Screen washer woes...

[Tom74]

Is there a trick to defrosting the windscreen washer bottle on R53's?

I have filled mine with the screenwash/antifreeze but it is still frozen by the end of my 8 mile commute, bit of a pain at the moment with all the grit on the roads.

Anyone else have this issue and thought of a quick fix? I had thought of wrapping the washer bottle with a heat pad or something but that seems a bit extreme!

[dandarez]

If you have correct mix of screenwash in the bottle it shouldn't freeze - more likely to be iced up in the tubes or washer jets. After several miles it should clear with the engine heat. Clear the jet eyes with a needle.

[Tom74]

Not sure on why it wouldn't ice up in the bottle but would in the tubes? Less of it I suppose.

It definately doesn't clear in the 8 miles drive to work, might have to leave the car running on the drive for a while, after all what could go wrong with that?

[Pip1968]

You may have put the correct mix in but if you did not empty what was in the bottle initially then the whole mixture will be diluted. Best thing to do would be to make the mixture stronger than it should be or make some calculations based on how much fluid you think remains in the bottle.

I cannot see an 8 mile journey bringing the engine up to full operating temperature so perhaps take the long way round. The pipes are probably just thawing when you stop. I assume the car is parked outside too so overnight everything will freeze up. Perhaps a car cover will help.

Best of luck.

Pip

[RKDE]

Don't forget that the washer bottle is behind the A pillar and if its frozen it will have to defrost its self as the heat from the engine does not really get to the bottle so if its frozen its frozen till it thaws...

[jack_st]

i did a 180mile round trip and mine just started to work when i was about 40miles from home and that was with the correct mix.

[Tom74]

Cheers guys, I thought the location of the bottle might be the issue. The mix is right as I had run out

I'll just persevere as its going to warm up soon (I hope!)

[v-twins]

Tom74 said:

Cheers guys, I thought the location of the bottle might be the issue. The mix is right as I had run out

I'll just persevere as its going to warm up soon (I hope!)

Other options I have tried are:

Boiling water in the washer bottle. It doesn't melt the ice but it does help in the short term.

On another note. My back screen washer jet KEEPS failing to work. I have had it cleaned out and all pipes checked for blockages. After it will work for a short period then stop again. WHERE are these little blockages coming from? Very frustrating indeed.

[DrainTheSpuds]

v-twins said:

On another note. My back screen washer jet KEEPS failing to work. I have had it cleaned out and all pipes checked for blockages. After it will work for a short period then stop again. WHERE are these little blockages coming from? Very frustrating indeed.

Have a look at this thread from earlier this year. I had to clear mine out again today. This time, the blockage was in the outer part of the cover. I used a small paper clip to unblock it, and all is now well.