Frozen Windshield Washer Fluid

[Gman]

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".

[Erni]

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.

[ray1970]

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.

[MarkCO]

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.

[ben4372]

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.

[ray1970]

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]

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

[FoxtArt]

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...

[ray1970]

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]

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.