Windshield squirters don't work below 30 degrees F

Why not use an antifreeze based screenwash, I worked in Bosnia and our Landrovers were filled with an antifreeze screenwash, it got lover than -23C (-9F) at night and never got above -17 (1F) in the day time, we never had any problems with the screenwash freezing.

Ross

Might be a dumb question, but are you using anti-freeze windshield washer fluid or just water? And if you are using anti-freeze fluid, does it state the temperature range that it is effective at?

I do have some problems with the washer getting clogged up, but it's usually after some freezing rain has hit the car and coated it, or occasionally it might occur because of temperature, but that temperature is well below -10C I might find that the jet doesn't spread the fluid around as evenly as it does at higher temperatures. I usually use the anti-freeze that's rated for -40 or lower.

Yousuf Khan

I live in Chicago where it's currently 9F. :-)

If I use Prestone's premium windshield washer fluid (it's yellow), I don't have a problem. Any the blue stuff, typically I have problem at some point in the season, regardless of what they claim as the freezing point on the bottle.

I typically run the head split between defrost vents and the low vents to keep the windshield hotter than the outside temp to reduce the freeze on contact possibilities.

Yes, it's dangerous to not have windshield washer available in salty roads, esp at night.

-- Todd H.

Todd H. wrote:>

Thanks, Todd. Whatever I'm using, it's the blue stuff. I'll try refilling with the good yellow stuff. And here I was, thinking this was a Subaru defect!

Nah, can't blame subaru for physics. :-)

It would be interesting if manufacturers would look at heating those nozzles and tube runs, but perhaps high quality fluid makes this expense and failure point unnecessary.

Best Regards,

-- Todd H.

-15F here and my Legacy squirts just fine. TG

Well, I'm sure "Dr." Rusty Farfoofnick will pop in here and say that Subaru's actually cause washer fluid to freeze earlier, and stay frozen, longer, than any other make vehicle!

I did see a post here (I think) recently about an aftermarket washer fluid heating systems... if I can find the link, I'll post it later. C

Here in Minnesota, the blue stuff works fine down to very low temps, but who knows what they sell other places. Where are you Deb?

Also, do you use plain water in summer and blue stuff in winter? Probably not a good idea.

But, if you use blue stuff years round, and the blue stuff is good to a low temp (leave a bottle outside...) then it sounds to me like a mechanical problem. Still, my money is on the simplest answer: the fluid is freezing.