washer fluid

[flipped 98x]

I need some help,
Does anybody know a way to Thaw out their windshield washer fluid?
Up here in Michigan It has been pretty cold for the last month and my fluid is frozen,I only drive the car about 4 miles a day so the car doesn't even get a chance to warm up by the time I get home.
I have the kind that is supposed to help defrost your window ,It is called fire or something like that.
Any how how can I defrost it, is there anything I can add to it so it won't freeze up again?

 

[checkedout]

I wouldn't use that product again. Let's see.... you could use a hair dryer but that would take forever, so would a heat gun. I think I would unbolt the tank and put it in the sink with hot water while I used a hair dryer to defrost the lines up to the squirters. Dump that stuff out of the tank and reconnect it all.

 

[DeRocha]

Most washer fluids should be rated below zero F. so you shouldn't have to heat things up to much to unfreeze it. If you don't want to remove the tank, just keep adding VERY HOT water to it unitl it is all melted. After it is melted try using the windshield washer to see if the hoses are strill frozen. If they are you can try heating them with a blow drier, but I would let the car warm up in the driveway (or take a road trip) and use the washer every 5 minutes or so to see if things are moving. Once everything has been unfrozen use up all the water and replace the fluid with a low temp brand. Most washer fluid bottles should have a temperature rating on them. Pick the one with the lowest rating. and compare it against the fire stuff you put in.

 

[greenhornet3147]

never ever add water it will freeze and crack your resevoir add rubbing alcohol to the mix 99.1% pure stuff

 

[DeRocha]

Correct, you never want to add water to the washer mix if you live in an area with temps below 32F. If you want to lower the freezing point of the mix then adding alcohol before it freezes is great way to keep it from becoming a solid block.

If you're washer fluid has already frozen then I wouldn't hesitate to use hot water to unfreeze it and flush it out of the system. Adding alcohol at this point would take a long time to unfreeze the mix.

Originally posted by greenhornet3147
never ever add water it will freeze and crack your resevoir add rubbing alcohol to the mix 99.1% pure stuff