I have been getting the low screen wash error message for quite a while now & I have been investigating how to fix it. The screen wash reservoir is of course full. At the recommendation of @Gilbertd I left a hose running in the reservoir as apparently they can get sludge up. This did work the first time that I did it but the error message returned. I have subsequently left a hose running for a couple of hours to no effect.

The sensor AMR3270 is NLA & the only way to get a used one is to buy a complete reservoir with pumps etc & then you take the chance that the 20+ year old sensor won't work anyway.

The only issue with having the low screenwash message is that to conserve screenwash the headlamp wash/wipe is disabled. I have read that just disconnecting the sensor should get rid of the message but that doesn't seem to work for me. Access from underneath isn't great but I thought that I had found the blue plug that connects to the sensor & disconnected it but perhaps I got the wrong plug?

I need to look in RAVE to see how easy it is to replace the sensor. Even assuming that I could get a replacement it looks like it would be quite a chore to get at it.

Guess? You probably have to link the wires together?

Diagram doesn't show whether switch closed or open is showing full, so if unplugged stops the low level warning, shorting the plug will bring it back. The other thing that stops if it thinks it is getting low is the timed wash, it only washes while you are pressing the button.

In my research I have found contradictory messages as to whether you need to disconnect or short out the connector to the sensor. In particular I found a couple of separate posts by @Martyuk stating that you only need to disconnect the sensor to get rid of the error message but I also found someone who had actually needed to short out the connector lead to get rid of the message.

Access is difficult but while disconnecting is possible (& I thought that I had done this) shorting out with a piece of wire would be difficult. The solution would be to get one of the blue connectors that is on the end of the sensor fly lead & short it out with a soldered wire then disconnect the plug & plug in the ready shorted connector. I have looked the ETM & the connector is C192. Where can I get one of these sockets?

It's C192 on a pre 98 car (so you are looking at the wrong version of the ETM), on a later one like yours, it's designated as C0620 and the ETM appears to show it as plugging into the sensor and not on a flying lead (although pics of the sensor online show it to have a flying lead?).

If you have unplugged it, has that stopped the warning message? What colour wires do you have on the plug as there are other sensors around the front (autobox temperature sensor and possibly a sensor on the AC condenser) that also use blue 2 way connectors. You should have Yellow/Black and Black/Purple.

I've been trying to get at the sensor lead all afternoon & I just cannot reach it. I removed the right fog lamp to give me better access & I can run my hand over the top of the pumps but I cannot feel where the lead goes to the sensor. Does it mean that I need to remove the bumper to get access?

That's what RAVE says......

My RAVE says I need to remove the RH wheel arch liner to remove the washer reservoir. In fact it doesn't seem to be necessary. I previously removed the fog lamp to get better access & I have now removed the grill, headlamp & indicator lamp. I still cannot see or feel the sensor or identify any connector. I can however get to the two bolts that hold the reservoir to the chassis. They look very rusty so I think that I probably need to give them a good soak in penetrating oil before I start trying to undo them.

My plan is to drop the reservoir out so that I can get at the sensor. I will try reviving it as it may be that it's just sludge up. It looks like the only way to get a used sensor is to buy a whole reservoir including pumps & sensor which seem to go for £40-£60 on eBay. I need to sort out the headlamp washers as only the driver's side currently works I have found a couple of loose hoses that look like they should be for the washers. It will easier to see where the various hoses run with the headlamp out of the way.

Interestingly looking from the from of the car my right hand pump is different to the other two with the connector on the top not on the side. It's not been replaced in the 14 years that I have owned it but perhaps the PO did it?

Loose hoses could be off the fog lights.
Front bumper removal is easy really as they never seem to be rusted up like the rears.

Chrisp38 wrote:

Loose hoses could be off the fog lights.
Front bumper removal is easy really as they never seem to be rusted up like the rears.

The fog lamp is currently dangling by the hoses. I was intrigued to notice alongside the cables that there is a hose either side of the lamp unit & wasn't sure what they are there for.

It's been a while since I've had the bumper off but I think there are two tubes per lamp, one drains moisture and the other is a breather to let air in, stops them fogging up.

Thinking about it some more, aren't the two nylon pipes with the return bends either side of the radiator/slam panel, connected to the rubber hose off the fog lights?

Those two pipes are driving me crazy ... I got one lamp always foggy, the pipes are free of debris - blasted with compressed air, yet nothing seems to take away the misty condition, then in some moment bulb goes kaputt ... I am already on the third one. Ohwell.

I have shortened the plug years ago, and never got the messagge again, except in one time in which I was low on power and propably the BeCM was out of ideas of how to get my attention. Immediately I though "I need to shorten the plug again" but instead went away and never back since.
I made this work years ago from underneath with the raised vehicle, lots of sweat and swear words - curious how similar the two words are LOL

Bumper off is ideal to get at the pumps, but there is also the simpler option of removing the headlight and access from above. This is also good to check the condition of the nuts holding the headlamp, which tend to rust happily, and grease them accordingly.

I soaked the bolts securing the reservoir in penetrating oil & left them overnight but still I managed to shear off both bolts as I tried to undo them. I have managed to loosen the reservoir enough that I can drop it down & access the sensor which is much further back than I thought so it was little wonder that I couldn't reach it without loosening off the reservoir. You can see the hole where the sensor fits & also that the rightmost pump is different to the other two.

I am not sure how but the sensor itself is working OK in that if the float is moved to the upper position the error message disappears. The problem as I discovered when I put the sensor in a glass of water is that the float doesn't float.

The actual sensor AMR3270 is NLA but it is still possible to purchase a genuine LR reservoir complete with pumps & sensor for about £300. I could buy a used reservoir complete with sensor for about £40-£60 on eBay but surely there must be some after market float sensor that would be suitable. The sensor gives me 81.8 ohms when up in the 'full' position (1st image) & infinite ohms i.e. open circuit when in the lower 'empty' position (2nd image).

I just found a reservoir complete with 3 pumps & sensor on sale for £33.29 so have ordered it. Interestingly it has the same arrangement of pumps as my reservoir with the rightmost pump different to the other two so I suspect that it is original. Fingers crossed that the sensor is OK. I would still have preferred a new sensor but I haven't seen any similar while Googling.

My used screenwash reservoir with pumps & sensor arrived this morning. The good news is that this float does float so it's looking good so far. I'm not really looking forward to putting it all back this weekend as I think that I might have lost one or two screws/bolts plus I managed to damage one of the lugs on the headlamp that takes the retaining screw. I have also got to figure out how I replace the two bolts that secure the reservoir as I sheared off the heads while attempting to remove them. There is no space to drill them out.

Lots of bolts on these things are overly long.
Is it an option to mole grip the other end and unscrew the broke bits that way?

If I’m understanding your question, you probably won’t get the bolts out that way as they are generally not threaded the whole way, but have an unthreaded shank portion (for the bearing surface).

Chrisp38 wrote:

Lots of bolts on these things are overly long.
Is it an option to mole grip the other end and unscrew the broke bits that way?

I tried that without success. I was able to drill a hole adjacent to the sheared off bolt & the reservoir is now securely held in various places with substantial cable ties. I had spotted that there was a small leak from the pump that washes the main screen. I swapped it for the identical one that I had with the used reservoir. When I got the rubber tubing off the pump I discovered that the outlet pipe was fractured & would in time snapped off completely.

When I removed the headlamp I had to snap off one of the lugs because it was impossible to undo the bolt. It seems to be held securely with the other three nuts so I don't think that I need look for a replacement.