Warning - Poor Windscreen Washers!

[DFish]

Just had to make a quick trip out, and went to use the windscreen washers and they were frozen solid! Now the fluid is rated to minus 6, but it just wasn't squirting. :(

So from now on I'll be carrying a bottle of screen cleaner with me.

Fish

[marcandsebe]

Just had to make a quick trip out, and went to use the windscreen washers and they were frozen solid! Now the fluid is rated to minus 6, but it just wasn't squirting. :(

So from now on I'll be carrying a bottle of screen cleaner with me.

Fish

Many years ago I installed something called Hot Wash. You connected it to one of the hot water coolant pipes and it heated the washer water up. It worked extremely well, would never freeze and cleaned the screen much better. It's a shame they don't make something like it anymore.

[Guest]

I understand what you mean Fish. Last winter I got so fed up of the sodding washer jets freezing! :censor: I don't know why they can't make all cars with heated washer jets/tubes. I mean, it can't be that expensive to actually do can it? A bit of cable, hot water from the engine circling around the tubes, and the most important part, the washer tank. In our old Mondeo -the car I'm writing about here- I discovered it was at the right lower front, just where all the cold air is. I mean, why can't they put that tank nearer the engine for one? Off my soapbox.

Could not agree more Marc that it's a shame they don't make things like that anymore. What's the point of buying washer fluid that wouldn't freeze in space, if the damn washer jets and tubes are frozen? Cuh! Duffer car designers. It's like they don't drive a car themselves so don't understand, and yet, they do drive... so where's the logic? I'm trying to get some more Yellow Prestone winter mix, can't find it anywhere so far, but I will, oh yes, I will.

[tarquin]

My chauffeur cleans mine

David

[johnan]

My local supermarkets sell washer fluid that will not freeze down to a very low figure, minus 21 degrees C or something like that, when used undiluted.

As long as you use up most of the fluid in the reservoir before you fill it with the non-freeze stuff it works OK amd keeps the jets and tubes clear.

At least it works for me (famous last words)

Sorry I should add, my chaffeur deals with these sort of things but has told me about it, as David's does.

John

[DFish]

Well being your not so average working man, I don’t have such luxuries as a chauffeur. Still at 5:30 this morning I decided to wake the neighbours up by leaving my car running to warm up whilst I cleared the windows. :D Took forever to demist the inside for some reason. ;)

Fish

[GRB]

With the temps we are having now you have to run with virtually neat solution (and this still does not solve it). Look for really good quality stuff, the type you get at the average garage is rubbish, last year local garage had some rated to -20 all was frozen on forecourt. The Jag is even worse as water is feed directly on blade with pipes running up wiper arms, always freezes. try a blanket over screen covering jets if you have to leave outside

[johnan]

I must have really good stuff then.

A couple of days ago I forgot to cover the screen as I normally do and went out to find it frozen up.

I made sure the wipers were not frozen to the screen and then used the washers and wipers to de-freeze the screen.

I was surprised it worked but it did.

Usually the very end of the jets can get iced up even with the non freeze fluid but not this time.

Moral is don't buy cheap washer fluid, use it undiluted and make sure there is not much of the original stuff in the system before you put the new stuff in or you are just wasting your time, as it will still be a bit diluted.

[s44gtw]

Just a few thoughts as Scotland basks in Temps above 0 celcius this weekend,

but some areas last winter never came above 0 celcius for 5 weeks constant.

Often the best idea before trying to use a vehicles Heating or A/C to defrost a vehicles interior windows/windscreen is RTOM (read the owners manual) & digest the infornmation to the settings required.

If you need heat to the Interior Heater you possibly do not get that untill the engine is at running Temp & then the thermostat has opened.

(different vehicles will have different systems.)

If you have -20 windsceen fluid & it was say only -7 during the night & it did not freeze in the bottle or pipes & sprays out the nozzles OK,

do not be surprised if it still freezes when it hits a windscreen at -2 celcius and if not and it stays flowing and defrosting on a cold windsceen, it then flows into your Air intakes for your Interior Heater/Demmister and then freezes and causes your inside screen to steam up.

(snow/ice in your air intake will be almost certain to mess up the windcseen de-misting)

Its only been a -16 celcius show for the UK this winter(last Night) & thats hardly thast serious a low temperature.

JIMO

, Fit proper Winter Wiper Blades,(buy from mainland Europe or Motorsport outlets) use the correct winter products/fluids (even Tesco sell them) that are readily available if you have a real problem for any length of time

(heated/de frosting front screens are wonderful things IMO)

& if you can not easily keep your windscreenproperly clear, maybe consider if you should be taking your vehicle out on the roads.

george

[Guest]

With the temps we are having now you have to run with virtually neat solution (and this still does not solve it). Look for really good quality stuff, the type you get at the average garage is rubbish, last year local garage had some rated to -20 all was frozen on forecourt. The Jag is even worse as water is feed directly on blade with pipes running up wiper arms, always freezes. try a blanket over screen covering jets if you have to leave outside

Good idea as, even with front end inside our car port -only back of car exposed to elements- the damn things have frozen, once only so far, so the blanket is a good, simple idea. I only hope the two local cats don't take to sleeping on it. The little bleeders keep leaving paw prints up the bonnet, screen and on the roof.

[Guest]

With the temps we are having now you have to run with virtually neat solution (and this still does not solve it). Look for really good quality stuff, the type you get at the average garage is rubbish, last year local garage had some rated to -20 all was frozen on forecourt. The Jag is even worse as water is feed directly on blade with pipes running up wiper arms, always freezes. try a blanket over screen covering jets if you have to leave outside

Good idea as, even with front end inside our car port -only back of car exposed to elements- the damn things have frozen, once only so far, so the blanket is a good, simple idea. I only hope the two local cats don't take to sleeping on it. The little bleeders keep leaving paw prints up the bonnet, screen and on the roof.

Just a few thoughts as Scotland basks in Temps above 0 celcius this weekend,

but some areas last winter never came above 0 celcius for 5 weeks constant.

Often the best idea before trying to use a vehicles Heating or A/C to defrost a vehicles interior windows/windscreen is RTOM (read the owners manual) & digest the infornmation to the settings required.

If you need heat to the Interior Heater you possibly do not get that untill the engine is at running Temp & then the thermostat has opened.

(different vehicles will have different systems.)

If you have -20 windsceen fluid & it was say only -7 during the night & it did not freeze in the bottle or pipes & sprays out the nozzles OK,

do not be surprised if it still freezes when it hits a windscreen at -2 celcius and if not and it stays flowing and defrosting on a cold windsceen, it then flows into your Air intakes for your Interior Heater/Demmister and then freezes and causes your inside screen to steam up.

(snow/ice in your air intake will be almost certain to mess up the windcseen de-misting)

Its only been a -16 celcius show for the UK this winter(last Night) & thats hardly thast serious a low temperature.

JIMO

, Fit proper Winter wiper blades,(buy from mainland Europe or Motorsport outlets) use the correct winter products/fluids (even Tesco sell them) that are readily available if you have a real problem for any length of time

(heated/de frosting front screens are wonderful things IMO)

& if you can not easily keep your windscreenproperly clear, maybe consider if you should be taking your vehicle out on the roads.

george

Good advice George, especially the bit about do you really to go out in your car in such conditions. I know you didn't exactly say that, but it is true. We have been lucky up to now in not having any snow. It has been on the hills around the valleys here, but not far down enough to bother us, yet. We are expecting some again, but fingers are crossed. I hate the ice too, more than the snow.

[Guest]

Got my Prestone Yellow today -the none freezing one, or I should say the winter version. Happy days... sad I know, but when you like a product because you know it does the job...

Got it at Tesco's. Just in time too as the washer fluid level was very low. I was surprised that I had used so much of it topping it up.

[johnan]

Got my Prestone Yellow today -the none freezing one, or I should say the winter version. Happy days... sad I know, but when you like a product because you know it does the job...

Got it at Tesco's. Just in time too as the washer fluid level was very low. I was surprised that I had used so much of it topping it up.

A cautionary word for others is to make sure you pick up the correct Prestone Yellow, as Bob did, because there is also a Prestone Yellow Anti-Freeze which is for internal engine use and not windscreens.

A mistake could be made in the bustle of a supermarket, and I don't think paintwork would enjoy doses of engine anti-freeze!

John

[Guest]

Got my Prestone Yellow today -the none freezing one, or I should say the winter version. Happy days... sad I know, but when you like a product because you know it does the job...

Got it at Tesco's. Just in time too as the washer fluid level was very low. I was surprised that I had used so much of it topping it up.

A cautionary word for others is to make sure you pick up the correct Prestone Yellow, as Bob did, because there is also a Prestone Yellow Anti-Freeze which is for internal engine use and not windscreens.

A mistake could be made in the bustle of a supermarket, and I don't think paintwork would enjoy doses of engine anti-freeze!

John

Very important point to make there John. One of the things I noticed whilst looking for the screenwash was lots of Anti-Freeze on the shelves, but no screenwash. It would have been easy to have picked one up thinking I had the right stuff. Luckily for me, I always check I am getting exactly what I need to buy. Mostly because, and this has surprised me a number of times, I don't have the confidence to just pick stuff up and 'know' for sure I have the right product. I always read the labels to satisfy myself I am spending my money right. Partly because my wife has sometimes bought the wrong thing as another product looks very similar. Like buying Fat Boy Coke instead of Diet... actually that was the other way around. Diet drinks are no good for you, far worse than having sugar laden drinks. Cut out Aspartame from your life and you'll live longer.