bigcheeshead
Well-Known Member
- First Name
- Russ
- Joined
- Sep 7, 2020
- Threads
- 36
- Messages
- 132
- Reaction score
- 165
- Location
- Living Room
- Vehicle(s)
- Gladiator Rubicon
- Occupation
- Cybersecurity
- Thread starter
- #1
I’m not a mechanic by trade but have done a ton of work on my Gladiator over the past 6 years and now the new JLU so when the Gladiator windshield reservoir started leaking, I thought it would be an easy one hour or less. Boy, was I wrong!!! The fact that there are literally zero YouTube videos on how to replace JT/JL windshield reservoir didn't help either.
The first three bolts came off easily but the last two in the back were extremely difficult to get to, taking hours to remove, losing the socket somewhere in the engine bay and spending hours hunting for it without luck. I just hope that wherever it landed, it will stay there and not end up causing a short somewhere or worse jamming in the wheels.
Removing the windshield fluid sensor turned out to be just as much of a pain! After an hour or so screwing with it (literally) I ended up taking it to a local mechanic and offered them $20 to unplug it. Well, they unplugged it……. by popping the gromet from the reservoir holding the connector. Since the gromet is not sold by itself I had to order the entire reservoir which ended up costing $140. While at the dealership I was advised to purchase a new pump ($17) and the $1.75 gromet connecting the pump to the tank which upon closer examination turned out to be the cause of the leak.
While putting it back together I accidentally tugged too hard on one of the hoses and broke off the connector. So now I have to wait till Monday to get the new connector (one hour roundtrip to the dealership now my second)
Moral of the story, nothing is ever as easy as it seems when it comes to car repairs and the $399 quote to replace it all would’ve been worth it. On the plus side, if anyone needs their washer reservoir leak fixed, I can do it in 30 minutes for $399
The first three bolts came off easily but the last two in the back were extremely difficult to get to, taking hours to remove, losing the socket somewhere in the engine bay and spending hours hunting for it without luck. I just hope that wherever it landed, it will stay there and not end up causing a short somewhere or worse jamming in the wheels.
Removing the windshield fluid sensor turned out to be just as much of a pain! After an hour or so screwing with it (literally) I ended up taking it to a local mechanic and offered them $20 to unplug it. Well, they unplugged it……. by popping the gromet from the reservoir holding the connector. Since the gromet is not sold by itself I had to order the entire reservoir which ended up costing $140. While at the dealership I was advised to purchase a new pump ($17) and the $1.75 gromet connecting the pump to the tank which upon closer examination turned out to be the cause of the leak.
While putting it back together I accidentally tugged too hard on one of the hoses and broke off the connector. So now I have to wait till Monday to get the new connector (one hour roundtrip to the dealership now my second)
Moral of the story, nothing is ever as easy as it seems when it comes to car repairs and the $399 quote to replace it all would’ve been worth it. On the plus side, if anyone needs their washer reservoir leak fixed, I can do it in 30 minutes for $399
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