Wiper fluid or pump frozen. Solutions? (1 Viewer)

[hoch]

Last week, took a cold trip to Wyoming (in single digits and in negatives). Hit the squirter and nothing. Thought I'd run out of fluid so topped it off, and still nothing. Luckily, I didn't need to use the fluid after that, but for future reference, what can be done to prevent this?

I will say that in the many many trips to Wyoming in similar conditions, I never experienced this in any of my other vehicles (Tacoma, 4Runner, even Hondas!). Same fluid used in all vehicles.

 

[OregonLC]

Cackalak, this stuff is good down to -25F (or so they say, I've never had it that cold).

Rain-X®: De-Icer Windshield Washer Fluid

 

[Yotato]

Add a bottle of alcohol to your washer fluid to prevent freezing, stir, and cycle a little through the system. Some friends add Heet (in the red bottle - has methyl alcohol) to theirs when they head to the mountains.

 

[hoch]

Oregon - I'll have to try that out. But I swear the Peak blue stuff I was using was rated to -20F or something like that. Rainx is probably better quality, though. Thanks.

Yotato - thanks. I'll give that a shot.

 

[scottm]

The alcohol evaporates out pretty quickly and the remaining fluid can freeze, especially in the nozzles. I don't use much windshield fluid, but try to remember to blast it occasionally on a rainy day.

My brother had a Mercedes wagon with 4matic and the full winter package, including a headlight/windshield washer reservoir that was heated by a loop of coolant line. Unfortunately, heating it boiled off all the alcohol and he had trouble with the lines freezing.

 

[jwagner]

a little anti-freeze?

 

[NMuzj100]

You really need fresh fluid going into winter. A bottle of anti-freeze fluid additive that is designed to turn your summer fluid into a winter fluid would be ideal.

And then use it often, I'm a big fan of the Prestone fluids.

 

[hoch]

UPDATE: Ok, so like an idiot, I forget all about flushing out the older fluid and head up to Wyoming again. When we were leaving, the fluid worked great, but it was also 30 degrees. Heading into Wyoming, no fluid at 10 degrees. Of course, the whole time we were there, it never got above 10. I got it into a warm garage where I drained out the old fluid, then put in a fresh bottle of Prestone De-Icer. Worked great. On the way back today, I decided to try it on the road. 8 degrees out and no go. Almost home, and at 23 degrees, it works again.

One thing I was thinking of--maybe there was still some frozen fluid in the tank that didn't get drained out. Anybody know what the capacity of the washer fluid tank is? I put in about 3/4 of a full Prestone bottle in before it overflowed.

Last note, all of my family's cars had zero problems with their washer fluid working, so I don't think it's getting frozen at the nozzle, but either in the tank or in the lines right by there.

 

[scottm]

I think it holds a gallon. How did you drain it, siphon? If you ran a decent amount of fluid through the lines I'm surprised it froze again. I ran my rear washer for a while last week on a warmish rainy day to make sure fresh fluid was through the lines.

 

[hoch]

Yeah, stuck some medical tubing down there and syphoned it out. All of it, I thought. I cycled through after filling up until the yellowish Prestone liquid came out (front and rear).

If it takes a whole gallon, then there was definitely a frozen block of ice down there. I will drain it again. Thanks for the info.

 

[DWNUNDR]

Mine did this 2 weeks ago when I purchased it in Texas and drove back to Minnesota... didnt even think about it till I got closer to MN and it wouldnt spray... I ended up dealing with it by driving behind trucks so their spray would wet the windscreen hahaha

Once back home I sat it in my heated workshop for a few hours, and also set up an electric heater with fan blowing right at that area to help melt it.. then once melted I ran the washers till it was empty...

then filled it with fresh winter fluid...

 

[scottm]

When I bought mine I siphoned, then ran the pump with the hose loose to empty it. I'm pretty sure I fit a whole gallon of RainX winter fluid in then.

 

[patrickfinley]

I just ran into a problem where my rear washer was frozen. I put -25 degree Rain X in the reservoir but forgot to run the rear wipers to fill the hose line. I had the summer stuff in there and it clogged it up. Didn't work again till I was back home in 34 degree weather. That blue summer stuff is supposed to work to 0 degrees, but no luck, it clogged in the teens.

 

[jonharis]

This happened to me when we bought our hundie. I drove over the Rockies during a blizzard in February with no washer fluid. We stopped a lot. I found that letting the truck sit will heaters at max for 45 minutes or so thawed it out, but the rear froze again after 30-60 minutes of driving.
Yes the reservoir will hold an entire gallon plus a little more. I use Rain-X deicer year around. Available at any Wal-Mart.
Rain-X®: De-Icer Windshield Washer Fluid
I've successfully tested it at -12 F in Colorado. I would make sure you give your lines a good flush for 30 seconds or so.

 

[City Cruzer]

Mine just did the same thing this yesterday. I added the deicer but it did not seem to help and it also did not take the whole bottle. Only the driver's side stopped working...perfect if it was a RHD! lol

 

[jonharis]

Mine just did the same thing this yesterday. I added the deicer but it did not seem to help and it also did not take the whole bottle. Only the driver's side stopped working...perfect if it was a RHD! lol

You may have already done this but I wanted to point out the obvious. If you add a deicer to the resevoir you will still have to warm up (Garage) the truck and flush the lines or it will have no effect.

 

[SkiLyft]

Hey, I'm gunna resurrect this ancient post but this is what google pulled up so it might help someone else!

I Just moved to Colorado and the weather while driving up skiing is freezing my wiper fluid. Hence why I needed to drain all of the old -20 (blue- added by the Yota dealership so I can't verify that it is indeed full strength) and add in the rainx, but I didn't have any medical tubing handy to siphon it out so I looked for another option.

Fortunately I found that at the bottom of the reservoir there is actually a place where you can disconnect the lines and just simply let gravity do the work and drain the whole thing.

Im including pictures because I know this is a bit vague.

Hope this helps!