Halfords 'Advanced' Screen Wash...Smearing

Davesnave

Has anyone else had a bad experience with Halfords Ready Mixed Advanced Screen Wash?

Put about a litre of this into my car's washer system to top it up, but immediately had problems with smearing. It's so bad I won't use the washers at night, if I can help it.

Don't know what was in the system I topped up, but could it be a reaction between two brands?

It's not oil on the screen, as it was peeing down yesterday, yet no problems until I forgot and used the washers.

Just thought I'd ask, before returning what's left and having a rant!

Yolina

Been using their Advanced screen wash, but the double-concentrate instead of ready mixed (the lemon one cos it smells nice :rotfl:) for yonks and I haven't noticed any smearing. I topped up with it a couple of weeks ago and so that got mixed with whatever Toyota had originally put in with no ill effect.

Limey

Have you cleaned the windscreen with anything else? I found that using a vinegar based window cleaner (Windoleen) resulted in nasty smearing when I used the screen wash. Never did that again.:rotfl:

It's entirely possible that there may be some incompatability between the two screen washes. If you can get the bottle out, empty it and give it a rinse I'd be tempted to do that.

Davesnave

Limey wrote: »

Have you cleaned the windscreen with anything else? I found that using a vinegar based window cleaner (Windoleen) resulted in nasty smearing when I used the screen wash. Never did that again.:rotfl:

It's entirely possible that there may be some incompatability between the two screen washes. If you can get the bottle out, empty it and give it a rinse I'd be tempted to do that.

No, it had nothing done to it in the meantime. Car is relatively new to me, so no idea what was in there before I topped-up, but it was working OK for the month or so prior to this.

Must be a way to remove the bottle, but it doesn't look easy, as engine bay has everything shoehorned in. (Vauxhall Zafira Diesel '02) Maybe I'll just keep pressing....:rotfl:

TrickyWicky

Gotta admit I've had a lot of smearing problems and I've nearly always used halfords but I buy the concentrate and mix it myself.

I did find though that commuting made this worse because of the insects that get splatted on the windscreen. You hit the wipers and wash and the remains of their bodies gets wiped all over the glass. For some reason the screen wash isn't strong enough to wash the creature smears off.

redux

Davesnave wrote: »

Must be a way to remove the bottle, but it doesn't look easy, as engine bay has everything shoehorned in.

Could be difficult. Some cars have it hidden inside the wing, in front or behind the wheel arch.

Davesnave

redux wrote: »

Could be difficult. Some cars have it hidden inside the wing, in front or behind the wheel arch.

I'll probably just empty it via the washers, hose it through, syphon out what I can of the clean water and start again, with something else!

Just checking if it's a known issue, which it doesn't seem to be.

Hintza

Everyone on here knows that the best screen wash to be had at a decent price is the Lidl -60 degree stuff.

orange-sox

OH and I have had this very same problem with the Halfords Advanced screen wash which only disappears once the temperature drops below 5 degrees celcius! Very irritating and I certainly won't be buying it again.

Davesnave

orange-sox wrote: »

OH and I have had this very same problem with the Halfords Advanced screen wash which only disappears once the temperature drops below 5 degrees celcius! Very irritating and I certainly won't be buying it again.

While I sympathise, it's good to know I'm not alone, going doolally!

Anyone else? If there are more replies like this, I'll email Halfords and link to this thread.

Thanks Hintza for the heads-up on Lidl stuff. If it's as good as their chocolate ice cream....

TimBuckTeeth

I had just finished off an old 5 litre bottle of Halfords screenwash (the fluorescent yellow stuff) that I bought a year or two ago.
I thought it was good so I bought another one and after starting using it have had problems with wipers smearing. Using it at about 50:50 with water as there has been some frost in the mornings. I was not happy with the smearing so did a google search to see if anyone else had the same problem and found this post, don't know what they have done with the formula but it is rubbish now.