Heated windscreen washers?

[milesgentle]

Hey y'all,

*First post from new member warning*

We've had our Leaf for a year and with the cold UK weather my washers have frozen and I can't wash the windscreen (yes, it has screenwash, not water).

Are the washer nozzles heated? How do you turn them on?

TIA

 

[goldbrick]

There are no heated nozzles in the US as far as I know.

Also in the US..... there are 2 types of window washer fluid sold. One is 'all season' and does not freeze while the other type is for summer use only and will freeze when the temps are low enough. It seems like a dumb way to do things but that is how it is here at least.

 

[jjeff]

There are no heated nozzles in the US as far as I know.

Also in the US..... there are 2 types of window washer fluid sold. One is 'all season' and does not freeze while the other type is for summer use only and will freeze when the temps are low enough. It seems like a dumb way to do things but that is how it is here at least.

Actually, in my area, we have 3 types. Green meant more for bugs and worthless in the cold. Blue ok in the cold in that it won't freeze in the reservoir but in sub-freezing temps will freeze on the windscreen and purple or sometimes orange which is rated for -20F and it won't freeze even on a cold windscreen. I only use the purple as we get sub-zero F in my area and no the Leaf doesn't have any sort of WW fluid warming that I know of, in fact, I've never heard of it but it sounds like a decent idea, although just purchasing the correct fluid is probably cheaper than trying to warm up the fluid, only to probably freeze on the windscreen.

 

[goldbrick]

It's nice that it's color coded. Here in CO, most of it is just blue and you have to read some fairly small print on the bottle to see if it says something like 'All Season Formula' or not. It looks so identical it's possible that it is the same stuff all year but why 2 separate labels then?

Interesting about the bug stuff too. I've found the washer fluid at some gas stations seems to do better with bug residue in the mid-west than the stuff out here. Someone told me once that adding alcohol to the fluid helps but I don't drive a lot in places with bugs so I've never tried it.

 

[GerryAZ]

Since the windshield washer fluid that does not freeze down to say -20F contains alcohol, it is not sold in low elevation areas of Arizona (to minimize air pollution from evaporation). The fluid on the shelves is usually blue and looks the same except it says in fine print something like "will not freeze down to 32 degrees". We can also get green fluid which is supposed to be better at cleaning bugs off, but it is no better than the good stuff which contains alcohol. I try to buy windshield washer fluid in Flagstaff so I don't have to worry about draining the reservoir before driving to the high country in the winter.

 

[SageBrush]

Easy enough to make your own, with a high enough colligative fraction to solve freezing issues.

I'm not a fan of methanol because of its toxicity but ethanol should probably be avoided if the car windshield parts are adversely affected.

E.g.,
https://novosolution.ca/images/Freezing-Points-Methanol.pdf

 

[Nubo]

...The fluid on the shelves is usually blue and looks the same except it says in fine print something like "will not freeze down to 32 degrees". ...

Those labels crack me up. Does not contain Ice IX, apparently.