Frozen windscreen washers

[Carts850]

Not sure I’m being a bit daft here.
Did the drive from Yorkshire to Scotland today.
Topped up the windscreen wash with some blue stuff (good for minus 4 I think I said).
The temp outside was around minus 2 for most of the trip. At worst it was minus 8.
But the whole trip no windscreen washer would work.
Had to pull over loads to clean the windscreen.
Never ever had this before in various cars.
There is no wiper defrost button.
Did a search and can’t find much of a similar ilk.
Just for anyone interested…
205 miles. Arrived home with 14% left and it was a very cold trip. Half at motorway speeds.
Can’t grumble.

 

[nufan]

Had you got some pure water in the supply pipes? i.e. although you’d topped up with antifreeze screenwash it hadn’t propagated through the pipe work - or it was frozen to begin with even before you’d added he blue stuff?

 

[Carts850]

I had a couple of decent squirts, if you will, as I first departed so had hoped that had got the good blue stuff into the pipes.
Either way, it was having none of it the whole trip.
Just me? And bad windscreen wash?

 

[M1tch]

Rated for -4, air temp of -2, wind chill factor of 70mph, they are gonna freeze.

As above you either had a summer mix / water in the pipes / jets and it froze or what you put in wasn’t good enough and it froze.

When I swap from summer to winter tyres I also change my washer fluid to a -20 rated fluid from Halfords. (Which I dilute as required but never to less than -10 in winter. Never had an issue in any car

 

[kelvin 660]

I've had no problem and I use PRESTONE READY TO USE SCREENWASH 5LTR good down to -10C Yes, it's a bit expensive but it works great.

 

[munkypuzel]

I guess the fact there is no heat in the 'engine' bay is a factor also.

 

[Carts850]

Halfords tmrw it is. Thanks guys/ gals.

 

[M1tch]

If it’s still sub zero it won’t help until your pipes / jets are clear. Pouring Warm water on the jets / pipes will help and have a quick effect. Just mind your windscreen to avoid thermal shock and cracking

 

[Carts850]

I’m home now so will warm, syphon, and empty tmrw.
Never thought of the lack of engine heat. Idiot.

 

[brkaus]

I’m home now so will warm, syphon, and empty tmrw.
Never thought of the lack of engine heat. Idiot.

They had the same issue when changing traffic lights from incandescent to LED. Found out there wasn't enough heat to melt the snow & ice. Oops.

 

[Fursty Ferret]

Screenwash concentrate needs to be diluted to achieve the quoted freezing point. If you put it in neat it'll freeze earlier.

 

[AndyWarrington]

Isn't there a wiper defrost function next to the heated steering wheel function on the climate screen in the car? No 7 on this screen shot?

7. Touch to turn on the wiper defrosters (if equipped). Wipers defrost for 30 minutes then turn off automatically.

 

[qwickshot]

Only on the newest cars, my year old Model 3 doesn’t have it.

As others have said, -4 screen wash isn’t going to cut it in this weather, that’s basically a standard spring/summer/autumn mix.

I live in the warmest part of the country and the air temp is -4 right now so that mix would probably be frozen, even after an hours drive in an ICE car.

It needs to be rated for at least -10, I usually go higher in winter as there is wind chill to consider.

 

[Maca]

Unfortunately for me I've forgotten to put my -10 screen wash in and have had no screen wash for 2 days. I'll have to wait until it warms up a little to empty out and refill

 

[khyros]

Isn't there a wiper defrost function next to the heated steering wheel function on the climate screen in the car? No 7 on this screen shot?

View attachment 884384

7. Touch to turn on the wiper defrosters (if equipped). Wipers defrost for 30 minutes then turn off automatically.

For what it's worth, the wiper defroster has very little impact on frozen nozzles/lines in my Aug 2022 model 3
I had to wait until temp got to 0 degrees this morning to be able to wash my windscreen

 

[GeorgeSymonds]

Screenwash concentrate needs to be diluted to achieve the quoted freezing point. If you put it in neat it'll freeze earlier.

Whenever I look at screen wash they give a range of dilution levels and the more water, the higher the temp when it freezes which is opposite to what you suggest.

This is from Halfords for their -20 screenwash

“Product Usage Instructions:
Suggested Dilution:

100% Concentrate with 0% Water: Effective down to -20⁰C
50% Concentrate with 50% Water: Effective down to -7.5⁰C
20% Concentrate with 80% Water: Effective down to -2.5⁰C”

 

[AndrewGR]

Whenever I look at screen wash they give a range of dilution levels and the more water, the higher the temp when it freezes which is opposite to what you suggest.

This is from Halfords for their -20 screenwash

“Product Usage Instructions:
Suggested Dilution:

100% Concentrate with 0% Water: Effective down to -20⁰C
50% Concentrate with 50% Water: Effective down to -7.5⁰C
20% Concentrate with 80% Water: Effective down to -2.5⁰C”

Why isn’t this what you would expect? The screen wash concentrate is some sort of dilute alcohol. Pure alcohol freezes at -114C. The more you dilute it with water the higher the temperature it freezes at.

 

[Adopado]

Why isn’t this what you would expect? The screen wash concentrate is some sort of dilute alcohol. Pure alcohol freezes at -114C. The more you dilute it with water the higher the temperature it freezes at.

You misunderstood ... @GeorgeSymonds was responding to @Fursty Ferret who was under the impression that undiluted screenwash froze sooner ... goodness knows where he got that idea from!

 

[Adopado]

Screenwash concentrate needs to be diluted to achieve the quoted freezing point. If you put it in neat it'll freeze earlier.

Eh ... no it doesn't!

 

[Fursty Ferret]

You misunderstood ... @GeorgeSymonds was responding to @Fursty Ferret who was under the impression that undiluted screenwash froze sooner ... goodness knows where he got that idea from!

Hydrogen bonding, innit? Although come to think of it this might only apply to glycol fluids.