too cold for the washer fluid

[21Rouge]

My wife added 'summer' fluid to the washer reservoir. Freezing for this summer rated fluid is 0 degrees cel. or 32 F. Ill have her use the fluid as much as she can before the freezing temps set in but if I top up with winter fluid will that counteract having some non winter fluid in the fill tank?

[vibe-04]

Although it's not freezing yet, there is a risk of damaging your resovoir if there's a sustaned cold snap. The washer fluid will freeze and expand to crack the tank or force the rubber hoses to disconnect. It happened to my wife's car, once. Not a pretty site and something you don't want to fix at 10 below. I run winter fluid all year that way ther is never a problem.I'd drain and refill the whole tank just to be sure.I don't think there is an additive, vodka maybe by don't use gasline antifreeze.

[Digger]

Auto zine has a add on winterrizer for washer tank. Also If you mix 3/4 with winter stuff you should be ok.

[21Rouge]

Quote, originally posted by Digger »Also If you mix 3/4 with winter stuff you should be ok. That's what I was hoping.

[jasonvibe]

I never heard of summer fluid. All washer fluid near me is the same. rated freeze at about -24F

[zionzr2]

i use rainx deicer-stuff in winter and RainX bug-stuff in warmer months... both a rated well below zero temp wise

[ragingfish]

Regardless of which fluid you use -- extreme-temp friendly or not -- DO NOT fill the tank to the top. I recommend stopping the fill around the point the filler neck pops above the steel of the engine bay. You never know if by some freak of nature your fluid can, and will freeze. In the unlikely event it does, you want to leave it enough room to expand without cracking the tank.Just some friendly advice.

[vibe-04]

On a related note, Canadian Tire is selling a washer fluid preheater that goes inline to the nozzels and has a terminal power supply. I'm not sure what to think cause that may work to clear off ice when cold starting but at highway speed what's the point. For 50 bucks I might get it for Christmas, here's the notes: * Helps keep windshield clean all year round * Quickly heats windshield washer fluid to 60°C when the vehicle is started * HotWash works with existing windshield washer fluid control * Quickly removes ice, frost and snow without scraping * In warmer months, HotWash is more effective at removing dirt, bugs and road grime from windshield * Easy to install; no special tools requiredhttp://www.canadiantire.ca/(removed)...=true

[Sputnik]

Aren't we always told not to use hot liquid to clear ice off of car windows??

[binary]

Quote, originally posted by Sputnik »Aren't we always told not to use hot liquid to clear ice off of car windows??I hadn't heard that specifically for windshields... but I know what happens when you take a hot coffee craft and rinse it with cold water.You're left holding the handle while the rest of the glass has shattered in the sink. However, a Buick model has this same "feature" from the factory. So maybe the laminated windshield can handle the sudden temp shock.

[ragingfish]

Quote, originally posted by binary »I hadn't heard that specifically for windshields... but I know what happens when you take a hot coffee craft and rinse it with cold water.You're left holding the handle while the rest of the glass has shattered in the sink. However, a Buick model has this same "feature" from the factory. So maybe the laminated windshield can handle the sudden temp shock.You also have to keep in mind how hot the liquid will be. The Lucerne uses 176° for the fluid temp. I suspect you only experience breakage when the heat temps involved are 212° (boiling) and higher. Also, the glass temp would likely need to be significantly colder...

[Gandalf]

I always add a good amount of isopropyl alcohol to the washer tank for winter. You can use iso-Heet (kinda expensive) or do what I do: buy Walgreen's rubbing (isopropanol) alcohol when it's on sale. It's either 70%, or 91%. I just dump about 8 oz. in the tank. After adding Isopropanol, 'standard' washer fluid will take light frost off the windshield. The so-called 'winter' (yellow) washer fluid runs around $3/gallon here. The blue stuff, good to -25F, is only $0.99/gallon. Add about $0.50 worth of isopropanol, and it's good to around -40F, and works as well as the more expensive 'winter' washer fluid.And I agree: it's not worth using 'summer' fluid if you live where it gets cold; you'll wind up having to change over to something that's good for cold weather, and that's a PITA. Easier to use winter (blue) stuff year round.

[ToolGuy]

Quote, originally posted by Gandalf »I always add a good amount of isopropyl alcohol to the washer tank for winter. This is exactly what I do if it starts to freeze up on me! Very cheap to do and after reading the labels on the Iso-Heat or others like Melt, it is basically the same thing.

[zionzr2]

and for those times when you just dont want to risk iti got a cheap hand opperated siphon to suck out the exsisting fluids. so they can be replaced with fresh stuff.

[Digger]

I would becarful of what you add for a deicer. Some of that stuff willl eat your paint.

[binary]

True Digger... iso will remove car wax pretty easily. But then again - it'll probably evaporate before doing much.On my car, it'll have about 1/4" of salt to soak through first... Then again - I have a half jug of blue washerfluid in my garage, frozen solid. sitting next to two jugs of the anti-freeze stuff, that's just peachy. And it was -7 F Monday morning. So I think I'll stick with the antifreeze stuff.Don't forget your rear washer fluid travels through the interior of your car, and you don't want that to freeze up one night.