Freezing window washer

Hello
I have a 2007 Vue AWD. It seems that whenever the temperature drops around
20 degrees, my washer fluid does not spray on either front or back windows.
I know the fluid is not frozen. (at least in the tank) My mom has a 2007
Ion and it did the same thing. They replaced the fluid pump in the Ion. My
mom really hasn't been driving in the cold for us to know if it fixed the
problem.

Has anyone else had this issue?

Thanks

Really basic question - are you using winter mix washer fluid? Summer mix
**will** freeze up while winter mix is good to -20F (iirc).

I haven't seen this problem on my -01 lw300 but had a really annoying
problem on an old Dodge Caravan where the wiper mounted windshield sprayers
were in a high pressure zone that would often force (rain or ice melt) water
back down through the tubing where it would freeze. Regularly, would have to
remove the sprayer and a length of hose, take it inside the cabin and thaw
it out...
The lw300 has the sprayers mounted on the hood in a low pressure zone and
does not have this problem.

"Coasten1" > wrote in message
. ..
> Hello
> I have a 2007 Vue AWD. It seems that whenever the temperature drops
> around 20 degrees, my washer fluid does not spray on either front or back
> windows. I know the fluid is not frozen. (at least in the tank) My mom
> has a 2007 Ion and it did the same thing. They replaced the fluid pump in
> the Ion. My mom really hasn't been driving in the cold for us to know if
> it fixed the problem.
>
> Has anyone else had this issue?
>
> Thanks
>

In article >, "Coasten1" > wrote:
>Hello
>I have a 2007 Vue AWD. It seems that whenever the temperature drops around
>20 degrees, my washer fluid does not spray on either front or back windows.
>I know the fluid is not frozen. (at least in the tank) My mom has a 2007
>Ion and it did the same thing. They replaced the fluid pump in the Ion. My
>mom really hasn't been driving in the cold for us to know if it fixed the
>problem.
>
>Has anyone else had this issue?

Yep. Here's how I solved it:
1. Put about 3/4 pint of denatured alcohol (shellac thinner from the hardware
store) in the windshield-washer tank. Mix well.
2. Park the car in a warm garage until the lines thaw, and the fluid begins to
flow again.
3. Run the washer pump until you can smell the alcohol coming out.
4. Top off the washer tank with winter mix washer fluid.
5. Use winter mix all year round.

That last part is especially important -- the previous owner of our Saturn
didn't do that, as we learned to our dismay the first winter we owned it. I've
been using winter mix in the Saturn ever since -- just like in all our other
vehicles -- and haven't had any further problems.

--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

It's time to throw all their damned tea in the harbor again.

Just a comment: Although the recommendation seems like it would likely work
to unclog the sprayer nozzle, having shellac thinner hitting the car's clear
coat finish doesn't sound too wise to me....

Bob


"Doug Miller" > wrote in message
...
> In article >, "Coasten1"
> > wrote:
>>Hello
>>I have a 2007 Vue AWD. It seems that whenever the temperature drops
>>around
>>20 degrees, my washer fluid does not spray on either front or back
>>windows.
>>I know the fluid is not frozen. (at least in the tank) My mom has a 2007
>>Ion and it did the same thing. They replaced the fluid pump in the Ion.
>>My
>>mom really hasn't been driving in the cold for us to know if it fixed the
>>problem.
>>
>>Has anyone else had this issue?
>
> Yep. Here's how I solved it:
> 1. Put about 3/4 pint of denatured alcohol (shellac thinner from the
> hardware
> store) in the windshield-washer tank. Mix well.
> 2. Park the car in a warm garage until the lines thaw, and the fluid
> begins to
> flow again.
> 3. Run the washer pump until you can smell the alcohol coming out.
> 4. Top off the washer tank with winter mix washer fluid.
> 5. Use winter mix all year round.
>
> That last part is especially important -- the previous owner of our Saturn
> didn't do that, as we learned to our dismay the first winter we owned it.
> I've
> been using winter mix in the Saturn ever since -- just like in all our
> other
> vehicles -- and haven't had any further problems.
>
> --
> Regards,
> Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)
>
> It's time to throw all their damned tea in the harbor again.

Maybe try the better quality washer fluids. Like Prestone De-Icer.
Fred
94 SC2

"BläBlä" . s!rcre4p.c0m>
wrote in message ...
> Ah! Cring... I was thinking the same thing. I've gotten 'denatured
> alcohol' on a painted surface before but that was on a washing machine.
> Didn't seem to harm it but its not something that sits outside in the
> elements. It may cause the paint to prematurely fade & it will certainly
> remove any car wax.
>
>
> In article > ,
> says...
>> Just a comment: Although the recommendation seems like it would likely
>> work
>> to unclog the sprayer nozzle, having shellac thinner hitting the car's
>> clear
>> coat finish doesn't sound too wise to me....
>>
>> Bob
>>
>>
>> "Doug Miller" > wrote in message
>> ...
>> > In article >, "Coasten1"
>> > > wrote:
>> >>Hello
>> >>I have a 2007 Vue AWD. It seems that whenever the temperature drops
>> >>around
>> >>20 degrees, my washer fluid does not spray on either front or back
>> >>windows.
>> >>I know the fluid is not frozen. (at least in the tank) My mom has a
>> >>2007
>> >>Ion and it did the same thing. They replaced the fluid pump in the
>> >>Ion.
>> >>My
>> >>mom really hasn't been driving in the cold for us to know if it fixed
>> >>the
>> >>problem.
>> >>
>> >>Has anyone else had this issue?
>> >
>> > Yep. Here's how I solved it:
>> > 1. Put about 3/4 pint of denatured alcohol (shellac thinner from the
>> > hardware
>> > store) in the windshield-washer tank. Mix well.
>> > 2. Park the car in a warm garage until the lines thaw, and the fluid
>> > begins to
>> > flow again.
>> > 3. Run the washer pump until you can smell the alcohol coming out.
>> > 4. Top off the washer tank with winter mix washer fluid.
>> > 5. Use winter mix all year round.
>> >
>> > That last part is especially important -- the previous owner of our
>> > Saturn
>> > didn't do that, as we learned to our dismay the first winter we owned
>> > it.
>> > I've
>> > been using winter mix in the Saturn ever since -- just like in all our
>> > other
>> > vehicles -- and haven't had any further problems.
>> >
>> > --
>> > Regards,
>> > Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)
>> >
>> > It's time to throw all their damned tea in the harbor again.
>>
>>
>>

In article > , "Bob Shuman" > wrote:
>Just a comment: Although the recommendation seems like it would likely work
>to unclog the sprayer nozzle, having shellac thinner hitting the car's clear
>coat finish doesn't sound too wise to me....

It won't hurt it a bit. Perhaps you're thinking of acetone...?

--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

It's time to throw all their damned tea in the harbor again.

In article >, =?iso-8859-15?Q?Bl=E4Bl=E4?=
. s!rcre4p.c0m> wrote:
>Ah! Cring... I was thinking the same thing. I've gotten 'denatured
>alcohol' on a painted surface before but that was on a washing machine.
>Didn't seem to harm it but its not something that sits outside in the
>elements. It may cause the paint to prematurely fade & it will certainly
>remove any car wax.

It will do nothing of the kind. Wax is not soluble in alcohol. Neither is
automotive lacquer. What do you suppose they put in winter mix windshield
washer fluid, anyway, to keep it from freezing?

--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

It's time to throw all their damned tea in the harbor again.

In article >, "Fred" > wrote:
>Maybe try the better quality washer fluids. Like Prestone De-Icer.

And you think that doesn't have alcohol in it? Think again. The MSDS for
Prestone De-Icer is available he
http://www2.itap.purdue.edu/MSDS/docs/9920.pdf

The stuff's 70 to 80% methyl alcohol. Alcohol will *not* harm the finish on a
car.

--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

It's time to throw all their damned tea in the harbor again.

In article >, =?iso-8859-15?Q?Bl=E4Bl=E4?=
. s!rcre4p.c0m> wrote:
>In article > ,
says...
>
>Doug, did you need 3 post to get your point across?
>
>> In article >, "Fred"
> > wrote:
>> >Maybe try the better quality washer fluids. Like Prestone De-Icer.
>>
>> And you think that doesn't have alcohol in it? Think again. The MSDS for
>> Prestone De-Icer is available he
>> http://www2.itap.purdue.edu/MSDS/docs/9920.pdf
>>
>> The stuff's 70 to 80% methyl alcohol. Alcohol will *not* harm the finish on a
>
>> car.
>
>You best look up the MSDS's for Denatured Alcohol and Paint Strippers.
>Its not Methyl, its Ethanol...

Bull. What paint stripper contains ethanol?
>
>> It will do nothing of the kind. Wax is not soluble in alcohol.
>
>Sorry do you mean actual wax or the stuff people put on their cars
>today. Either way its coming off.

Either way, wax is not soluble in ethyl or methyl alcohol.
>
>Now...I'm off to bed...knowing my original concern still stands.

Nonsense.

--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

It's time to throw all their damned tea in the harbor again.

Last I knew, denatured alcohol is Ethanol with a poison added to render it
undrinkable (otherwise it is taxed as liquor). Methanol is poisonous as-is.
Methanol: C-H3- OH, Ethanol: C2-H5-OH