This afternoon, my mother called to tell me she had seen the "low windshield washer" light come on in her '99 Jetta, and proudly told me that she had refilled it herself, but that after she had done so, the light was still on. I guessed immediately what she had done -- she put windshield washer into the coolant tank.
She had driven the car about 8 miles after doing so. I went over and emptied the tank using the suction gun, and refilled it with G12, but as I drew the old out, it was engine-hot, so obviously, it had circulated fully through the engine and the windshield washer must be throughout the cooling system.
She showed me the jug she had used, and there was a little less than a pint gone from it.
So...
Am I correct in assuming that it is now thoroughly mixed throughout the engine? Or, would the majority of it have stayed in the coolant tank and been removed when I suctioned it?
Assuming it's thoroughly mixed, will a pint of windshield washer -- standard, blue, water-alcohol mix -- do harm? Bottom line -- must I replace her coolant?