Dane Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 Alright so the other day we got REALLY cold weather. Windchills -10 to -15 and one time even -20. Then it's just stayed cold. Two of our cars, the windshield washer fluid is frozen...You press the button and the wipers move but no fluid, and they both have it because we will it up earlier in the month lol. Called the dealer and their idea "Just drive it to it warms up. That might take awhile, it most likely is frozen all the way." Yep, drove for two hours, still frozen. Should have bought the better stuff at walmart thats good to -20 :cry: . Any tips or idea's that I could use? It sucks ass driving down the road and getting salt and dirt on the window while its snowing and cant clean it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
what Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 A scraper? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluewind. Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 Don't worry, it's supposed to be like 48 next week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phalesafe Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 I know your pain. I was in a hurry in spring and had my vehicle serviced instead of doing it myself. They put summer fluid in it and I discovered that last week with your similar symptoms of frozen and cant see a damn thing. Sucks man, I just usually get the -30 stuff at Wally world and it doesn't freeze up and we have been at ambient sub zero. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dane Posted January 19, 2009 Author Share Posted January 19, 2009 A scraper? I'm taking about the tubes under the hood that has the window washer fluid inside, its frozed. NOT ice on the windshield. I know your pain. I was in a hurry in spring and had my vehicle serviced instead of doing it myself. They put summer fluid in it and I discovered that last week with your similar symptoms of frozen and cant see a damn thing. Sucks man, I just usually get the -30 stuff at Wally world and it doesn't freeze up and we have been at ambient sub zero. Yeah i'll have to pick that stuff up whenever i get to walmart again, and i can use my fluid i have now lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rathefeare Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 Yep, they sell fluid with lower freeze points. The old dudes in my club claim that they used to use grain alcohol. Probably back when they still used their feet for brakes ala Fred Flintstone. The point about the scraper is valid. De-ice and clean your windows the old fashioned way before you set out on your journey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IceBreakerG Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 Sometimes I use the Rain-X De-icer washer fluid. The fluid itself is like a bright orange color, but it works very very well. I don't think I've had it freeze on me though. Then again, I have a V8 in my car, and it gets pretty warm fairly fast, so even if it did freeze, it'd thaw out pretty quick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dane Posted January 19, 2009 Author Share Posted January 19, 2009 Yep, they sell fluid with lower freeze points. The old dudes in my club claim that they used to use grain alcohol. Probably back when they still used their feet for brakes ala Fred Flintstone. The point about the scraper is valid. De-ice and clean your windows the old fashioned way before you set out on your journey. Yeah I do that, but thats not my problem. My problem with everything being frozen, I go down the road and get behind cars and all that stuff on the road gets on the window and it has the entire window dirty lol. I have to stop at gas stations and use their window cleaner stuff then go back out, only to get more dirt on it. Use the wipers and it makes it worse, i need to move to either NC, SC, GA or FL lol i'd be set. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rathefeare Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 Yeah I do that, but thats not my problem. My problem with everything being frozen, I go down the road and get behind cars and all that stuff on the road gets on the window and it has the entire window dirty lol. I have to stop at gas stations and use their window cleaner stuff then go back out, only to get more dirt on it. Use the wipers and it makes it worse, i need to move to either NC, SC, GA or FL lol i'd be set. Damn, I need to look at locations more. I'm in Lancaster, Pa also. I'm not using anything beyond the generic autozone/walmart stuff full strength and I'm not frozen up. What is in your washer tank? Be careful out there today. It is snowing pretty good right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dane Posted January 19, 2009 Author Share Posted January 19, 2009 Damn, I need to look at locations more. I'm in Lancaster, Pa also. I'm not using anything beyond the generic autozone/walmart stuff full strength and I'm not frozen up. What is in your washer tank? Be careful out there today. It is snowing pretty good right now. Lancaster county too? Nice! There is another guy here from South west Lancaster. I forget whats in my tank, something cheap that I got during the summer from Walmart. It didnt have anything on the label about not freezing so I guess its not the winter stuff. Off topic. Snowing indeed. We already got around an inch up here in Northern Lancaster County. Still coming down too. Enough for a crap load of accidents. 50 accidents currently and more pending. sucky weather. Off topic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rathefeare Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 Hmm, even the cheap walmart stuff should not be freezing at full strength. Just to cover all bases. Is your washer pump working? Can you hear a whine as it tries to pump? Can you actually see into the washer tank? Is it frozen in there? By the way, your car doesn't care about windchill. Just you. So it is mid 20's out there and water freezes at 32, so any type of additive should get you above the freezing point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dane Posted January 19, 2009 Author Share Posted January 19, 2009 Hmm, even the cheap walmart stuff should not be freezing at full strength. Just to cover all bases. Is your washer pump working? Can you hear a whine as it tries to pump? Can you actually see into the washer tank? Is it frozen in there?By the way, your car doesn't care about windchill. Just you. So it is mid 20's out there and water freezes at 32, so any type of additive should get you above the freezing point. No sound from the pump. I called the dealer and stopped by and they said its frozen all the way and I should just wait. To confirm I came home and checked out the other car (both my car and the other car are the same type/make of car, mine is 06 and the other is 07). Same thing with that car, frozen and no sound from the pump. So its frozen ALL the way :( Also I am unable to look into the washer fluid tank to find out if its frozen, it sits under some stuff so i cant get a view Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrench Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 If you have any malls with heated underground parking, take your car there and park it until the fluid thaws out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Rev Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 Pour some alcohol in there..... IIRC, it has a very low freezing point. edit: pure ethanol freezes at -114 degrees celsius. Maybe if you put half fluid and half alcohol in there, it wouldn't freeze... (don't quote me on that, i'm no car expert) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dane Posted January 20, 2009 Author Share Posted January 20, 2009 (edited) If you have any malls with heated underground parking, take your car there and park it until the fluid thaws out. Nah we dont have any of those kind of underground parking around here, it sucks. Pour some alcohol in there..... IIRC, it has a very low freezing point.edit: pure ethanol freezes at -114 degrees celsius. Maybe if you put half fluid and half alcohol in there, it wouldn't freeze... (don't quote me on that, i'm no car expert) I got told just to put ethanol itself in there. If I could find some ha. Edited January 20, 2009 by Dane Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MR_Candyman Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 stick a trouble light under or beside the reservoir and close your hood. It will warm up the fluid, not damage anything (as long as the bulb isn't touching plastic), and not cost too much to do. As soon as it's warmed up, spray it out and put in some -40c stuff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rathefeare Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 I got told just to put ethanol itself in there. If I could find some ha. Be careful what exactly you put in there. I have heard stories of different stuff degrading the seal around the windshield. I have heard that about antifreeze in particular though it does run through rubber hoses so some of that might be tribal knowledge. I would think gasoline or ethanol though having a low freeze point might attack the seal also. Mrcandyman's idea of the trouble light is good. It does look like Friday will be warm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanManIt Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 Just get higher quality stuff that is rated for lower temps next time As for the stuff in there now...wait til it warms up enough to make it liquid again? I'm not entirely sure how to melt it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dane Posted January 21, 2009 Author Share Posted January 21, 2009 I am going to try that light to warm it up or try to, its to get warm enough to hopefully melt it, then i am putting in the good stuff that can stand the cold weather. Thanks guys! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MR_Candyman Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 I am going to try that light to warm it up or try to, its to get warm enough to hopefully melt it, then i am putting in the good stuff that can stand the cold weather. Thanks guys! it'll take a few hours to warm up, possibly the majority of the day (depending on how cold it is outside). it will work though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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