Yesterday I was driving and I thought to myself that I had never added washer fluid to my car. I've always pressed the button and it would spray the blue fluid and clean the window. I figured the reservoir would be low and with coming winter storms I should fill it up.

I went to Advance Auto Parts and bought Prestone windshield washer fluid. This stuff said it was made especially for ice and would freeze only at much lower temperatures than the "regular" stuff. This Prestone fluid is yellow in color and I asked the manager if it would be a problem putting it in my car which has blue fluid in it. He said you can mix any windshield washer fluids with no harm.

I filled my car's windshield washer fluid until I could see the yellow fluid in the tube into which I was pouring. Drove my car to work fine, but on my way home, about 6 sprays later, one came out weaker. The next time I pushed the washer button nothing sprayed and the wipers swept the windshield dry.

I checked under the hood again, could not see fluid in the tube, added a very small amount and could then see that it was in there and there was not a leak. I used the fluid at full strength as the directions stated; I did NOT add any water.

Any suggestions to fix this? Has this ever happened to anyone?

 

Where are you located? I've already had few issues with my windshield washer/fluid "system"......but I've chalked it up to the cold (frozen/thick fluid).

 

it's -20 here and i don't have any problems in my beater

 

Well, that's the thing. I don't think I have ever had any problems with my other cars either (just the SS) and you would think that the fluid would actually stay in liquid from 'til at least -20. It's a little odd. I'm thinking its possibly just the lines?

 

probably froze in the lines, or the bottle is solid.

 

The temperature was about 7-14 degrees Fahrenheit today in Michigan. The fluid claims to withstand temperatures up to -34 degrees Fahrenheit. It's been cold, I can't believe that it simply froze when it is rated for much colder temperatures. Does the rating work for absolute temperature or does wind chill affect it? I never had this problem until I added the new washer fluid.

 

it depends on how much blue stuff was in there, and if the blue stuff is denser, if it sank, and the new stuff wasnt as dense, the blue is frozen at the bottom. The problem with washer systems is the bottom of the bottle is very skinny, if it gets cold, they freeze from the bottom up.

 

I only filled mine up once since I bought the car almost 2 years ago... used advance auto parts cheap ass blue fluid. It was -14*F this morning and it worked just fine. Perhaps your pump stopped working?

 

could be just the nozzles are frozen

 

Wind chill does not affect it, but when the fluid is in the lines (smaller amount in one area) it can freeze easier (someone back me up here if they know details of it better). This is the first car I have had this problem on though. I will check it out next time I drive (in cold conditions) and see if the lines are frozen...that may be our answer.

 

No, it shouldn't freeze unless you got water in the system. Check the pump and make sure the nozzles and or lines aren't clogged with ****.

 

Oh, good point....I second that as well. I will check it out. I tend to use my washer fluid a lot (sounds like the thread starter does as well ...gotta see clearly!...lol.) and that would explain it.

 

I checked the nozzles and there is no ice blocking them that I can see. I ran my finger over them and they felt fine. Possible ice inside the nozzle pinhole?

 

Pour hot water over the nozzle and see if that helps it or not.

 

Satellite can test it in the morning, lol gunna be wind chills of -30F here in Omaha.

 

How can I check the pump? Anyone have pics or can describe where it is located and what it looks like. Should the lines be flexible and can I test them by hand by squeezing them?

Can the the pump be damaged by pressing the spray when it is froze/clogged?

 

Yep...was just going to say that. Maybe go with kinda hot water/warm water.....boiling water could be bad...LOL



Yeah, that's a possibility...but only if you burned it out..by say trying to run it for like 30 secs with it being frozen. You can hear it trying to spray though right?

 

Turn the car to the "ON" position, but don't start the motor. Have someone press the wash button and listen for the motor whine. Check the fuse as well.

 

actually windsheild washer will freeze if it's old(espically winter formula), it does have a shelf life. 1st thing I'd be doing is calling the place I bought it from, telling they what happened, then asking how old it is. And no I'm not talking about when they got it, but when it was produced. It will require them calling the manufactor but it would get you the answer.

If it's froze, do you or do you know of anyone that had a heated garage? If it's under warrenty I'd take it in and get them to de-thaw it and see what happens.

 

mine froze when i was living in montana. it was in the 20 below-ish area though. funny thing, wiper fluid froze. cobalt fired right up! (without block heater) i love my "just a cobalt"!

 

Yesterday temps were at 17 degrees here...washer fluid would not move except for a little spitting out of the nozzle...today it is 37 degrees no problems..........something has to be frozen...somewhere....

 

Mine is doing the same thing, so I disconnected the line between the bottle and the firewall, and ran the pump, and nothing came out, so I eliminated the nozzles being clogged as my problem. I want to pull the bottle out and thaw it, but it looks like a pain in the ass, especially when everything is wet and cold.

 

Bingo. I bet that's your problem. It happened to me for the past 2 days. And I wouldn't be surprised if some of the fluid in the lines are frozen.

 

The weather warmed to 21 degrees Fahrenheit and the fluid is free flowing! Thankfully nothing went wrong with the system. It was the blue fluid that froze as I could see blue ice on the window once it started working.

 

Strange, the smurf juice we get here is good to -30 or so.....different markets I guess.

Glad it was nothing more serious / expensive