Screen wash jets constantly freezing and it is being a pain now

alyssadrysdale

Ebe_Scrooge said:

alyssadrysdale said:

The screen wash in the reservoir is -20 stuff that I got from the dealership that I work at so that is not the issue at all

Is it neat screen-wash, or have you diluted it?  If you've diluted it, that might be part of the problem.

For what it's worth, I get the same issue sometimes.  The reservoir is fine (although that may be due to the heat from the engine), but the jets sometimes block.  I'm not sure if it's due to evaporation which lowers the temperature below even what the screen-wash is rated for?

alyssadrysdale said:

My windscreen is getting covered in muck and I can't clean it making it a very uncomfortable drive home where I am struggling to make it around dark country roads knowing I have no washer to clean my window.

A short-term solution until you get to the bottom of it - keep an old lemonade bottle with a couple of litres of water in it, in the car, as well as a sponge or an old rag.  At least then you can stop, get out, and give the screen a clean.  Sure, it's a bit of a pain, but better than not being able to see clearly.

Sorry, should have added - the mechanic I saw upped the concentration so it was less diluted.

user1977

Grumpy_chap said:

alyssadrysdale said:

Morning,

I have a 2016 C1 and had it for over a year. The issue seems to be the screen wash jets constantly freeze over in this cold weather. It did this last year, but I only lived around the corner from work at the time. I have since moved to other employments where my commute is now nearly an hour on the motorway. 

The screen wash in the reservoir is -20 stuff that I got from the dealership that I work at so that is not the issue at all - it seems to be fine and not freezing. I have tried letting the car sit for 20 minutes and even that does not work - I only managed to get one of the jets to work before it quickly refroze again. My windscreen is getting covered in muck and I can't clean it making it a very uncomfortable drive home where I am struggling to make it around dark country roads knowing I have no washer to clean my window. 

I took it to a garage who said it was working fine and it would just take time for the jets to defrost because they work absolutely fine once the car has been warmed up but I cannot wait an hour for it to be sorted.

Last night, same thing happened and took it to my partner's uncle's house, who is a mechanic, and low and behold, the windscreen washers were working only after the drive home and the car had been sitting there. The back one started to work after around 50 minutes on the way home too, but it is the front ones that I need in these weather conditions. Due to the issues of the rail strikes, I am stuck relying on my car. 

I can hear the pump going, so that seems fine and there are no leaks - is there anything I can try? I have tried de-icer - didn't work. Tried covering the washer jets and that did not work either.

The solution is as @ebe_scrooge said - keep a bottle of water and a squeegy in the car.

And when you need it, you'll have a bottle of ice...

Goudy

Quite often the nozzles freeze as they are in the air flow and suffer terrible windchill as you drive along, so even if the screen wash is fairly concentrated the tiny amount in the nozzles can still freeze while the rest in the pipes and reservoir don't.

Some cars do have heated nozzles and others try to tuck the nozzles out of the way of the air flow under the edge of the bonnet which tends to be a bit hit and miss.

Not very money saving but pouring a cheap bottle of vodka in the screenwash reservoir (and squirt it through so the nozzles are primed with it) tends work really well.
Vodka doesn't tend to freeze until around -30c so even a 50/50 mixed of screen wash and vodka would need some seriously low temps to freeze it up.

Ebe_Scrooge

user1977 said:

Grumpy_chap said:

alyssadrysdale said:

Morning,

I have a 2016 C1 and had it for over a year. The issue seems to be the screen wash jets constantly freeze over in this cold weather. It did this last year, but I only lived around the corner from work at the time. I have since moved to other employments where my commute is now nearly an hour on the motorway. 

The screen wash in the reservoir is -20 stuff that I got from the dealership that I work at so that is not the issue at all - it seems to be fine and not freezing. I have tried letting the car sit for 20 minutes and even that does not work - I only managed to get one of the jets to work before it quickly refroze again. My windscreen is getting covered in muck and I can't clean it making it a very uncomfortable drive home where I am struggling to make it around dark country roads knowing I have no washer to clean my window. 

I took it to a garage who said it was working fine and it would just take time for the jets to defrost because they work absolutely fine once the car has been warmed up but I cannot wait an hour for it to be sorted.

Last night, same thing happened and took it to my partner's uncle's house, who is a mechanic, and low and behold, the windscreen washers were working only after the drive home and the car had been sitting there. The back one started to work after around 50 minutes on the way home too, but it is the front ones that I need in these weather conditions. Due to the issues of the rail strikes, I am stuck relying on my car. 

I can hear the pump going, so that seems fine and there are no leaks - is there anything I can try? I have tried de-icer - didn't work. Tried covering the washer jets and that did not work either.

The solution is as @ebe_scrooge said - keep a bottle of water and a squeegy in the car.

And when you need it, you'll have a bottle of ice...

I just take a bottle with me when I get into the car, rather than leaving it in the car.  For that very reason - as you say, it can easily freeze if left in a car overnight.

alyssadrysdale

Goudy said:

Quite often the nozzles freeze as they are in the air flow and suffer terrible windchill as you drive along, so even if the screen wash is fairly concentrated the tiny amount in the nozzles can still freeze while the rest in the pipes and reservoir don't.

Some cars do have heated nozzles and others try to tuck the nozzles out of the way of the air flow under the edge of the bonnet which tends to be a bit hit and miss.

Not very money saving but pouring a cheap bottle of vodka in the screenwash reservoir (and squirt it through so the nozzles are primed with it) tends work really well.
Vodka doesn't tend to freeze until around -30c so even a 50/50 mixed of screen wash and vodka would need some seriously low temps to freeze it up.

I was thinking about using a little vodka. I was just worried that it would damage the car. How much would I need? Would a small amount be enough to suffice?

BikingBud

Sea_Shell said:

Grumpy_chap said:

alyssadrysdale said:

Morning,

I have a 2016 C1 and had it for over a year. The issue seems to be the screen wash jets constantly freeze over in this cold weather. It did this last year, but I only lived around the corner from work at the time. I have since moved to other employments where my commute is now nearly an hour on the motorway. 

The screen wash in the reservoir is -20 stuff that I got from the dealership that I work at so that is not the issue at all - it seems to be fine and not freezing. I have tried letting the car sit for 20 minutes and even that does not work - I only managed to get one of the jets to work before it quickly refroze again. My windscreen is getting covered in muck and I can't clean it making it a very uncomfortable drive home where I am struggling to make it around dark country roads knowing I have no washer to clean my window. 

I took it to a garage who said it was working fine and it would just take time for the jets to defrost because they work absolutely fine once the car has been warmed up but I cannot wait an hour for it to be sorted.

Last night, same thing happened and took it to my partner's uncle's house, who is a mechanic, and low and behold, the windscreen washers were working only after the drive home and the car had been sitting there. The back one started to work after around 50 minutes on the way home too, but it is the front ones that I need in these weather conditions. Due to the issues of the rail strikes, I am stuck relying on my car. 

I can hear the pump going, so that seems fine and there are no leaks - is there anything I can try? I have tried de-icer - didn't work. Tried covering the washer jets and that did not work either.

It does sound like everything is working correctly on the car.

The solution is as @ebe_scrooge said - keep a bottle of water and a squeegy in the car.  I suspect you'll find most of the driving population need to do that at this time of year.

Bit tricky to do that on the motorway 😉

Should you be on the motorway with a vehicle that would not pass an MOT?

Ebe_Scrooge

Sea_Shell said:

Bit tricky to do that on the motorway 😉

True - although if the screen is seriously dirty then it's easy enough to pull off at the next junction - or services - and clean it.

But I was more meaning in the situation described by the OP:

alyssadrysdale said:

I am struggling to make it around dark country roads

Penguin_

lemondrops69 said:

It doesnt help you I know, but the last 3 winters I have had a Jag with heated front screen and heater washer jets, it's been fantastic, plus you can start the car from your bed is you so wish so warm inside when you get into the car

Does that mean that someone could hop into it & drive off?

Car_54

alyssadrysdale said:

Goudy said:

Quite often the nozzles freeze as they are in the air flow and suffer terrible windchill as you drive along, so even if the screen wash is fairly concentrated the tiny amount in the nozzles can still freeze while the rest in the pipes and reservoir don't.

Some cars do have heated nozzles and others try to tuck the nozzles out of the way of the air flow under the edge of the bonnet which tends to be a bit hit and miss.

Not very money saving but pouring a cheap bottle of vodka in the screenwash reservoir (and squirt it through so the nozzles are primed with it) tends work really well.
Vodka doesn't tend to freeze until around -30c so even a 50/50 mixed of screen wash and vodka would need some seriously low temps to freeze it up.

I was thinking about using a little vodka. I was just worried that it would damage the car. How much would I need? Would a small amount be enough to suffice?

If you must use alcohol, vodka is an expensive option. Use mehylated spirits instead. spirits

Iceweasel

alyssadrysdale

Sorry, should have added - the mechanic I saw upped the concentration so it was less diluted.

It shouldn't be diluted at all.

-20 stuff is just on the borderline of being useful.

Better to get something much stronger and use it undiluted - Halfords have -30 concentrated screen-wash which should do the job in the UK:
https://www.halfords.com/motoring/screenwash/halfords--30-concentrated-screenwash-2l---cherry-611875.html?istCompanyId=b8708c57-7a02-4cf6-b2c0-dc36b54a327e&istFeedId=367c5610-f937-4c81-8609-f84582324cd6&istItemId=wwttlixa&istBid=t&_$ja=tsid:|cid:18032303172|agid:|tid:|crid:|nw:x|rnd:17944369971318271797|dvc:c|adp:|mt:|loc:9046844&gclid=CjwKCAiAheacBhB8EiwAItVO2-N3bOOBcRVAdFspdYDpnDJAj4CENRi4NxKCOuD78faZUZkUae01gxoCk0QQAvD_BwE

I haven't checked in Lidl or Aldi this year but their -60 was pretty good. I couldn't find any last Winter

Rather that empty out your existing fluid why not go to BMW and get a litre of their -60 or -70 fluid and pour that in to improve what you have in the reservoir already.

Windchill has no bearing on the problem as if it is say -10 then that is as low as the nozzles will get - wind chill only affects living things - not inanimate objects.

https://www.noaa.gov/jetstream/global/wind-chill#:~:text=The only effect wind chill,below the actual air temperature.

"The only effect wind chill has on inanimate objects, such as car radiators and water pipes, is to shorten the amount of time for the object to cool. The inanimate object will not cool below the actual air temperature."