At first I thot maybe this was just another weird 'safety feature', perhaps to prevent w/s washer fluid from freezing on the w/s? But I've done a search here and found nothing about the washers not working in the cold with others' cars!

Which mine ^%$#*& don't! Car is parked outside every night, and in the cold mornings at startup pulling back on the wiper stalk does absolutely nothing! Only after my 2010 Fit's been running for a while (at least 15-20 minutes) and well warmed up will the w/s washers begin working normally again..!

I guess this is a warranty issue that I should take the car back for fixing, rignt? -Only problem is the car is gonna be warmed up by the time I get it to the dealers, and I know the frigging washers are gonna be working by then and the service guys are gonna say HUH? (-I just know this is gonna happen, I just know it.....!!)

 

Can you hear the pump when you activate the washer? If not, get it fixed. Both my 08 and 09 work flawlessly in 1F weather.


If you can hear the pump but nothing comes out, your lines/nozzle is frozen. Get a better -22F washer fluid.

 

I'll bet it's your fluid. Buy better fluid. They check windshield washer function in the PDI.

 

I actually experinced this the first time I tried to use my windshield washers in below freezing -- I replaced the washer fluid with some better stuff and all is well. I think the car comes with a summer windshield washer fluid (at least mine did).

 

I used to have this problem a lot with fluid that wasn't premixed when I was in Germany. The truth is that it's just too easy to mess up the mix and add too much water.

That being said, I use straight water in the summer months, then drain and refill when the seasons change.

 

Had that issue with my 09' during the real first cold snap of the season when temps went below 10 deg F. We use premixed at work, but I never fully emptied the dealer added fluid prior to adding my own. I waited till the tank was fully empty, then refilled it. Haven't had an issue since. If you can't get premixed stuff at a dealer, don't buy the cheapo blue stuff. Buy the Rain-X or Prestone low temp.

 

Sounds to me dealer will not be able to fix Stupid.

You got Summer fluid in there that tends to freeze when it gets cold. Replace it with Winter fluid. This should fix the problem.

What is with badmouthing the dealer when you have not even taken the car there?

 

I think the 2010 civics are having the same problem FWIW.

 

It's the nozzles. All you need to do is use this when temps start to drop....

Rain-X®: De-Icer Windshield Washer Fluid

works great!
Even use it before you park the car for the night and your windshield will be ice free in the morning or at least easier to get off.

 

First, are you using the washer fluid with freezing point below zero F ?
Most WSW fluids sold are merely water with some soap additive and of course it freezes below 32F. I've know people to 'flavor' WSW bottles with antifreeze but I suspect thats nor good for paint. Check the WSW fluids at your local auto pasrts store.
How many times will posters have to tell you?

 

WOTF are you AH, calling me stupid? Who do you think you are anyway, some kinda dealer protection super hero?

If you weren't so frigging dumb yourself I wouldn't even have to explain this to you, but my posting wasn't even close to "bad-mouthing" a dealer! (And again, WTF business is it of yours if I did anyway?!)
I was only making a joke about having something be inoperable on a warrantied car when driving it, only to have it always work when you bring it in to the dealer and they don't believe you and say huh?
-If you've never had something like this happen to then you're probably just a dumb little shit who doesn't know diddly about cars! And I suggest you need to grow up and learn a great deal more about living before you go around calling others "stupid," especially because of things you don't understand yet...!

But genuine thanks to the adults here who've put me wise to the using of "Summer" type w/s fluid, which I gotta say is a situation I never heard of before? -Thas definitely a new one on me, as I've always used the cheap blue pre-mix washer stuff on my cars (stuff's in the Echo now and works just fine!), and have never had a problem with it in the Winter time before. -But anyway now I'll try draining all this stuff out of the Fit's w/s container and replacing it with better stuff...

 

Well you're good for a laugh DA

 

Careful putting the summer fluid in there. Remember, ice expands as it freezes - can't be good for hoses and such.

I got a horrid surprise while living in the midwest - driving down the road, having just left the house one morning, and pulled the washer lever - and the windshield suddenly was covered inva sheet if ice. Major clenchage moment!

 

So are you, JR...
Say, where the *&$%* is Kitchner anyway? Must get pretty damn cold and iced-over way up there in the wild northern plains of Ontario? -Bet yer w/s fluid freezes over plenty up there!

Anyway who the hell would ever expect that Honda, after making such a decent, different kind of car like the Fit, would then turn around and put cheap-ass freezable w/s fluid under the hood for the initial fill-up?? -I sure hope they didn't do the same chintzy shit with the anti-freeze and the oil?!!

Replacing the w/s crapola tomorrow with some stuff I just bought that says it's good to -20F..! If that causes the nozzles to still freeze up, then I really got problems!

But geez, at least I can be glad I'm not really your "DA"!!!

 

Actually Southern plains of Ontario. About 40 minutes from Toronto.

I bought my FIt in July so I was happy with the fluid. I make sure before I use the washers that I have heat to defrost any ice build up. Don't want to have a sheet of ice when I turn washer on.