Windscreen Washers freezing and staying frozen once car warm

[Craiglxviii]

Don’t put cheap vodka in. That’s why Russian cars have knackered wiper blades!

 

[Scoob]

Enter your VIN here and heated washers should show on the decoder as option 875 if fitted.

If so, might be worth checking the fuses!

I just took the VIN Number from a scan of my original purchase documentation and it's an entirely different car!

The car given is a 2002 C320 Saloon with 233,704 km on the clock. Other details do match my car, such as colour and everything I recognise off the spec sheet, however there's no option 875.

I'll have to check the actual VIN in daylight as it looks like they screwed up (one of many for this dealership) with the paperwork. I'll need to check the V5 is correct, but I've never had issues taxing the car and all documentation is for the correct model.

Edit: Ok, it's the VIN decoder site that's wrong. I checked on my V5 and the VIN matches but the car details shown are correct.

Lot of speculation and assumption by the OP, don't assume what a garage puts in your car.
Doesn't matter about heated jets, you just need stronger screenwash, probably down to -10 this time of year, as the ambient maybe -1, but the windchill the jets get is probably -10.
Or do what the Russians do, add some cheap vodka.

Yep, cos I didn't know why this winter I suddenly started having issues. It may be that the garage is using different screen wash now - it just says "screen wash" on the invoices so I'm none the wiser.

Scoob.

 

[LostKiwi]

This winter has also been significantly colder than previous ones (at least round these parts).

 

[Scoob]

This winter has also been significantly colder than previous ones (at least round these parts).

Perhaps. Though last nights -1.5c wasn't really an extreme. Maybe I've just been unlucky with water collecting, then freezing in the jets due to it being wet and cold rather than a dry cold. Still baffled why engine heat didn't sort it though, never had a car where the jets stayed frozen before.

Scoob.

 

[LostKiwi]

If the jets are in the plastic grille near the wipers they're the wrong side of the bulkhead to get heated by the engine bay. The bulkhead is also insulated...

 

[sonic]

Lot of speculation and assumption by the OP, don't assume what a garage puts in your car.
Doesn't matter about heated jets, you just need stronger screenwash, probably down to -10 this time of year, as the ambient maybe -1, but the windchill the jets get is probably -10.
Or do what the Russians do, add some cheap vodka.

I was in the army in Germany in the 60's we used tax free Gin, cheaper than screenwash.

 

[EmilysDad]

.... Still baffled why engine heat didn't sort it though, never had a car where the jets stayed frozen before.

Scoob.

I waited ages for engine heat to warm the frozen screen wash tubing on my Smart Fortwo

 

[PINBALL]

Lot of speculation and assumption by the OP, don't assume what a garage puts in your car.
Doesn't matter about heated jets, you just need stronger screenwash, probably down to -10 this time of year, as the ambient maybe -1, but the windchill the jets get is probably -10.

Mine too froze up this year which was down to my own ignorance of not having a strong enough solution, even though i bought a litre of concentrated (from Morrisons for a £1) and threw in 1/2 the bottle, I stupidly forgot to run the fluid through the pipes to get shot of the weaker stuff and they froze up.

Only buy ready mixed from £1 shop or Halfords during the SUMMER ONLY.

Why would MB go to extra expense of installing more electrics to go wrong under warranty when if the correct strength fluid is properly used in the 1st place then they won't fail - look in cars handbook.

No electronic brainbox can tell if a fuse is gone, but will say "CHECK FUSE" as this is the starting point for any supply failure.

My 2nd guess is you've topped up with ready mixed AND water over time and extensively weakened the mixture and are now blaming the car.

To test if washer motor operating and fuse ok, then switch on ignition without starting and depress washers to hear if motor operating and if so then fuse has nothing to do with it.

Usually the fuse also operates other functions as written on backside of fuse cover, so you would have noticed these other lines being off if fuse was gone.

Hope it helps.

 

[Scoob]

I don't think I have the washer heaters the Dealer told me the car had...not really surprised, they made lots of mistakes.

I'm guessing you've not read my subsequent posts, washers work just fine when it's warmer - tested at -0.5c last night with a cold car. However, at just -1.5c they froze solid.

Perhaps different washer fluid was used on my last service than on prior services and is more prone to freezing. Everything on the car works fine, it's just this winter the washers froze for the first time. The point of my post was to figure out what might be different this year vs. the prior four years of winters. Something different about the washer fluid is my best bet currently. Perhaps a summer only mix was used by mistake and it couldn't take the lower temperatures?

I was miss-led about my car having heated washer jets, so that was a red-herring. I was worried something had stopped working due to this false information. If I hadn't been told I had them, I would have assumed a fluid issue right away.

I only top-up the fluid if the car warns me it's getting low - it hasn't so I haven't - so it will still be on the stuff it was given last service. Perhaps I will just pick up some more pre-mix stuff that's winter ready, but maybe the existing solution is simply too weak and needs to be drained out first.

Scoob.

 

[LostKiwi]

When was the car last topped up with fluid? If it was summer time then the fluid will likely be a summer formulation and not resistant below about -5 degrees. A winter formulation will be resistant to -15 or more.

 

[GlosRichCLK]

I don't think I have the washer heaters the Dealer told me the car had...not really surprised, they made lots of mistakes.

I'm guessing you've not read my subsequent posts, washers work just fine when it's warmer - tested at -0.5c last night with a cold car. However, at just -1.5c they froze solid.

Perhaps different washer fluid was used on my last service than on prior services and is more prone to freezing. Everything on the car works fine, it's just this winter the washers froze for the first time. The point of my post was to figure out what might be different this year vs. the prior four years of winters. Something different about the washer fluid is my best bet currently. Perhaps a summer only mix was used by mistake and it couldn't take the lower temperatures?

I was miss-led about my car having heated washer jets, so that was a red-herring. I was worried something had stopped working due to this false information. If I hadn't been told I had them, I would have assumed a fluid issue right away.

I only top-up the fluid if the car warns me it's getting low - it hasn't so I haven't - so it will still be on the stuff it was given last service. Perhaps I will just pick up some more pre-mix stuff that's winter ready, but maybe the existing solution is simply too weak and needs to be drained out first.

Scoob.

Our continental cousins often syphon the summer mix out in October time, and then refill with strong winter mix until winter is over, then put the summer mix back in.

I'd advise you to get into a habit of checking your levels, dont wait for warning lights, its often too late then, and could leave you stranded. Check oil, coolant, brake fluid, lights, tyre pressures and screenwash monthly or before a big journey.

 

[Scoob]

When was the car last topped up with fluid? If it was summer time then the fluid will likely be a summer formulation and not resistant below about -5 degrees. A winter formulation will be resistant to -15 or more.

It was topped up about a year ago, as my service is due soon. Guess it could have been a warm March last year, can't recall. I do so few miles at the moment that an interim top-up hasn't been needed, plus I often drive my other car more during the summer months.

Our continental cousins often syphon the summer mix out in October time, and then refill with strong winter mix until winter is over, then put the summer mix back in.

I'd advise you to get into a habit of checking your levels, dont wait for warning lights, its often too late then, and could leave you stranded. Check oil, coolant, brake fluid, lights, tyre pressures and screenwash monthly or before a big journey.

I used to check things frequently with other cars, however, the yearly miles I cover are a fifth of what they were and the remaining miles get split over two cars in the summer months. If I were to plan a longer journey I'd of course check everything, but I don't on a regular basis any more.

For whatever reason, despite the car being serviced the same time every year, it does look like my last service perhaps used a "summer" formula, hence the first ever occurrence of my washers freezing during my ownership.

Scoob.

 

[flowrider]

Crikey, 32 posts, well 33 now!

A lot of discussion going on here when the reason for frozen washer fluid in freezing weather is pretty obvious. No offence

 

[Scoob]

Crikey, 32 posts, well 33 now!

A lot of discussion going on here when the reason for frozen washer fluid in freezing weather is pretty obvious. No offence

It's not so obvious when it's never happened before and you've been told by the dealer that the car is fitted with heated washers to specifically prevent such issues. I feared my (now known to be false) Heated Washers had perhaps failed with no fault code, or there was something else going on. Without the whole red herring heated washers thing, I'd have suspected the fluid right away. But yeah, this thread got longer than I expected!

I'm assuming the washer fluid used last service was a different sort, one that cannot handle -1.5c. I'll certainly mention this to the garage when I see them in a couple of weeks. I don't know what criteria they'd use to decide "summer" or "winter" screen wash be used. Personally I'd expect it to be a good year-round fluid, perhaps only struggling when things drop below -10c, not just -1.5c.

Edit: as an aside, I've noticed that the screen wash used by my garage and the Main Dealer before it smells really really strong, suggesting it's quite concentrated. Though perhaps scented screenwash is a Merc thing lol.

Scoob.

 

[EmilysDad]

Not everything triggers a fault code ....

 

[LostKiwi]

now known to be false

Have you inspected the washers to see if they are electrically connected?
If not you're still guessing.

 

[Scoob]

Have you inspected the washers to see if they are electrically connected?
If not you're still guessing.

Nope, not had the chance yet. But while the VIN checker website gets the car model and year wrong*, all the spec list stuff seems right, and there was no heated washer entry.

Personally I think it's a case of going back to basics and it's a problem with the washer solution. Whether it's just a weak mix, or the wrong stuff for all year round use was put in, I don't know. But for whatever reason it froze this year for the very first time.

Note: I wonder if washer heaters became a thing because of the change of position of the washer jets to the "wrong" side of the bulk head to benefit from engine heat? Even rain water collecting in the nozzles then freezing would cause issues potentially.

* Tried some other cars I know, this seems to be a common theme! Plus the mileage thing seems basically made up.

Scoob.

 

[flowrider]

Heated washer jets or not, it makes no difference if the washer fluid freezes in the pipe work. Just change thd concentration level of the fluid.

 

[Paul1948]

Surely you are one of the people who only put fuel in the car and not checking ALL your levels and tyre pressures, hope the mechanics last and pity the next unsuspecting buyer. How often do you clean the screen as dirty screen, lack of fluid non working washers etc are liable for fines.

 

[Scoob]

Surely you are one of the people who only put fuel in the car and not checking ALL your levels and tyre pressures, hope the mechanics last and pity the next unsuspecting buyer. How often do you clean the screen as dirty screen, lack of fluid non working washers etc are liable for fines.

That's quite the assumption, and also totally wrong. My cars get regular checks for pressures and levels, at least once a month, but I'm not going to add air to a tyre that's at the right pressure nor am I going to add screen wash when there's still plenty. As for servicing I rely on a independent MB specialist, recommended to me by this very forum and would consider my car a good, clean example.

This thread has gone on too long, I asked a simple question regarding why my washers froze for the first time this year yet never have in the past. Heated washers aside - I was told by the dealer I had them, VIN checker suggests not - it's likely something different with the fluid, a fluid not added by me.

Thanks to everyone who's provided useful suggestions and feedback. I appreciate of course that a weak screen wash solution might freeze, but was focused on the (I suspect now) non-existent washer heaters being the problem - I usually suspect the worse/ most expensive lol.

Note: I still plan to double-check for evidence of heated washers, likely tomorrow as I need to pop out, but I strongly suspect that being told I had them was a mistake by the dealer and my issues are purely due to a somewhat diluted washer solution compared to what has been added in the past.

Scoob.