Heated Windcsreen washers??

[stepcos]

Hi

I have read in the car manual that the windscreen washer jets are heated. However, the recent cold weather suggests that they are definitely not. Can anyone clarify the situation?

Regards

[HighwayTG]

I have to agree ... but strangely the jets for the xenon lights worked.

[sunil1234]

Hi

I have read in the car manual that the windscreen washer jets are heated. However, the recent cold weather suggests that they are definitely not. Can anyone clarify the situation?

Regards
the jets should be heated but the water itself freezes:aargh4:

[Ramon959]

I second (third) that.

No washers for the last couple days!

[mkc]

Surely tho it would have to be really cold to freeze the screen wash? The jets are heated, sure but the chemicals in the screenwash should keep the screenwash as a fluid, not a lump ob bluey green ice?

I had -8 earlier in the week, once I scraped the ice of the and jets had warmed up I had screen wash working. Are you sure you just didnt have lumps of grit in them?

I love the way Audi put the jets down by the wipers and not as black lumps half way down the bonnet. Just adds to the smoothness of the car

[steve1234]

I didn't even know they were heated - have to say I assumed they weren't as mine rarely seem to work at the moment...... Annoyingly also the headlamp washers seem to pop out and then the driver's side doesn't go go back in the cold which looks really odd!!!!!

I remember many moons ago the other half had a Ford Puma that had a heated windscreen - that was a stroke of genius!

[sunil1234]

i must say that i have only refilled mine with normal tap water and no screenwash so hence the water freezing:(

[sunil1234]

has anyone also noticed that the heated rear window stays on a lot longer in the colder weather, very clever:D

[jon_iz]

Hi

I have read in the car manual that the windscreen washer jets are heated. However, the recent cold weather suggests that they are definitely not. Can anyone clarify the situation?

Regards

They are heated - but it depends on what is in the washer bottles... Many screen wash additives only work down to -4 or -5°C, so on a very cold day the fluid will still freeze in the pipes...
I use the "pink" screen wash from Halfords that protects to around -10°C and have never had it freeze. The fumes from it are most enlightening :D
(also - the hand book states that only distilled water should be used, to prevent scaling of the nozzles, but i guess this depends if you are in a hard water area or not!)

Jon_Iz

[k6rff]

Hi,

Two things to add. I've found that continually using the Audi screenwash from my local dealer is vastly superior. Never had a frozen or blocked jet in 6 years on my B6. Interestingly, my wife has a Y reg Puma (Now approaching 18,000 from new!) that often blocks on the Ford offering. Ford wanted to charge to replace the jets until I pointed out that only they have ever topped the fluid up. The heated screen is a nice idea in principle but very annoying for night driving. Needless to say, she rarely drives it at night. Come to that, she rarely drives it.

[kodkod.84]

Why is the Ford heated windscreen annoying at night- can you see heating elements in the glass?

[sunil1234]

yep iirc, its like a honeycomb effect