Often Neglected Tank Maintenance - EASY DIY

So I recently noticed the color of my washer fluid was a bit off (kind of like a brown orange with a FOUL smell, kind of like hardboiled eggs) but that's not surprising for an 8 year old washer fluid tank. It may have also been filled with bad fluid last time I was at the stealership which actually could have been a blessing because it made me pay attention to the tank. I decided to remove the tank to empty the fluid. Very easy only 3 10mm bolts , 2 electrical plugs, and 1 hose. Bolts are a little bit of a tough access on my 2.5 gen but nothing my breaker bar couldn't reach. Once I dumped the tank I noticed how nasty it was. Something growing on the bottom... Unfortunately I forgot to get pics before my first initial bleach rinse but trust me it was nasty. I used rice and diluted bleach (seemed like the easiest and most agreed upon method) and shook it up inside for a while and that worked quite well. Also shot the pressure washer in there to get the last bits of whatever was growing in there... It's important to remember that the washer fluid stream shoots over the cabin air intake so if your shooting bacteria filled fluid ... well ... you get the point. This is an important health related maintenance item that should probably be done every 5 years or so but can also be determined by how dirty the tank gets. And there's really no better way to clean it then taking it off the truck. It's a bit of a PITA but worth it when that tank is shining. Also gives you good access to clean that part of the engine bay so did that while I was at it. Overall very easy DIY maintenance that basically ANYONE can do should not be neglected. Good luck and hope this helps someone!

 

Thanks for the tip! I'll go out and take a look.