Swan777
Member
Hi all, wipers fluid not coming out after a very cold night (-6C) despite being warmer now. Tried to warm up the car but its still not coming out. Any suggestions pls? Fiat500 petrol, 2014. Thanks
Technical Wipers not spraying
- Thread starter Swan777
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Wipers not spraying
It's well known that the 500 wash system is prone to frost damage; plastic pipes can split or be forced off, and the jets in particular can pop out of their housing.
Once everything is thawed out, it's then a question of working through the system, finding what's broken, and fixing it.
If a pipe is damaged or loose, be careful not to pump fluid into places you don't want it to be, or you'll be joining the 'I have a damp patch on my carpet' thread.
It's important with these cars to always have sufficient additive in the screenwash to prevent freezing. Once frozen, it often takes more than just thawing it out to get things working correctly again. In these conditions, buy something decent. Cheap screenwash from the supermarket can't always cope once it goes down to these sort of temps (it was at most -8C here last night).
This has caught out lots of folks; you're not the first, by any means.
Once everything is thawed out, it's then a question of working through the system, finding what's broken, and fixing it.
If a pipe is damaged or loose, be careful not to pump fluid into places you don't want it to be, or you'll be joining the 'I have a damp patch on my carpet' thread.
It's important with these cars to always have sufficient additive in the screenwash to prevent freezing. Once frozen, it often takes more than just thawing it out to get things working correctly again. In these conditions, buy something decent. Cheap screenwash from the supermarket can't always cope once it goes down to these sort of temps (it was at most -8C here last night).
This has caught out lots of folks; you're not the first, by any means.
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Although you tried to warm up the car, there still might be ice 'plugs', especially inside jets.
You might be lucky and have nothing there broken.
You might be lucky and have nothing there broken.
Cheap screen wash often does not protect in these temperature's ice most often forms in the jets which are the most exposed parts and the highest coldest part of the system .
A few checks you can do are open the bonnet stand outside the car and operate the washer switch and Listen for the motor running? if it is then look for any leaks appearing under the car which might indicate a busted pipe or fitting, if not then the motor could be suspect (but check the fuse if there is one as operating the pump if the systems frozen up might overload it!) if its not working then it likely needs replacing but its worth checking the power feed with a multimeter! if you have a working pump motor, decent pipework, unblocked jets, and decent fluid it should operate properly.PS check the washer bottle has not cracked with cold and leaked all the fluid out! good luck!
A few checks you can do are open the bonnet stand outside the car and operate the washer switch and Listen for the motor running? if it is then look for any leaks appearing under the car which might indicate a busted pipe or fitting, if not then the motor could be suspect (but check the fuse if there is one as operating the pump if the systems frozen up might overload it!) if its not working then it likely needs replacing but its worth checking the power feed with a multimeter! if you have a working pump motor, decent pipework, unblocked jets, and decent fluid it should operate properly.PS check the washer bottle has not cracked with cold and leaked all the fluid out! good luck!
Swan777
Member
Thanks a lot all, can anyone recommend a good quality washer fluid with antifreezing properties? There are so many out there with mixed reviews that jets still freeze 
I'm currently using this one.
For maximum frost protection, use it neat. It'll easily cope with what we had last night.
Yep, thats the one I'm using, I put a small cup of it in the freezer, got it down to -16 (by lazer imaging gun) and it was still fluid. So not too bad.
Swan777
Member
many thanks
I only buy concentrated screenwash in 5 litre cans from Motor Factors, the stuff forecourts and supermarkets sell is described as "ready to use", what they are really saying is we are charging you for water! So unless you put only their screenwash in undiluted and no water then it will freeze, especially with the current weather.Thanks a lot all, can anyone recommend a good quality washer fluid with antifreezing properties? There are so many out there with mixed reviews that jets still freeze
I read a great many reviews on Amazon, and many people were complaining of their purchases freezing at 0 degs or just under, I had no confidence in any but the Prestone brand which directly quoted -18 degs. I bought a small one from Screwfix (just along the road from me) tested it (as per post above) then ordered 15 ltrs from Amazon. Which means come the summer it can be easily diluted.
Swan777
Member
do just overuse/pump out the old one thats in the tank so I can fill it with the Prestone Ive ordered tonight abd which should come on Thursday? I am praying now that night temp are around 0C where I live the rest of the ordinary one still inside wont cause further issues?
Yes. Do get that out.
Is it working now?!
Is it working now?!
Swan777
Member
Luckily yes, it started flowing. Is it ok to leave it in overnight and dump it out tomorrow? No freezing temp is forecasted overnight
If no freezing temp, it is ok, of course.
Swan777
Member
Thanks Mike
Cheers!Thanks Mike
Thanks a lot all, can anyone recommend a good quality washer fluid with antifreezing properties? There are so many out there with mixed reviews that jets still freeze
The active ingredient in screen-wash is Isopropanol.
The ready mixed screen-washes freeze at -4C because they are 10% Isopropanol and 85% water.. The other 5% are things like glycerides/soap to make the liquid smell nice and give your wiper blades some "glide" on the screen.
The stronger screen-washes can give -7C, -14C, -18C protection (20%, 30% and 40% dilution of Isopropanol, respectively)... but you can see that the protection you get is not linear.. so 30% is probably the best compromise between the amount of Isopropanol you need and the protection offered.
The other thing is that the temperature protection is a laboratory measurement. In real life, the Isopropanol evaporates, reacts with something else or breaks down, so you don't get the full monty -4C or whatever. Also if you use pure or distilled water, the screen wash freezes at a higher temperature than if you use concentrated screen wash and dilute it using hard tap water. Unless your water is full of calcium, there is no need to use distilled water (that's just for the engine coolant).
So.. buy some concentrated screen wash (20% @ -7C) and a bottle of Isopropanol from eBay... mix 1.0 litre of the screen wash with 400ml of Isopropanol and then add 600ml of water, so you'll have 2 litres of home-brew @ 30% dilution.
Ralf S.
Swan777
Member
many thanks!
Good post, the trouble is that, what it says on the label more than likely doesn't match what is inside the package.
With online sales they seem to be able to get away with delivering products that are more and more inferior. Relying on people binning the product because of the hassle/economics of sending it back, or they never actually/can't test/ be bothered to test a products specifications.
Products are small, thinner, different materials/sizes/quantites, and when sales dip, they just start another company/account and start again.
Many sellers deliberately leave dimensions off so that the buyer is fooled, or when a product is out of stock, just send anything of similar value, and by the time the buyer has sent it back, the original product may now be back in their warehouse, and they managed to keep the customer.
I've started to buy more local now, I prefer to look the seller in the eyes when we're disgussing a product.
Agreed mind you this turned into a hell of a thread just cause its turned a bit cold!.
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