Freezing Wiper Jets

[lexdog]

With the colder temps I can no longer use my wiper fluid Im thinking either the motor or the little sprayer jets are freezing over. I was wondering if you guys had any pointers on keep them unfrozen.

[pauljcl]

With the colder temps I can no longer use my wiper fluid Im thinking either the motor or the little sprayer jets are freezing over. I was wondering if you guys had any pointers on keep them unfrozen.

Whether in Canada or in Michigan, haven't had the problem... and the heat of the motor, when warm, warms up the windshield fluid. Have you tried using the 'lowest freezing point' washer fluid possible (i.e. -30 or -40F). The problem usually occurs when the freezing point of the fluid is too high.

[1990LS400]

With the colder temps I can no longer use my wiper fluid Im thinking either the motor or the little sprayer jets are freezing over. I was wondering if you guys had any pointers on keep them unfrozen.

How about a 12 volt hairdryer for thawing out the nozzles? I'm somewhat serious -- it might be worth a try. 12 volt hair dryers are cheap -- are there any truck stops or marine stores nearby? 12V hairdryers are cheap on the Internet.

Most premixed windshield washer fluid is rated for use to -20° F. From what I've read, it's the mist that usually plugs the washer nozzles.

I don't remember Lexus offering heated washer nozzles on any of their cars -- they are very common on German cars. I don't remember anyone on the Lexus forums adding heated nozzles to a Lexus although I see people doing it on non-Lexus forums -- do you want to be the first to do it and tell us how?

GM and Toyota was just starting to equip cars with the Hotshot windshield washer system from Microheat -- but product failures put Microheat into bankruptcy recently and it looks like GM has canceled the option. Hotshot looked promising.

Have you used any tap water in the windshield washer fluid tank that could being raising the freeze point? If so, you might want to siphon all the fluid out and replace it with treated washer fluid.

[jgr7]

Had the same problem with my old RX300 going from the SF Bay Area to Reno/Tahoe area I had the windshield wipers freeze to the windshield going over Donner Summit. The auto parts stores in the bay area don't carry the -32deg fluid. Now when I go to the mountains I purchase the -32 washer fluid up there.

Jeff

[Grumpa72]

Try draining your reservoir completely, refilling with the standard "blue stuff" and that should be good to well below zero, provided you don't have water mixed into in the system. My cars start getting 100% blue stuff when the weather starts to cool and by the time it is realy cold, it is at 100% solvent, no water. Btw, they never freeze, even in the bitterly cold Pittsburgh Jan/Feb weather.

[dimsumboy]

man, talking about right timing. I was just about to ask to see if there are heated nozzle or DIY stuffs I can do to help with my freezing windshield washer, just went to squaw valley and driving to reno at night with 17 degrees out is scary, my nozzle froze up and my new michelin wiper almost cause me an accident as it smears my windshield and the only thing I can see is the tailight from the SUV in front of me! the wipers are really good in 36+ degrees with light rain, but when it gets real cold it's a disaster.

BTW, i was stuck for 2 hrs on the way up and saw a car crushed into weird shapes then later on when I check in at gran sierra hotel the clerk told me it was an fatal accident, and this was on friday 12/19 around 9pm. SCARRY STUFF!