[mistryn]

Especially if you have headlamp washer jets that are prone to coming loose and flying off in the freezing weather due to screenwash concentration being weak

I have bought some windscreen fluid from Lidl which I think is a good buy- 5litres at £5.99 concentrate. I used this last year as per dilutions and have had no problems with it freezing and picked some more up on the way home tonight. i know some will say but its got antifreeze in it but at the correct dilution ratio I have had no issue with it affecting paintwork leaving marks etc

I have had no issues with the fan washer jets blocking up and would highly reccomend this.

I have tried various screenwash over the years but I keep coming back to this. As can you can see undiluted protects down to -63, I do not think we will get that much cold here so I diluted mine at 1:2 for freezing winters

[G82Dude]

...and your antifreeze/coolant too!

[gIzzE]

My washers froze this morning with neat screenwash that said it was good down to -30ºc!

Just the nozzle, pipe popped off the back, and typically on my side as well.

The OBC was reading -9ºc and I guess with wind speed of 60mph it may have dropped to -30ºc?? I have no idea.

But I had to pull over and repair it as I couldn't see a thing. Luckily I had a Torx 20 in the glove box to get the trim off.


Managed to get through another 5 litres today alone, it is costing me nearly as much in windscreen wash as fuel at the moment.

[SteveC]

Originally Posted by gIzzE

My washers froze this morning with neat screenwash that said it was good down to -30ºc!

Just the nozzle, pipe popped off the back, and typically on my side as well.

The OBC was reading -9ºc and I guess with wind speed of 60mph it may have dropped to -30ºc?? I have no idea.

But I had to pull over and repair it as I couldn't see a thing. Luckily I had a Torx 20 in the glove box to get the trim off.


Managed to get through another 5 litres today alone, it is costing me nearly as much in windscreen wash as fuel at the moment.

Water doesn't give a damn about windchill...only the temperature matters, so your screen wash froze at -9ºc. My experience with pre-mixed garage washer is that it freezes in the jets and pipes because its mainly water, dye and some detergent and alcohol. Even heated sprayer jets don't help because the mix itself freezes in the pipes leading to the jets

Apart from the danger of freezing, the wrong windscreen wash formulation can harbour dangerous bacteria like Legionella, damage your car's paintwork, block the spray jets and/or block the filter. Given that the BMW formulation does non of these things when used at recommended concentrations of as little as 5:1 it really is false economy to use anything else IMO.

[AlwynMike]

What are the chances, having bought an AUC car in October, that the screenwash is a) BMW and b) strong enough??

That was a rhetorical question, I have my own thoughts!!

I haven't used the screenwash much since I got the car, and it's still full.

So, out with fuse 48, so that should protect the headlight washers.
A trip to Edinburgh from the Midlands is unavoidable first thing tomorrow, so that will test the screenwashers - I may even siphon some out of the bottle and top up with neat. Or I may take the Mundane-o, but that's a worst case scenario!

Mike

[coopersim]

Fuse 48 eh........? *totters off outside with thin nosed pliers and torch*

[gIzzE]

Originally Posted by SteveC

Water doesn't give a damn about windchill...only the temperature matters, so your screen wash froze at -9ºc. My experience with pre-mixed garage washer is that it freezes in the jets and pipes because its mainly water, dye and some detergent and alcohol. Even heated sprayer jets don't help because the mix itself freezes in the pipes leading to the jets

Apart from the danger of freezing, the wrong windscreen wash formulation can harbour dangerous bacteria like Legionella, damage your car's paintwork, block the spray jets and/or block the filter. Given that the BMW formulation does non of these things when used at recommended concentrations of as little as 5:1 it really is false economy to use anything else IMO.

It was -11°c when I left my house and it was working. Then 15 minutes later it blocked. You sure extra air doesn't make it colder?

[xenon]

Originally Posted by gIzzE

It was -11°c when I left my house and it was working. Then 15 minutes later it blocked. You sure extra air doesn't make it colder?

Positive.

[Frobius]

Yup as above. Wind chill is based on increasing evaporation which in turn reduces temperature. Actually that said, maybe it does?

[Hotcoupe]

Originally Posted by AlwynMike

So, out with fuse 48, so that should protect the headlight washers.

I always found the h/light washers pants,and little more than a gimmick.

It used to piss me off immensely spending time washing/polishing the car, only for a few days later to have the bonnet sprayed with screenwash

[gIzzE]

Wind chill......

http://www2.gi.alaska.edu/ScienceForum/ASF5/529.html

[AlwynMike]

Originally Posted by coopersim

Fuse 48 eh........? *totters off outside with thin nosed pliers and torch*

It is on the E91 anyway - it's one behind the wires so you can't see it and you need to be double jointed with the little plastic thingy to extract the fuse!

Mike

[xenon]

Originally Posted by gIzzE

Wind chill......

http://www2.gi.alaska.edu/ScienceForum/ASF5/529.html

Precisely. Only for an object generating heat.

[gIzzE]

It's interesting.


I did 130 miles yesterday and it was only as I hot London that my car got to temperature, don't think I have ever had that before.

[xenon]

One got thing about efficient dynamics is the electrically-operated louvres behind the radiator grille that close off airflow when the engine is below temperature - warms up a lot quicker. And it looks nicer than tin foil....

[philmots]

I buy it from Costco.. Last year was Holts, now it's a new yellow stuff (still made by Holts apparently) dilute it 1:3 and never had any bother.

[MEGA]

Guys where is fuse 48 and how do I remove it? I don't fancy my light washer jets or covers going walkies

Thanks

Dave

[AlwynMike]

As far as the E91 is concerned:

Open the glovebox
On the back of that there are two 1/4 turn fasteners.
Undo and remove the back of the glovebox (the bit facing front, if you know what I mean!)
In there will be a plastic card with all the fuse numbers and locations.
Look for the headlight washer symbol.
Look again into the glovebox, and in the space you've uncovered, on the firewall, you'll see the fusebox - you may need a torch, but the glovebox light does illuminate it a bit.
On mine, fuse 48 is on the right, half way up. Use the red removal tool, as there are wires that get in the way otherwise.
On my plastic card, fuse 48 also has a windscreen washer symbol, (it's got 2 entries for fuse 48!!) but when I remove it, only the headlight washers stop, everything else works OK.

Mike

[Frobius]

Hmm. I wonder what else its for? Maybe washer jet heating?!

[a11y]

Originally Posted by AlwynMike

As far as the E91 is concerned:

Open the glovebox
On the back of that there are two 1/4 turn fasteners.
Undo and remove the back of the glovebox (the bit facing front, if you know what I mean!)
In there will be a plastic card with all the fuse numbers and locations.
Look for the headlight washer symbol.
Look again into the glovebox, and in the space you've uncovered, on the firewall, you'll see the fusebox - you may need a torch, but the glovebox light does illuminate it a bit.
On mine, fuse 48 is on the right, half way up. Use the red removal tool, as there are wires that get in the way otherwise.
On my plastic card, fuse 48 also has a windscreen washer symbol, (it's got 2 entries for fuse 48!!) but when I remove it, only the headlight washers stop, everything else works OK.

Mike

Good to know, thanks for posting.

I knew it was fuse #48 but haven't had the bottle to remove it as I was worried what else it would affect. No xenons on my e90 so no reason to have functional headlamp washers. Guess what I'll be doing this weekend ...

[rich1068]

How's this for bad design. We've just got a brand new Peugeot van and over the last few days we've gone through gallons of screenwash. It turns out the washer jets squirt for a set amount of time when you pull the stalk. One of our guys has just done a run to Cleethorpes and back and had to pull off the motorway to wipe the screen with a rag. The screenwash had been topped up before he set off.

[warriorboy]

the wife's x3 runs the rear washwipe tubing through the cabin (probs to avoid freezing),

Unknown to me a connector under the carpet in o/s passenger footwell had come adrift and every time I sprayed the washwipe it filled up the footwell.

Only noticed after 2 full top ups of the tank.

thats another one I can live without and got disconnected!