[unStABLE]

Has any one every had this happen to their Gen 4? It's about 10 deg. and the fluid inside the resservoir is froozen. I don't have a garage so it must remain outside. What's the best way to thaw it out? I put some or that "de-icing" washer fluid in but it hasn't done anything to correct the situation.

 

[Xmann01]

I use a rain-x deicer washer fluid, works pretty well on light ice. The temps here have dropped below 10 and possibly below that slightly and still have washer operation

.

 

[sabledale]

I just used the cheap walmart special for cold weather and it has been -40 degrees F here and no problems.

 

[biteableniles]

I say warm up the engine to the point the reservoir thaws out, then blow all the stuff outta there (preferably onto a warm windshield...wouldn't want any cracking action). Then find some cheap stuff with antifreeze mixed in that advertises temperatures around sabledales'.

 

[unStABLE]

Originally posted by biteableniles@Jan 27 2004, 09:41 PM
I say warm up the engine to the point the reservoir thaws out, then blow all the stuff outta there (preferably onto a warm windshield...wouldn't want any cracking action). Then find some cheap stuff with antifreeze mixed in that advertises temperatures around sabledales'.

That's just it. The reservoir is not in the engine bay. Yes. I fill it inside the engine bay, but the reservoir itself sits outside of the engine bay in the right front wheel well area. Let me ask this. Wouldn't I still here the pump running even if it the fluid was frozen?

 

[biteableniles]

Originally posted by unStABLE+Jan 27 2004, 09:49 PM-->QUOTE (unStABLE @ Jan 27 2004, 09:49 PM)

<!--QuoteBegin-biteableniles

@Jan 27 2004, 09:41 PM
I say warm up the engine to the point the reservoir thaws out, then blow all the stuff outta there (preferably onto a warm windshield...wouldn't want any cracking action). Then find some cheap stuff with antifreeze mixed in that advertises temperatures around sabledales'.

That's just it. The reservoir is not in the engine bay. Yes. I fill it inside the engine bay, but the reservoir itself sits outside of the engine bay in the right front wheel well area. Let me ask this. Wouldn't I still here the pump running even if it the fluid was frozen? [/b]

Yeah, i just remembered that. Well, I say...get under there with a blow dryer

Nah, I think if you let the car idle in a closed location (maybe a parking garage?) long enough, it would heat up the front of the car warm enough to melt the fluid. If not, like i said, blow dryer.

And, about the pump...I would think that if the fluid froze, then the pump would be frozen in place. If you arn't getting any noise from the pump when you push the switch in, then it's frozen or broken or something.

So, wait, you're sure it's frozen, right? It seems logical to me.

 

[jason8225]

The pump may not be running because it's frozen, too. So try not to run it too much or you could burn up the pump motor. I use the Rain X De-icing washer fluid and haven't had any problems and we've been getting sub-zero temps lately. As far as correcting the problem - running the engine and the compartment being warm should at least help thaw out the fluid. You might want to try putting some spray de-icer in there, that's the only thing I can think of to try to get the frozen fluid out of there. I use the 88 cent cans of spray de-icer to clear off my windshield when it gets really bad, so I see no reason you couldn't spray some into the frozen fluid reservoir to try to melt it. Hope this helps.

 

[sundarpn]

no big deal. wait for a sunny day.. or a 1 hr drive...
or u should have put proper washer fluid

 

[saerandy]

Find a friend that has a garage & park in there for a couple of hours. Preferably after a fast highway run to really warm up the engine. Bring along a small space heater & aim it at the wheel well.

When thawed, squirt all that water outta there & replace with some serious window cleaner - Rain-X has been mentioned - Go forth & sin no more.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

Park it in an a heated underground public parking lot and go to a movie. Once it has thawed replace the fluid.

Spiff

 

[stever]

Originally posted by saerandy@Jan 27 2004, 11:18 PM
Find a friend that has a garage & park in there for a couple of hours. Preferably after a fast highway run to really warm up the engine. Bring along a small space heater & aim it at the wheel well.

When thawed, squirt all that water outta there & replace with some serious window cleaner - Rain-X has been mentioned - Go forth & sin no more.

be sure not to sit in the car or stand in the garage if its not ventilated........... you'll die.

 

[cincyses]

I can only add that a lot of fluid has a temp rating (like -20 or -30 F) on the side, so once this does thaw, try using a very low temp rating flud. (As someone else said, the Wal-Mart cheap stuff (like 99c a bottle) is good, I think it says something like -25 F.....

 

[minutiesabotage]

You could try an oil dipstick heater, that would thaw it out pretty well I would think. I'd add some 70% or higher alcohol to it to help it along. I think it works the same way salt does...in that it will slowly melt ice. Obviously you dont want salt in your system.

 

[jj57]

Get 2 or 3 bottles of Isopropyl alcohol of 70% or higher, then add Prestone De-Icer Windshield Washer Fluid. Works like a charm, trust me, I know... the hard way as usual.

 

[93taurusSX]

This may sound out there, but you can try putting one of those aquarium heaters in there

It's basically a ceramic element in a glass tube so it should fit inside the space readily and most have temperature controls so you can set the temp so that you don't melt any plastic. Don't forget to also thaw out the lines that lead to the washer nozzles; either put it in the garage like what everyone else has said, or use a blow dryer.

 

[minutiesabotage]

Those aquarium heaters need to be fully submerged, otherwise the heat difference will crack the glass. You guessed it...the hard way.

 

[unStABLE]

Originally posted by sundarpn@Jan 27 2004, 10:29 PM
no big deal. wait for a sunny day.. or a 1 hr drive...
or u should have put proper washer fluid

Thanks for all of the suggestions. I finally got it going by letting the car idle for a while.

Just to let everyone know, I just got the car a week ago and it had the fluid already in it. So it was not I who had the error in judgement and put water or whatever in the tank.

 

[mobiuslogic]

All I have to say is:

Ahhh...California.

-mobiuslogic

 

[sfblacksel]

Um that never happened to me in sunny Florida

Ok, I have to have a suggestions like everyone else on the band wagon. Go out and buy one of those lasers that the doctors use in surgury and am it at the center of the tank and it will boil the ice out of there in the matter of a minute or so.

EDIT-Looks like a laser specialist got ahold of mobiuslogic and abducted him

 

[mobiuslogic]

Only if it's a CO2 laser. Water absorbs all CO2 energy. But if it's a Neodium YAG laser it'll go through the water and burn a hole in the bottom of your washer reservoir.

-mobiuslogic