Windscreen washer jets froze!!!!

B

Buzzx6r

Member
:
BMW E92 M3 & CX-5 AWD Sport Nav 175PS stormy blue with stone
I top up the CX5 with the same stuff I use in the M3. Never had windscreen washer jets freezing in the M3 as they are heated. I was travelling in the CX5 when it was -4 C. After 20 mins, the washet jets would no longer spray and because of this, the windscreen became smeared with road grime when the wipers activated. As I was travelling on a motorway at 60mph is what a serious concern and I pulled over as soon as I could into a layby to clean the screen by hand.

Has anyone else experienced this? This is a genuine safety concern that had me cursing the bloody CX5. I'll be contacting Mazda UK for a solution.
 
Buzzx6r said:
I top up the CX5 with the same stuff I use in the M3. Never had windscreen washer jets freezing in the M3 as they are heated. I was travelling in the CX5 when it was -4 C. After 20 mins, the washet jets would no longer spray and because of this, the windscreen became smeared with road grime when the wipers activated. As I was travelling on a motorway at 60mph is what a serious concern and I pulled over as soon as I could into a layby to clean the screen by hand.

Has anyone else experienced this? This is a genuine safety concern that had me cursing the bloody CX5. I'll be contacting Mazda UK for a solution.
Click to expand...

The solution would be to use an additive in the windshield washer fluid spray that does not freeze.

Mazda does not have heated washer nozzles...
 
I made the mistake of forgetting I had summer rain x in both my cars. The regular blue stuff is good to -32.
 
Buzzx6r said:
I top up the CX5 with the same stuff I use in the M3. Never had windscreen washer jets freezing in the M3 as they are heated. I was travelling in the CX5 when it was -4 C. After 20 mins, the washet jets would no longer spray and because of this, the windscreen became smeared with road grime when the wipers activated. As I was travelling on a motorway at 60mph is what a serious concern and I pulled over as soon as I could into a layby to clean the screen by hand.

Has anyone else experienced this? This is a genuine safety concern that had me cursing the bloody CX5. I'll be contacting Mazda UK for a solution.
Click to expand...

I trust this will be a learning experience for you.
Curious, how many years of driving experience do you have?
 
Buzzx6r said:
This is a genuine safety concern that had me cursing the bloody CX5. I'll be contacting Mazda UK for a solution.
Click to expand...

This has to be a joke right? Is it April fools day?
Over here, it's even tough to find summer fluid. We just keep the -40 washer fluid in year round. That way when it does get cold, a guy don't forget and crack the fittings or even the reservoir.
 
Was -10F here a few weeks ago. My CX-5 windshield washer worked fine,
but then I had the proper winter fluid in it too. No matter what car you have,
if you run summer fluid, you risk bursting tubes, pumps, reservoirs when it freezes over.
 
For the sake of clarity. I'm using winter strength washer fluid at a concentration that works to -20C. The washer fluid was not the problem. The washer jets appeared to impacted by the wind chill. I'll add there was freezing fog too in places and the washer jets had worked at the start of the journey. It was only after driving at around 60mph that the washer jets failed to spray.
 
Buzzx6r said:
For the sake of clarity. I'm using winter strength washer fluid at a concentration that works to -20C. The washer fluid was not the problem. The washer jets appeared to impacted by the wind chill. I'll add there was freezing fog too in places and the washer jets had worked at the start of the journey. It was only after driving at around 60mph that the washer jets failed to spray.
Click to expand...

That wouldn't be wind chill, perhaps evaporative cooling. It might just be an ice crust that formed from freezing fog over the nozzle opening. It's also possible the windshield fluid was diluted at some point when you weren't looking.
 
Concentration? Does this mean you are mixing it own you own? If so there your issue, switch to the premixed and forget about dealing with the possibility of an incorrect mix. Concentrates are worthless if not properly shaken / mixed since separation will cause water to rise to the top promoting freeze up.
 
MikeM. said:
That wouldn't be wind chill, perhaps evaporative cooling. It might just be an ice crust that formed from freezing fog over the nozzle opening. It's also possible the windshield fluid was diluted at some point when you weren't looking.
Click to expand...
I doubt the fluid was diluted unless my local Mazda dealer made an error at the 1st service. Though the washer fluid was full or almost full when it went in.
 
Heritage07 said:
Concentration? Does this mean you are mixing it own you own? If so there your issue, switch to the premixed and forget about dealing with the possibility of an incorrect mix. Concentrates are worthless if not properly shaken / mixed since separation will cause water to rise to the top promoting freeze up.
Click to expand...

The washer fluid does not need mixing with water. It goes straight into the car, after being shaken of course.
 
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