Last week my driver's side washer wouldn't work. Next day it was fine. Friday it was out again. Kept trying it as truck was driven 20 miles in afternoon and would not work. Then at 9 pm after it sat several hours and it had gotten colder outside, I went out and it worked fine. So I don't think it is freezing as it came back when it was colder (or did the heat keep sinking in from the engine bay while it sat 4 hours?) and the other side never quit. Worse is that the hoses route under the cowl pannel which would be near impossible to pull (made a mess pulling on on my old '84 F150). I do have a mix of cheap washer fluid (rated to well below zero F and some of that Rain X stuff but can't remember if it was in for both times the washer quit). Not blocked by snow either.
Windshield washer off and on, what gives?
- Thread starter TallPaul
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Sounds like some small debris could be in the nozzle. Try using a paper clip/wire to open the hole. I have cleared mine before (car wax,dirt, etc). It is intermittant right? sometimes the crud just pushes on through, sometimes it needs some incentive (poking with the wire..)
Kestas
Staff member
Sometimes when a wet car freezes - as we've been experiencing lately - the water will wick in the washer nozzle and form a frozen plug of ice. If that's the case, all you need to do is bring some water from inside the house, splash it on the nozzles, and activate the washer fluid to move the water out of the system.
Pour some warm water over the not working nozzle, aye? I will give it a try next time. Would go at it with a butane ligher, but everything being plastic nowadays, not a good idea. Thanks all.
The exact same thing is happening on my Mazda6 and with the same type of washer fluid mix. I filled it with the RainX De-Icer fluid but there was a pinit or so of the cheapo blue stuff left in there. It's very frustrasting when driving into work with snow/slush/salt covered roads when the windshield gets mucked up and you have no way to clean them off without stopping.
I've never had this happen before....never.
I've never had this happen before....never.
When I was 17 I ran out of fluid and had to pull over every half mile or so and smear some clean snow over the windshield to clean off the road dirt.
Hmmm, haven't had the oppportunity to try it yet, but if the warm water does not work, maybe a bottle of rubbing alchol should be poured in.
Kestas
Staff member
If it's not a freeze problem, you'll probably want to just take the system apart as much as you can and reverse flush everything and wash out the reservoir. You'll have to get creative as how to do it. Of course you'll probably have to wait until the next thaw. When I did mine last fall for winter prep, I found lots of nasty gelled stuff on the bottom of the reservoir. Flush everything out and put in new fluid. Then run the fluid to move out any left over water. Good washer fluid system hygiene (and wiper blade/windshield hygiene) pays off on those nasty winter days when you really need good clear nighttime visibility.
RE: the Rain X washer solution- I tried it in my 94 Chev Impala and didn't like it. However this was not in freezing weather, but in above freezing rainy weather. It smears instead of cleaning. I do like the traditional Rain X product and that's why I bought the w/w solution by Rain X.
I wonder if the washer system will handle Schaeffer's Neutra?
Tried washers today (about 10 F out) and worked fine. If the driver's side keeps going out maybe I will crank the passenger side sprayer around to hit the driver's side of the window (Redneck solutioni).
Hey Kestas, Your in Livonia. I am right next door in Redford.
[ January 18, 2005, 01:05 AM: Message edited by: TallPaul ]
The one dollar per gallon washer fluid frezes at about 20 deg F.
Buy the three dollar per gallon stuff and it will work at -20 F.
Betcha that'll fix it.
Buy the three dollar per gallon stuff and it will work at -20 F.
Betcha that'll fix it.
Are you talking about cheap, off-brand washer fluid (blue) or off-brand "de-icer" washer fluid (usually yellow)?
All the $1/gal washer fluid around here is "rated" to not freeze until -20F. I believe it; it was -12F the other day and the stuff worked fine..
Kestas
Staff member
Windchill factor only works on flesh. It won't lower the available ambient temperature on other things. Otherwise, it'd be easy to freeze water at 40° with some wind.
The blue stuff is often rated to the climate its being sold in. Most of the blue stuff here is rated to -20 or -25 F, but you can find stuff only rated to freezing in the summer!
I also found if you ever let a "complimentary service check" be done to your vehicle by a shop or dealer, this often includes filling your windshield washer fluid reservoir. Usually, they have the cheap, watered down stuff that does freeze. Not good!
Thus, my vehicles are always filled to the brim before seeing a shop of dealership!
I also found if you ever let a "complimentary service check" be done to your vehicle by a shop or dealer, this often includes filling your windshield washer fluid reservoir. Usually, they have the cheap, watered down stuff that does freeze. Not good!
Thus, my vehicles are always filled to the brim before seeing a shop of dealership!
So if I am going to stock up, do it in January.
Many years ago I had the big idea of filling the reservoir with water and a couple squirts of dish soap. Works great, but not worth the hassle if you forget to run it out before winter.
Mine are still working fine for now.
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