a mid-size executive car introduced in 1976. Keeping your windshield clean could be a matter of life and death, since you must be able to see where you're going. Check your fluid levels often, refill the reservoir and look for leaks regularly. If you know you should have fluid and you don't, you probably have a leak. Find it and fix or replace your reservoir.
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Instructions
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1
Learn the part number of your windshield washer reservoir--which depends on the year of your Nissan Maxima. For example, the part number you need for a 1995-2001 Nissan Maxima is I370501. See the Resources section below for a place to buy this reservoir.
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2
Work on your Nissan Maxima in your driveway, if it's relatively flat. Back in, so you have easy access to the hood. Put your car in park, turn it off, remove the keys, put on the emergency brake and locate the hood release, which is on the left side of the steering wheel under the instrument panel.
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3
Release the auxiliary latch located under the hood, in the center, to open your hood fully. Raise it and use the support rod to hold the hood securely while you work.
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4
Look in the engine compartment and locate the windshield washer reservoir. The reservoir in the Nissan Maxima is located in the bottom left corner near the coolant reservoir.
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5
Find the negative cable connected to the battery and disconnect it. Check if your Nissan Maxima has air bags. If it does, wait at least a minute and a half before doing any work.
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6
Take off the plastic inner fender on the passenger side of your Maxima. There are several screws and fasteners you need to dispose of in order to get to the windshield washer reservoir--use a screwdriver to complete this. You then need to remove the filter neck and three mounting bolts.
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7
Unplug the spray hose and the wiring harness and unscrew the tank. Lift the reservoir out of your car.
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8
Install the new reservoir by screwing the tank into the assembly, plugging in the spray hose and wiring harness and replacing the seals. Reassemble the inner fender by reversing the order described in Step 6.
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9
Reconnect the negative battery cable and fill the new reservoir with fluid. Test everything to make sure it's working properly.
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Tips & Warnings
Check for a repairable crack in your Nissan Maxima's reservoir by pouring some fluid in to find the leak. You may be able to repair the reservoir, rather than replace it, if the crack is small enough.
Before you remove the reservoir, set a pan under your car to catch any fluid that may still be in it.
Running the washer pump without fluid can damage it and replacing the pump can be harder than replacing the reservoir. Therefore, always keep your windshield washer reservoir filled.
Avoid frozen fluid in your windshield washer reservoir and your washer lines by using weather appropriate fluid in the wintertime that includes both cleaner and ice remover.
