my car feels funny, i have put water inside the washer system..?

Question

hi i posted a question last night aswell,
my car felt funny. especially from right hand side, also i had to apply more pressure to brakes etc. I have since remembered there was symbol coming up on my car. It is a fan with six blades, i have checked in book and its the water resoviour. I have since topped the washer etc. Car still feels funny, how long till it will get back to normal? i have drove round the block 2 times. Also in the washer i noticed some brown kind of mixture, its not alot but still there. Sorry to get on your nerves people..
Just im a girl of 21 and the only driver in the house, so everyone relies on me. My car is vauxhall astra 1.6 LS 2001 X registration and its petrol.
Many thanks for your time and patience.

Love mary xx

also i have noticed no water comes out of washer, for my wipers. It was totally finished but i have topped it now, will it take time or is the something wrong with water pump.

yes i topped up two things, the windscreen washer and the other one where u sometimes put anti freeze in aswell. Please people dont scare me, can u tell me will it cost alot to fix?

Answer 1

Mary, It sounds like you may be mixing up a couple of resevoirs. The fan with 6 blades refers to the radiator system. It has a resevoir, usually located near the radiator. "Washer" (your words) refers to the the water system connected to your windshield wipers. Just to make sure you know the difference. If you have put water into the radiator system that's fine, I think that's what your "indicator light" is telling you. You may find some brown or dirty water, since sometimes rust accumulates in the radiator. Now. it may be that you have an air lock in the radiator system. I don't know that it would "feel funny" as much as your engine temp should probably be above normal. As far as your brake system, it would be totally unaffected by anything you do to you cooling system. You may have a separate problem altogether, that isn't even connected to the "indicator light" previously illuminating. If your car performance is irregular, you may consider taking it to a garage for assistance. Good luck

Added: If you're not getting water from your wipers, turn the ignition key for battery power. Then activate your wiper washer. If you hear the motor run, you've probably got an obstruction at the vacuum part of your pump. If you don't hear the motor, it's time for a new one.

Answer 2

Mary, Darling, I don't want to scare you or criticise, so please read through this all.
I am very afraid you have put washer water and maybe solvent in the brake system. If you look under where you filled it and there is a body, like a tube or tub, and metal lines coming out of it, you have indeed watered your brake fluid.
The only safe and dependable thing is to get the car to a garage or someone who can completely drain and flush the braking system. It must be done before things rust and rubber parts go soft, or you will be out many 100s of £s.
If the work is not done, then your brakes will probably eventually fail, and you or your passengers, and others in other vehicles may be injured or killed. Never mind the old person in the cross walk, would never know what hit.
You are not the first person to make this sort of mistake if you indeed have, so no need to feel ar*sed about it. But, I have never heard of brown stuff in a washer tank, nor the adding of fluid to a washer tank to cause braking problems. Please take care, and indeed at least have the system checked immediately by a knowledgeable person.
Hugs,
Charles

Answer 3

Not sure what you mean by car 'feels funny'. Is is miss-firing? ie. engine not running very well - if so it sounds like your head gasket has gone which would make sense if your coolant level (water) is dropping - water leaks into the cylinders, so the coolant level drops and the engine misses/ wont pull etc. There should be no brown stuff in your washer, this is totally unconnected to your coolant, so suspect you are getting the two mixed up?

If it is your head gasket it is a garage job I'm afraid but not mega expensive on your car.

The brake thing is also unconnected to coolant, so don't know what to say there!

Get it checked out or be more specific about 'car feels funny'.

Good luck Mary!

Answer 4

The damage to your car is serious.

If you are a member of a breakdown club AA or RAC ask them to come out and tow your car to a garage, do not attaempt to start the engine. If you have local garage ask them to come out to the car, tell them that you think there is water in the engine.

I suggest you think about evening classes on car maintenance or see if there is a DVD available, it will be money well spent

Answer 5

I don't mean to scare you but it sounds to me that you are confusing your washer bottle with your water header tank if you have oil sludge in your header tank you more than likely have a head gasket gone, Not the end of the road but you will need professional advice , replacing head gaskets at today's prices can vary between £180 to £400 depending who you use. sorry

Answer 6

is your car an automatic? as there is no warning light for low water level in these astras - it sounds like its a fault in your transmission - you will need to bring it to a dealer to confirm this and they will tell you what is wrong and the cost - it may be a sensor or maybe something more serious

Answer 7

Your wind screen washer pump may not work. You can buy univeral ones and splice them inline. Driving it around the block will not help this problem.

Answer 8

You topped up the water in the cap on top of the engine, right?

oh dear.

Answer 9

it sounds to me that you need to get your cooling system flushed & this should correct your problem. your thermsat might not be working correctly get it replaced.

Answer 10

check ur pump wiper..maybe its leaking