Ford introduced the Mercury Cougar in 1967, under the Mercury name. Whether you have a new or used Cougar, keeping your windshield clean keeps you car looking nicer. Your windshield washer fluid helps you to do this, however, leaks do happen and you should be prepared to replace your windshield washer reservoir if it happens to you.
Tools Used: New windshield washer reservoir, Pry tool, Screwdriver, Seals
Replace Windshield-Washer Reservoir
Order a new reservoir to replace the old one from the parts supplier for your Mercury Cougar. Some dealerships have parts available for purchase and may have a replacement reservoir in stock, otherwise, ask them to order one for you.
Turn the car off and remove the keys from the ignition. Pull the hood release handle beneath the instrument panel of your Mercury Cougar. Exit the car, walk around to the front, reach under the center of the hood and locate the auxiliary release latch.
Prop the hood open using the prop rod--located in its yellow clip. Locate the windshield washer fluid reservoir, which is in the engine compartment in the bottom left corner.
Remove the front bumper of your Mercury Cougar in order to get to the windshield washer reservoir by first taking off the inner clip pin using a pry tool and then the other clips running along the top of the bumper.
Unscrew the screws that run along the bumper in front of the wheel opening and wheel well. Finally, free the shoulder bolts in the center of the bumper to gain complete access to the windshield washer reservoir.
Take out the reservoir by removing the two screws and two nuts attached to the reservoir. Then disconnect the hose and any other leads and unscrew the tank. You should then be able to lift the reservoir out of your Cougar. Throw away the seals-- you'll need to replace these when you install the new reservoir.
Screw in the new windshield washer reservoir to install it. Reattach the hose and other leads including those attached to the electrical system, and replace all the seals. Replace the two screws and two nuts to reattach your reservoir in your Cougar. After that's complete, reassemble the bumper by reversing the order in Steps 4 and 5.
Tips & Warnings
In case there is any windshield washer fluid in the tank, drain it before removing the reservoir.
Ordering the reservoir before you dismantle the car will save you from having to dismantle it twice. To save money, try buying your Mercury Cougar's tank used or getting it from a salvage yard.
Cougar models made before 1999 have their windshield washer fluid reservoirs located at the front of the engine compartment and to the right of its center and doesn't require removing the front bumper.
Make sure you put the bolts and hoses back exactly as you found them in your Mercury Cougar.
Never run your windshield washer pump when it's out of fluid. This causes the pump to go bad and require replacement, which can be a more difficult task than replacing the reservoir.
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