Just a "heads up" post about being sure that you be certain to purchase cold weather windshield washer fluid with anti-freeze chemistry as winter approaches.

I live in an area of the U.S. where temperatures are often mild, but we do get freezing weather in winter. In this area Stores continue to sell windshield washer fluid with no protection against freezing and the results can be expensive when temperatures drop and the reservoir tank bursts or the pump housing cracks.

This very thing happened to me several years ago and now I am much wiser. Don't be like me.

 

I know, I'm in NY and was shocked that some washer fluid sold around here has no anti-freeze in it and only works down to 32 degrees.

 

Our local Wal-Mart had three brands for sale and only one had freeze protection. Last winter I bought the right stuff and then threw in a few cups of denatured alcohol just to be super safe. The alcohol has a stink to it, but not too bad.

 

Best winter fluid I've used is the Rain-X stuff.

 

I like the rain ex stuff, but found out the hard way its not compatible with heated washer nozzles.. It dries out and cals them shut... (At least it did on my wife BMW>.. )

 

Never seen any washer fluid around here that wasn't rated for winter use.

 

if you cannot find the winter blend, add some 91% rubbing alcohol to the mix, it will prevent freeze up.

 

Also beware of allowing shops to refill your reservoir when doing an oil change. After having a pump burn out because of weak solution the shop added to my reservoir, I now carry my own Prestone washer fluid de-icer. Nor have I returned to that service center.

 

yah, i had a local bonehead shop do an oil change in my youth to save money and he added some regular washer fluid. faking froze dead middle of winter so i asked my parents to let me park in their garage and after it thawed i just sprayed the rest of the fluid out and put the -22F stuff in.

but i suppose in canada even -22F is worthless. lol

i dont let anyone touch my cars these days.. well since about 30 yrs ago

 

I have an almost brand new Honda Fit...

I've actually been overusing the windshield fluid in an effort to use it up so I can change it to a store bought brand...with anti-freeze properties..and conceivably of higher quality.

My question is...does anyone know if the wiper fluid that comes from the factory has anti-freeze properties?

I know it's not just water...as it has a detergent action and a pleasant odor.

But if it doesn't have anti-freeze properties perhaps I have to work on changing it out with more urgency.

PS.
I really hate it when you buy "Good" windshield fluid, and then mechanics or shops, do you the "favor" of diluting it with whatever water or crap they add.
I've learned to strongly mention...DO NOT top off or touch the windshield fluid as an instruction I leave with ANY service being done.
I've still had them smile and tell me they topped the windshield fluid off, when I go to pick up the car.

 

I've never heard of any car, at least in cold country, coming with washer fluid that froze and cracked the reservoir.

 

i get the rainx or deicing ones, i nvr use the blue stuff even if it is rated below 0, always tends to freeze on the windshield

 

If it's being shipped to the cold north in the wintertime a new car would have to have antifreeze in the windshield washer reservoir, unless they ship it dry and let the local dealerships fill it up as part of the prep work with whatever is appropriate based on the weather. If there wasn't antifreeze in the reservoirs you'd have the reservoirs and hoses cracking in all the new cars sitting in the car lot in the sub zero weather.

 

I don't understand why anyone would take their car in for work with a partially filled reservoir.. That's just asking for some mechanic to top it off with something. If you make sure it's full yourself ahead of time then no one will be adding anything.

 

Maybe some of us don't have a supply laying around to top off every time we pull in for service?

It's a good idea to top off yourself and thus KEEP the service departments from topping off with something else...

But then again...if YOU say...don't top it off...that should be an easy enough instruction for a competent service department to follow.

 

I boost mine every winter with denatured alky, but it sort of smells like booze.

 

Does that mean you boooooozted it?

 

Had good luck with the Rain-X stuff in Cleveland winters. You can get heaters for the wiper reservoir, but sounded pricey.