Freezing window washer

Really basic question - are you using winter mix washer fluid? Summer mix

I haven't seen this problem on my -01 lw300 but had a really annoying problem on an old Dodge Caravan where the wiper mounted windshield sprayers were in a high pressure zone that would often force (rain or ice melt) water back down through the tubing where it would freeze. Regularly, would have to remove the sprayer and a length of hose, take it inside the cabin and thaw it out... The lw300 has the sprayers mounted on the hood in a low pressure zone and does not have this problem.

Yep. Here's how I solved it:

1. Put about 3/4 pint of denatured alcohol (shellac thinner from the hardware store) in the windshield-washer tank. Mix well.
2. Park the car in a warm garage until the lines thaw, and the fluid begins to flow again.
3. Run the washer pump until you can smell the alcohol coming out.
4. Top off the washer tank with winter mix washer fluid.
5. Use winter mix all year round.

That last part is especially important -- the previous owner of our Saturn didn't do that, as we learned to our dismay the first winter we owned it. I've been using winter mix in the Saturn ever since -- just like in all our other vehicles -- and haven't had any further problems.

Just a comment: Although the recommendation seems like it would likely work to unclog the sprayer nozzle, having shellac thinner hitting the car's clear coat finish doesn't sound too wise to me....

Bob

Ah! Cring... I was thinking the same thing. I've gotten 'denatured alcohol' on a painted surface before but that was on a washing machine. Didn't seem to harm it but its not something that sits outside in the elements. It may cause the paint to prematurely fade & it will certainly remove any car wax.

Maybe try the better quality washer fluids. Like Prestone De-Icer. Fred

It won't hurt it a bit. Perhaps you're thinking of acetone...?

It will do nothing of the kind. Wax is not soluble in alcohol. Neither is automotive lacquer. What do you suppose they put in winter mix windshield washer fluid, anyway, to keep it from freezing?

And you think that doesn't have alcohol in it? Think again. The MSDS for Prestone De-Icer is available here:

Doug, did you need 3 post to get your point across?

You best look up the MSDS's for Denatured Alcohol and Paint Strippers. Its not Methyl, its Ethanol...

Sorry do you mean actual wax or the stuff people put on their cars today. Either way its coming off.

Now...I'm off to bed...knowing my original concern still stands.

Bull. What paint stripper contains ethanol?

Either way, wax is not soluble in ethyl or methyl alcohol.

Nonsense.

Last I knew, denatured alcohol is Ethanol with a poison added to render it undrinkable (otherwise it is taxed as liquor). Methanol is poisonous as-is. Methanol: C-H3- OH, Ethanol: C2-H5-OH

That's correct; the most common denaturant for ethanol is methanol. Either one will work just fine to keep your windshield washer fluid from freezing, and neither one will harm the finish on your car.

I have better fluid in the tank now and it seems to be better. The fluid originally in there was what the dealer kept topping it off with every 3 months.

My mom's car had the same issue and it is a 2007. First winter. They replaced the fluid pump. We both thought that kind of odd since when it was warm it worked fine.

I lived in Alaska for 18 years @ -30 -40 and -50 degrees .. -62 at one point -- anyway .. when I refilled my windshield wiper tank with " 30 below" fluid - I always added table salt to the reservoir to keep the lines / squirters clear .. 2-3 teaspoons per refill -- never had a problem with freeze-up.

You must have good windshield wipers. I would think that the salt would leave behind a film on the windshield. I made the mistake of adding brackish hudson river water to my windshield resevoir. First time I attempted to use the sprayers to clean the windshield rendered it almost opaque.