I had a rather unnerving experience while driving my 8-week-old Model Y on a Chicago tollway en route to O'Hare two days before Christmas. The temperature was well zero F and the windshield became coated with road salt and ice from the previous day's snowstorm. I hit the washer button and nothing happened. I could hear the motor turning as visibility through the windshield slowly deteriorated. I finally made it to a busy O'Hare. It was somewhat embarrassing as I poured half a bottle of water onto the windshield, which I knew would freeze. That allowed me to use my ice scraper, clear the ice off and gain some visibility. I made the 16-mile trek home very slowly. I later added more than a half gallon of my own fluid rated at minus 20 F. I was somewhat shocked it needed that much since I'd hardly used the washer. One more thing: The Model Y was in my unheated garage which should have been considerably warmer than the outside temperature. Even my bottled water was not frozen.
The Upshot: As the temperature rose in the following days, the washer began working. A Tesla service tech who came to the house was; as flummoxed as I was as he and I wondered if the Austin factory is actually sending vehicles to Chicago with substandard washer fluid. I've yet to receive an explanation from Tesla. I should note, frozen fluid is my own diagnosis and I"m open to the possibility there could be another reason for this. Also, nothing like this ever happened in my previously owned Model S.
The Upshot: As the temperature rose in the following days, the washer began working. A Tesla service tech who came to the house was; as flummoxed as I was as he and I wondered if the Austin factory is actually sending vehicles to Chicago with substandard washer fluid. I've yet to receive an explanation from Tesla. I should note, frozen fluid is my own diagnosis and I"m open to the possibility there could be another reason for this. Also, nothing like this ever happened in my previously owned Model S.
