Windshield washer fluid frozen

[Seth]

I used summer fluid for wiper fluid few months ago and apparently did not use it all up before winter arrived. There is still some left over and began to freeze up on me. So I poured 3/4th of Rain-X deIcer fluid (upto -40c?) jug into the washer fluid reservoir yesterday but still doesnt work outside. Outside temps hit -14c this morning. It however works well inside the garage where it was +5c.

Its a safety issue. Any ideas on what to do before my evening commute back? Doesnt look like its going to thaw anytime soon to drain and my windshield is already dirty.

 

[JustinH]

The fluid froze in my girlfriends pontiac today.

It was 9 degrees F, so about -13 C..

 

[paul246]

That is why I never use summer fluid, always stick with the winter formula so I never get caught in a sudden temperature drop. Of course, nothing works on a cold windshield, but at least I won't have a frozen lump in the bottle.

Try adding some methylhydrate and heat the bottle with a hair dryer. Then pump out as much as you can and refill with winter fluid.

 

[hate2work]

Wow, this makes me feel like a pansy, we got down to about 35F last night and I thought that was cold

Not sure what you can do at work about this. The fact that it works in your garage is a good thing, that means tonight you can empty the reservoir and put in the winter stuff.

As an after thought, you might try putting some alcohol in there at work, but I've never tried that.

 

[WishIhadatruck]

Originally Posted By: hate2work
...tonight you can empty the reservoir and put in the winter stuff.


This is probably the only thing that will work. You will need to completely empty it in the garage once it thaws. Get the lowest temp. fluid you can. Try and get another color as well so you can see when the new color starts coming out the spray nozzles.

As far as your commute tonight? A squirt bottle that you use sticking your arm out the window? I've seen it done in an emergency before. Better than driving blind. You might want to tape the seam between your glove and coat together so your wrist doesn't freeze.

I started using winter fluid back in September. Most summer fluids I used to buy were still good to well below freezing but many now are no good at all once you drop below 32degF. I have always noticed the -20F fluid will freeze on the window and the -25 or -30F fluid usually doesn't. I've never had a bottle freeze up however. Good luck.

 

[Seth]

Draining the entire reservoir is not something I am looking forward to. It will probably take an hour maybe? Funny that leftover summer washer fluid was not much since I almost emptied a jug of winter fluid yesterday into the tank, but nevertheless enough to cause problems.

 

[Kestas]

I switch fluids before and after winter. It allows me to use soap water during the summer and save on washer fluid costs. I do a complete exchange sometime in the fall to avoid dilution problems.

 

[GMGuy]

Get some Methyl Hydrate (an Alcohol) (Base fluid used in windshield washer fluid if your concerned) pour ~ 1 liter into your reservoir, shake up the car, and activate the sprayer to help clear out the lines.
You can spike your old summer stuff and continue using it. Need to do this for my truck, it'll freeze up the "winter" fluid in the lines otherwise.

Alex.

 

[kingrob]

Plain old rubbing alcohol. Dump the bottle in and eventually it should loosen up. You won't have to drain the reservoir, just shoot out as much of it as you can and go to a winter formula. I still add a bit of alcohol to the winter fluid to prevent freezing.

 

[MNgopher]

This is the very reason I decided to never run summer weight fluids and I make sure the reservoir is topped off before recieving dealership or other service with "free top offs". If the reservoir has always got fluid rated to -25F in it, no problems (unless it gets colder).

The cost of the winter fluid has never really been an issue. Even now, the "blue juice" seems to be running around $1.75 or so a gallon, and I hardly use it in the summer. Winter with snow salt spray, then I guzzle it (well the three cars do anyways...)

 

[oilyriser]

The summer fluid is heavier than the methanol mix winter fluid, and probably just sat on the bottom to freeze up again. If you can thaw it and syphon out as much of the bottle as you can, and pour the mixture back, it should work.

 

[eljefino]

+1 on the siphon. You may also find the pump attached to the bottom of the container with one fastener plus a sealing o-ring and could get it off of there in a minute. Or remove the just-a-couple fasteners holding it to the fender, even with the hoses attached you could probably stretch enough to rotate and dump out.

Funny/lame thing about alcohols is they evaporate rather well especially when atomized, so the -20'F stuff has a working temperature well above that when driving in the wind. The "yellow" -30'F stuff has the "zip" (urea?) to fix this.

 

[Kestas]

Originally Posted By: eljefino
Funny/lame thing about alcohols is they evaporate rather well especially when atomized, so the -20'F stuff has a working temperature well above that when driving in the wind...

Ditto. That's why the owner's manual says to spray washer fluid only on a warmed and defrosted windshield. (Who ever reads the owner's manual nowadays?)

 

[PandaBear]

Learned it the hard way in Alaska once. Just got my rental car at 2am, the windshield was a bit dirty, so I squirt a bit of fluid on it. Big mistake.

 

[mechtech2]

$1.00 fluid is NOT for winter!
$3.00 fluid is for winter.
Cheap stuff slushes or freezes at 20F or lower.
Get something that is rated for 30 below.

 

[thatguy]

I made the summer fluid mistake once and now I only buy the winter stuff year round..

Im not sure if you noticed at walmart or not recently, they are now only carrying 0 degree (f) fluid instead of the -20 in the stores around here.. i bought 4 jugs of the -20 about 3 months ago, hope it will last.. Just another way to save money i reckon..

Atleast around here we wont see -10 lol

Brian

 

[aaxb970]

This has happened to my sister before. If you don't have a garage... Use a bottle of the cheapest vodka or another alcohol with high content.

 

[alreadygone]

Originally Posted By: aaxb970
This has happened to my sister before. If you don't have a garage... Use a bottle of the cheapest vodka or another alcohol with high content.


Sure that s#!t won't bust your windshield???

Bob

 

[mechtech2]

"I swear, officer, that smell is from my windshield squirters!"

 

[dwendt44]

The cheap winter stuff is generally colored blue around here.
If it's been in there all summer, the alcohol will evaporate and the fluid will freeze at +20º.
The good stuff is purple, or red or yellow depending on brand.
IIRC, Prestone makes a 'recharge' formula.
Small bottle (16 oz.) to add to summer fluid to drop the freezing point.
I have some; no sure if it's still available. A slow seller I think.