The 2002 Silverado came in a wide array of sizes, cab designs and engine options. At the base level, there was the Silverado 1500 with a 200-horsepower, 4.3-liter V-6. At the top end, the Silverado 3500HD had a 340-horsepower, 8.1-liter V-8 available. Regardless of vehicle and engine size, many components remained the same, including the washer fluid reservoir. Replacing this reservoir is the same process across all 2002 Silverados.
Loosen the bolt at the center of the negative battery cable end, using a combination wrench, and remove the negative battery cable from the battery. Lift the cap off the positive battery cable end and repeat this step on the positive battery cable to remove it.
Remove the two bolts securing the diagonal brace above the battery, using a ratchet and socket, and remove the brace. Using a ratchet and socket, remove the bolt on the battery hold, the triangular plastic component that secures the battery. Pull the battery hold down from the engine compartment and remove the battery.
Unfasten the three bolts securing the battery tray to the engine compartment, using a ratchet and socket, and remove the battery tray.
Loosen the lug nuts on the front driver’s side wheel using a ratchet and socket. Raise the front of the truck with a floor jack and slide jack stands under its frame rails. Lower the Silverado onto the jack stands. Remove the lug nuts and pull the wheel off the Silverado’s front hub.
Find the eight pin-style clips securing the wheel well lining to the front fender. Pry upward on the center pin of each clip with a flat-head screwdriver until it stops moving, then pry each clip from the wheel well liner.
Crawl out from under the truck and look on the top of the wheel well liner to find the clips securing wiring harnesses to the top of the wheel well liner. Grab each clip and harness and pull upward sharply to remove each one from the wheel well liner. From inside the wheel well, pull the wheel well liner from the fender and set it aside.
Look inside the fender, below where the battery was, and find the two electrical components attached to the washer fluid reservoir – washer fluid level sensor and washer fluid pump. Press and hold the unlocking button on each component's wiring harness and unplug each harness from its respective component.
Pull the rubber washer fluid hose from the washer fluid pump using a slight twisting motion.
Remove the lower washer fluid reservoir bolts with a ratchet and socket. Crawl out from inside the fender well and remove the one upper bolt securing the washer fluid reservoir using a ratchet and socket. Pull the washer fluid reservoir from the engine compartment.
Pour any fluid remaining in the old washer fluid reservoir into a clean container for reuse. Pull the washer fluid pump and level sensor from the old washer fluid reservoir with a slight twisting motion. Press the pump and sensor into their respective holes in the new reservoir until their rubber seals seat into place.
Position the new washer fluid reservoir into place in the engine compartment. Hand-thread the upper reservoir bolt and the two lower bolts. Torque all three reservoir bolts to 7 foot-pounds with a torque wrench and socket.
Plug the wiring harnesses into the washer fluid level sensor and the washer fluid pump.
Guide the wheel well liner into the left-front wheel well, aligning the holes in the liner with those in the wheel well. Insert the pin-style retainers into the holes in the wheel well liner and press the center pin inward on each pin-style retainer until the center pin is even with the head of the retainer. Press the two wiring harness-retaining clips into their respective holes in the top of the wheel well liner.
Install the front tire onto the Silverado’s hub and hand-tighten its lug nuts. Raise the truck off the jack stands with a floor jack and remove the jack stands. Lower the truck to the ground. Tighten the lug nuts, in a crisscrossing pattern, to 140 foot-pounds with a torque wrench and socket.
Set the battery tray back onto its support and hand-thread its three retaining bolts. Tighten the bolts to 7 foot-pounds. Set the battery back onto the tray and position the battery hold down over the tab on the bottom of the battery. Hand-thread the battery hold down bolt, then torque it to 2 foot-pounds.
Position the diagonal brace above the battery and hand-thread its retaining bolts. Tighten the brace’s bolts to 7 foot-pounds.
Place the positive battery cable onto the positive terminal on the battery and hand-thread its retaining bolt. Tighten the bolt to 13 foot-pounds. Press the cover back over the positive battery cable end. Install the negative cable on the negative battery terminal, then hand-thread its bolt. Torque the bolt to 13 foot-pounds.
Pour the washer fluid from the clean container into the washer reservoir, then fill the reservoir to the top with fresh windshield washer fluid, if needed, and close the cap.
