View Full Version : Frozen Windshield Washer Fluid
zimagold
01-03-2022, 23:06
Noticed frozen orange liquid under the Jeep today after the -5F temps at the house. Tracked the leak to the washer fluid pump. The main reservoir did not freeze but looks like the lines and maybe the pump is frozen. Anyone dealt with this before? What's the likelihood I have damage in the system?
I've always used quality fluids and never had any issue with freezing (ignoring rental car antics). Fluid was Rain-X 2 in 1 rated to -25F from Costco. No issues with my other vehicles.
Trying to figure out the reason. My hypothesis is the jeep doesn't get driven much and the alcohol evaporated from the fluid, particularly in the rear wiper line. I can't remember when that would have been run last. I guess maybe I start draining the reservoir in fall and adding fresh fluid since its not cycled out regularly. I also put the partial jug of Rain-X in the chest freezer just to see if its a bad batch.
Suggestions?
OtterbatHellcat
01-04-2022, 00:50
At temps much lower than -5, I've seen frozen batteries, fuel(s), and improperly mixed engine coolant....but I've never seen frozen ww fluid.
I'm curious about your chest freezer test, I think it would have to be a very old bottle of fluid for the methanol to have evaporated.
Is it this one that is only rated to 0F?
https://www.rainx.com/product/rain-x-all-season-windshield-washer-fluid/
They have other versions that are rated to -20F, -25F, -30F (De-icer), and +32F (Bug remover)
zimagold
01-04-2022, 09:41
Says -25F on the jug.
Just checked one of mine. Definitely shows -25. I've never had an issue with it.
Most cheap ones are -25.
Those expensive bug wipe or some rainx are rated little higher temp.
Some brand of car pump and sensor hates cheap ones. Some brands hate rainx.
I?ve spent weeks up in Wyoming when the temperatures (without the wind chill) never got above -15 and didn?t have any issues with any of my vehicle fluids freezing.
Not saying it can?t happen and I have seen washer fluid that was diluted with water and froze and cracked the washer pump.
Should be plenty warm yesterday and today so maybe run the squirters and see what happens.
zimagold
01-04-2022, 10:14
I?ll see what happens tonight. Hopefully it will be thawed. Mainly concerned about a cracked pump or split in the rear wiper line that may not be obvious. I guess I?ll just pull up the carpet and run it a bunch looking for a pool forming inside the cab.
Just plain odd, I?ve had the same vehicle parked overnight in -20 up north without issues. It made a nasty racket starting but nothing froze like this.
BushMasterBoy
01-04-2022, 12:23
Chemistry. Cheap rubber lines absorbed the methanol. Just my theory.
.455_Hunter
01-04-2022, 12:52
Did you use a "summer formula" rated for 32 deg earlier in the year and had significant quantity left in the reservoir?
We have not needed a lot of washer fluid around here this fall.
Did you use a "summer formula" rated for 32 deg earlier in the year and had significant quantity left in the reservoir?
We have not needed a lot of washer fluid around here this fall.
This is one reason that I ONLY use one type. I don't care if it's 100 degrees outside, it gets the -25 stuff.
Chemistry. Cheap rubber lines absorbed the methanol. Just my theory.
What? I figured extraterrestrials would factor into your theory somehow.
If it is the pump, it might be slightly easier to replace than entire line. see where it is leaking exactly. I almost had to replace the pump, because the type of vehicle pump do not like those cheap washier fluid.
I know some German maker vehicle do not like those orange RainX.
During fall, pump up (use up) all the bug winshield wiper with higher freezing pt (ie 32F or 25F) until you see the new <-20F fluid hits the windshield.
ChickNorris
01-04-2022, 15:39
Curious, did you have your vehicle serviced since spring of last year? Maybe they diluted your mixture with another formula, as a courtesy.
BushMasterBoy
01-04-2022, 15:41
What? I figured extraterrestrials would factor into your theory somehow.
The ET's are a fact Ray. The rubber hoses could be replaced with silicone hose and probably not be affected. You are the petro-chem guy? What do you think?
The ET's are a fact Ray.
Oh, I believe in the ET?s. I have to. I refuse to believe the human race represents the highest level of intelligence.
As to the subject at hand, generally whatever hoses are used are probably forgiving enough that any freezing of liquid inside of them probably isn?t going to damage them. Obviously, if they?re old and brittle that might be a factor. Hard plastic parts like the pump are less forgiving to the expansion from freezing liquids and are more prone to damage.
Also, are we positive that the puddle under the vehicle is washer fluid and not something else?
zimagold
01-04-2022, 22:32
Chemistry. Cheap rubber lines absorbed the methanol. Just my theory.
^^^ This seems the most likely. ^^^
Did you use a "summer formula" rated for 32 deg earlier in the year and had significant quantity left in the reservoir?
We have not needed a lot of washer fluid around here this fall.
Only use the -25F type to avoid this issue.
Curious, did you have your vehicle serviced since spring of last year? Maybe they diluted your mixture with another formula, as a courtesy.
Jeep is pretty straightforward for maintenance, no one else has touched it in 16 months.
Oh, I believe in the ET?s. I have to. I refuse to believe the human race represents the highest level of intelligence.
As to the subject at hand, generally whatever hoses are used are probably forgiving enough that any freezing of liquid inside of them probably isn?t going to damage them. Obviously, if they?re old and brittle that might be a factor. Hard plastic parts like the pump are less forgiving to the expansion from freezing liquids and are more prone to damage.
Also, are we positive that the puddle under the vehicle is washer fluid and not something else?
Followed the trail of orange icicles straight back to the base of the washer fluid pump. Radiator was my first concern as I flushed the coolant and replaced with G05 at the proper dilution last spring. Cooling system looks fine.
Checked it tonight. Everything is working fine. Did not find any leaks after a fair bit of run time. The rear line had a decent amount of air, but that's pretty normal when it hasn't been run for awhile. Chest freezer test of partial jug and sample from reservoir stayed liquid at -10F with no slush. I guess I'll just add purging the lines to my fall maintenance check list since this vehicle is a weekend toy. Glad nothing is broken.
Thanks everyone for the comments.
Curious, is the reservoir cap intact?
zimagold
01-04-2022, 22:44
Curious, is the reservoir cap intact?
Intact and sealing area is ?cleanish?
Curious, did you have your vehicle serviced since spring of last year? Maybe they diluted your mixture with another formula, as a courtesy.
This. I do most of my own service, but the few times I've had to bring it in I tape a big note "do not fill" over the windshield washer reservoir.
O2
Just checked one of mine. Definitely shows -25. I've never had an issue with it.
Same. I hate it when I get my vehicle serviced and they dilute it with garbage because of their super-good-service "multi-point check". [Puke]
2 years ago I had lines pop apart or freeze and crack. I filled the res too late and some regular water was in the lines and froze. Funny part is that the pump put out enough pressure so that when I ran it the line burst or disconnected. Waited till it got warmer and found a line in the front and a line going to rear wiper had issues. Easy fix once thawed.
Funny, but I hit the squirters on the company truck this morning and the pump ran but no juice to the windshield. I think it was only 19 degrees but almost seemed like I had something frozen somewhere.
Chemistry. Cheap rubber lines absorbed the methanol. Just my theory.
Chest freezer test of partial jug and sample from reservoir stayed liquid at -10F with no slush.
So if left to sit for a while, rubber lines absorbed the methanol out of the solution. Makes sense since lines get squishy and deteriorated over time.
Noticed frozen orange liquid under the Jeep today after the -5F temps at the house. Tracked the leak to the washer fluid pump. The main reservoir did not freeze but looks like the lines and maybe the pump is frozen. Anyone dealt with this before? What's the likelihood I have damage in the system?
I've always used quality fluids and never had any issue with freezing (ignoring rental car antics). Fluid was Rain-X 2 in 1 rated to -25F from Costco. No issues with my other vehicles.
Trying to figure out the reason. My hypothesis is the jeep doesn't get driven much and the alcohol evaporated from the fluid, particularly in the rear wiper line. I can't remember when that would have been run last. I guess maybe I start draining the reservoir in fall and adding fresh fluid since its not cycled out regularly. I also put the partial jug of Rain-X in the chest freezer just to see if its a bad batch.
Suggestions?
Happened to my Ram. Same as you, no alcohol. I added HEET to it and it was fine.
Not much snow up until recently. Probably a bunch of alcohol missing from many reservoirs.
I?m thinking about just running 100% methanol in mine. Pretty sure that stuff won?t freeze. Of course it probably isn?t very good at cleaning the windshield and may melt the wiper blades.
BushMasterBoy
01-05-2022, 21:08
100% methanol is highly flammable. Don't do it. It is heavier than air and will start a fire in the engine compartment. My last post on this thread.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methanol
100% methanol is highly flammable. Don't do it. It is heavier than air and will start a fire in the engine compartment. My last post on this thread.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methanol
Sounds like that would be really effective at defrosting a frozen window on a cold morning. Wire up a spark plug even...
Funny, but I hit the squirters on the company truck this morning and the pump ran but no juice to the windshield. I think it was only 19 degrees but almost seemed like I had something frozen somewhere.
Turns out I must have had some sort of freeze.
Put the truck in a heated shop for a while and they started working again. I pumped all of the fluid out into a bucket and it definitely appeared to be pretty watered down compared to the new bottle of fluid I had. I had the truck serviced right before Christmas. I highly suspect the lube kids topped the reservoir off with water.
Installed some fresh, undiluted fluid and I think I?m good to go.
Fentonite
01-07-2022, 00:23
Turns out I must have had some sort of freeze.
Put the truck in a heated shop for a while and they started working again. I pumped all of the fluid out into a bucket and it definitely appeared to be pretty watered down compared to the new bottle of fluid I had. I had the truck serviced right before Christmas. I highly suspect the lube kids topped the reservoir off with water.
Installed some fresh, undiluted fluid and I think I?m good to go.
Nope. It was aliens. Check the crop circles for the answer.
[Peep]
whitewalrus
01-07-2022, 01:03
Turns out I must have had some sort of freeze.
Put the truck in a heated shop for a while and they started working again. I pumped all of the fluid out into a bucket and it definitely appeared to be pretty watered down compared to the new bottle of fluid I had. I had the truck serviced right before Christmas. I highly suspect the lube kids topped the reservoir off with water.
Installed some fresh, undiluted fluid and I think I?m good to go.
You would hope that far into December they would use the winter stuff.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
You would hope that far into December they would use the winter stuff.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Well, who knows. Maybe there?s a washer fluid shortage and the barely out of high school kids that work the lube rack were advised by management to just top things off with water.
Plus, let?s not forget that the average temperatures in December were what? Fifty degrees? Maybe they thought it wasn?t a big deal and that I?d probably use it all up before it got cold enough to be an issue.
Most likely its just a general lack of common sense or life experience. Looking at them I would say the kids working in the lube section where I had the truck serviced were all probably between the ages of eighteen and twenty-one and they?re probably paid peanuts.
No harm, no foul since no damage was done I suppose. Also a life lesson for me. If I take a vehicle in for service in the winter months I should just make sure I bring it in with a full washer tank so they can?t add water.
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