Windshield Washer Freeze
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New User
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 14
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Windshield Washer Freeze
New 2015 F-150 with 3.5 Eco boost. I'm in Southeast Wisconsin. 9 degrees today. I got rid of my standard -20 fluid and replaced it with -35. Keeps freezing up. I went to the dealer and it warmed up in the shop and began working. Within two blocks from the dealer it was froze again. Anyone else haring a problem here.
Never had this before and in mush colder temps here. Dealer is swamped. Told me to call in the morning and maybe they can order new nozzles...
Never had this before and in mush colder temps here. Dealer is swamped. Told me to call in the morning and maybe they can order new nozzles...
Lead Driver
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 8,475
Likes: 728
From: Calgary Canada
I don't know how the nozzles could be causing this, unless they are atomizing it into such tiny droplets that it's evaporating partly before it hits the windshield.
What I use in real cold temps is the "good" windshield washer fluid, like you have already done, and I add a bottle of "booster" to it. Prestone makes it, although i think I've seen another brand somewhere.
Prestone® Washer Fluid Booster De-Icer Additive | Prestone®
That will at least get you through for a while. Fluid freezing on your windshield isn't safe, as I'm sure you know.
What I use in real cold temps is the "good" windshield washer fluid, like you have already done, and I add a bottle of "booster" to it. Prestone makes it, although i think I've seen another brand somewhere.
Prestone® Washer Fluid Booster De-Icer Additive | Prestone®
That will at least get you through for a while. Fluid freezing on your windshield isn't safe, as I'm sure you know.
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 19,311
Likes: 97
From: Waterloo, Iowa
How can that stuff freeze, if the washer fluid is the correct formulation? The particular truck shouldn't matter a whit. Doesn't make any sense. It's freezing or turning to slush in the reservoir? If there was a slug of the cheap stuff in the hoses and such, that might do it I guess.
Cargo Master
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 2,659
Likes: 2
If the fluid is freezing then I just don't see the mystery here.
Add methanol to the water until it stops freezing and then purge the lines of the old mix. It is possible that you may need to fill as much as 1/4 to 1/3 of the tank with methanol depending how poor the mix is now. The tank is about 1 gallon total. Syphon or pump (external pump, not the washer pump) the old fluid out to make room.
If the tank is frozen solid then either thaw it indoors, or poor in boiling water and pump out the liquid before it freezes again.
Add methanol to the water until it stops freezing and then purge the lines of the old mix. It is possible that you may need to fill as much as 1/4 to 1/3 of the tank with methanol depending how poor the mix is now. The tank is about 1 gallon total. Syphon or pump (external pump, not the washer pump) the old fluid out to make room.
If the tank is frozen solid then either thaw it indoors, or poor in boiling water and pump out the liquid before it freezes again.
Tuned
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 474
Likes: 4
From: SE Michigan
New 2015 F-150 with 3.5 Eco boost. I'm in Southeast Wisconsin. 9 degrees today. I got rid of my standard -20 fluid and replaced it with -35. Keeps freezing up. I went to the dealer and it warmed up in the shop and began working. Within two blocks from the dealer it was froze again. Anyone else haring a problem here.
Never had this before and in mush colder temps here. Dealer is swamped. Told me to call in the morning and maybe they can order new nozzles...
Never had this before and in mush colder temps here. Dealer is swamped. Told me to call in the morning and maybe they can order new nozzles...
Take a sample and stick it in your freezer and see if it freezes,, it shouldn't at normal freezer temperature.
FTE Leadership Emeritus
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 23,174
Likes: 1,679
From: Stephensville WI
Windshield Washer Freeze
It's freezing because someone put water into the tank. It is not the fault of the truck.
Thaw and drain the fluid in the tank. Replace with a jug of blue or purple (your choice) -35F fluid.
Thaw and drain the fluid in the tank. Replace with a jug of blue or purple (your choice) -35F fluid.
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Tuned
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 474
Likes: 4
From: SE Michigan
I don't think all these owners but water in the tank. But a easy check is to open the hood and see if the tank is frozen.. I'm still thinking it's rain/snow freezing on the nozzle tips. Easy check for that would be to pour some hot water on the nozzles and then quickly testing if it now works.
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FTE Leadership Emeritus
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 23,174
Likes: 1,679
From: Stephensville WI
I don't think all these owners but water in the tank. But a easy check is to open the hood and see if the tank is frozen.. I'm still thinking it's rain/snow freezing on the nozzle tips. Easy check for that would be to pour some hot water on the nozzles and then quickly testing if it now works.
If the proper fluid I'd used, it won't freeze in the tank, hoses or nozzles unless it gets under -30F.
It's -6F in Northern Wisconsin this morning. My washers work fine.
Postmaster
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 2,775
Likes: 7
From: Lewisberry, Penn
I've had it happen on several cars (not just Fords believe it or not) where if I was running it and then parked it with a good amount of moisture in the air or on the car. My assumption is that the warm motor allows for water or moisture to get into the ends of the nozzle, then it freezes. Last night we had about 1/2 of snow and this morning the nozzles were frozen.
Tuned
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 474
Likes: 4
From: SE Michigan
I've had it happen on several cars (not just Fords believe it or not) where if I was running it and then parked it with a good amount of moisture in the air or on the car. My assumption is that the warm motor allows for water or moisture to get into the ends of the nozzle, then it freezes. Last night we had about 1/2 of snow and this morning the nozzles were frozen.
Same conditions that a lot of the country is/was having when all these reports started coming in along with all the door problems.
Tuned
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 474
Likes: 4
From: SE Michigan
You not understanding what is happening.. Windshield fluid evaporates when exposed to air. The fluid that was in the tip of the nozzles is now gone. It rains, rain water gets into the tip, it gets cold, the rain water in the tip freezes. The windshield fluid can't get out of the nozzle. Sun comes out or engine heat melts the frozen rain water problem goes away till next time.
Cargo Master
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 2,659
Likes: 2
For some reason I thought the OP said the tank was slushy but I read it again and he didn't mention anything about the tank freezing. Just said "keeps freezing up", whatever that means.
That's just a tiny little ice cap. I would expect it to melt on contact with the washer fluid, or simply get blown out. The only thing that stops my nozzles is total encapsulation of ice.
Now I have had a nozzle clog up with debris from the tank. I removed the nozzle and used a piece of wire to clean it out. One time I even pulled a piece of string out from inside a nozzle.
Now I have had a nozzle clog up with debris from the tank. I removed the nozzle and used a piece of wire to clean it out. One time I even pulled a piece of string out from inside a nozzle.
Mountain Pass
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 185
Likes: 3
From: South Dakota
I have had a 2016 f150 for 1 month. It was -15 degrees last night here in South Dakota and -35 below windchill. My truck had to sit outside. Started it up and it warmed for about 5 minutes and I had no trouble with the washer fluid. This is the fluid the truck came with. Sprayed out like it was 70 degrees.