Windscreen Washers freezing and staying frozen once car warm

[Naraic]

You do such low mileage your screen wash lasts for more than a year. This is an unusual event and as such no one wold expect to put in screen wash that would would cope with winter lows in late spring. No one did anything wrong, but now you know to advise that you want ultra low temp screen wash not just summer strength.

 

[Scoob]

You do such low mileage your screen wash lasts for more than a year. This is an unusual event and as such no one wold expect to put in screen wash that would would cope with winter lows in late spring. No one did anything wrong, but now you know to advise that you want ultra low temp screen wash not just summer strength.

Yes, I used to be a fairly high mileage driver, but that changed a few years ago. Plus I spread my yearly mileage over two cars. I will be sure to mention to the garage who service it that I had freezing issues, though they've topped it up numerous times - at the same time of the year - in the past and I've not experienced issues.

Scoob.

 

[daibevan]

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.

+1

 

[John Laidlaw]

I have Gyeon view treatment on my windscreen so I barely use the washers- so I’m guessing mine will also only be looked at once a year. You can tell the dilution though when you look at the fluid so I know mine is high ethylene glycol content ( even the smell would give it away!)

 

[LostKiwi]

even the smell would give it away!

And thats the other issue with old screenwash - the component that makes it low freezing point will eventually evaporate off (that's the smell).

 

[John Laidlaw]

And thats the other issue with old screenwash - the component that makes it low freezing point will eventually evaporate off (that's the smell).

A very good point I’d overlooked, it will also evaporate through the tank wall somewhat and certainly through the cap which isn’t air tight

 

[GordonTarling]

Two things worth noting here - most modern MBs do have electrically heated washer jets, but not all those so equipped have heated washer tanks as well. If your jets are heated and don't freeze, then it's entirely possible that the tank has frozen up if your washers don't work. Secondly, Ethylene Glycol is a constituent of the anti freeze in your engine coolant - there is no place for it in washer fluid as it's harmful to paintwork. The normal antifreeze constituent in screenwash fluid is alcohol of some kind, often IPA, though other types are also used.

 

[umblecumbuz]

Heated washers only keep the nozzles from freezing. They do nothing for any liquid in the pipes that may have already frozen. That's down to the strength/efficiency of the screenwash.

 

[Submariner1]

Heated washers only keep the nozzles from freezing. They do nothing for any liquid in the pipes that may have already frozen. That's down to the strength/efficiency of the screenwash.

Unless you have code 875 like mine has, and the undocumented code 600, found on post Aug 2008 CLs and 221s
Then you have 2 pipes going from the heater change-over valve to the washer tank, and a heat exchanger in that.
Basically the engine coolant heats the washer bottle. As above you cant pump a block of ice. And the hot water jets wash screens better ... apparently lol.
We discovered thats why its an expensive mare to change a left D1S bulb you have to move the tank and all the stupid hoses etc.
Just maybe OP has that too.

 

[flowrider]

Unless you have code 875 like mine has, and the undocumented code 600, found on post Aug 2008 CLs and 221s
Then you have 2 pipes going from the heater change-over valve to the washer tank, and a heat exchanger in that.
Basically the engine coolant heats the washer bottle. As above you cant pump a block of ice. And the hot water jets wash screens better ... apparently lol.
We discovered thats why its an expensive mare to change a left D1S bulb you have to move the tank and all the stupid hoses etc.
Just maybe OP has that too.

But that said, heated washer jets and heated washer tank wont stop the washer fluid freezing in the washer pipes, only the correct concentration of fluid will do that.

 

[Naraic]

But that said, heated washer jets and heated washer tank wont stop the washer fluid freezing in the washer pipes, only the correct concentration of fluid will do that.

Don't some have a heating wire wound around the tube from reservoir to nozzle?