Heated Washer Fluid

[skibo]

I was intrigued by these new Buick ads touting their heated washer fluid. A quick web-search reveals that this system is supplied by a seperate company that sells retrofit kits.

http://www.microheat.com/prodafter.asp
http://www.buyhotshot.com/

I thought some on this forum might be interested. I called for a price, but the distributor seems to be out for the weekend.

I'm actually considering this for 'my' car (the Olds - the wife and kids use the XC) - I typically make 4-6 very short hops in it every day. The car never heats up, and during winter months it is a chore to clean the ice off the windshield each time before a 3 minute drive. I'm guessing that the price of the system may approach the value of the car, though.

Another cold-weather feature that I wish Volvo would have picked up on is the Suburu practice of putting some resistor wires (like a rear-window defrost system) at the base of the windshield where the wipers rest to keep them from freezing.

As it is, I'm running the special Prestone washer fluid in both cars - it is yellow, and I think it has a higher concentation of alcohol it in, so it is marginally better than the blue stuff at melting ice & snow at higher temps (25-32 F).

[littlewaywelt]

I was intrigued by these new Buick ads touting their heated washer fluid. A quick web-search reveals that this system is supplied by a seperate company that sells retrofit kits.

http://www.microheat.com/prodafter.asp
http://www.buyhotshot.com/

I thought some on this forum might be interested. I called for a price, but the distributor seems to be out for the weekend.

I'm actually considering this for 'my' car (the Olds - the wife and kids use the XC) - I typically make 4-6 very short hops in it every day. The car never heats up, and during winter months it is a chore to clean the ice off the windshield each time before a 3 minute drive. I'm guessing that the price of the system may approach the value of the car, though.

Another cold-weather feature that I wish Volvo would have picked up on is the Suburu practice of putting some resistor wires (like a rear-window defrost system) at the base of the windshield where the wipers rest to keep them from freezing.

As it is, I'm running the special Prestone washer fluid in both cars - it is yellow, and I think it has a higher concentation of alcohol it in, so it is marginally better than the blue stuff at melting ice & snow at higher temps (25-32 F).

I agree that that is a neat function. One thing I've always found lame about the XC is that you have no idea how much fluid is in the reservoir until the warning light comes on.

[al_roethlisberger]

I didn't read the specs in detail, but two questions/concerns I would want to know:

1) Given the long washer tube "runs" on the XC70 to the headlight wipers, hood, and rear wiper... I wonder how the OEM tubing would hold up to 145 degree temperatures?

2) I personally am not a fan of "just install the button on your dashboard", and wonder if there could be an option to have it activate when the washer motor kicked in. It seems like one could automate the "on" function that way.

al

[JAZ]

"Another cold-weather feature that I wish Volvo would have picked up on is the Suburu practice of putting some resistor wires (like a rear-window defrost system) at the base of the windshield where the wipers rest to keep them from freezing."


I had this optional heated windshield on a 2001 Subaru Outback. It did not work that well at all. What would happen is the snow would melt just enough to turn to a great lump of slush that stuck to the wipers and made a real mess.

[TrueBlue]

I guess the only answer is to depress the freezing point in the washer system as much as possible. The "practical" solution is to put the same concentration of anti-freeze material as we do in the engine.

However, that much alcohol (50%) isn't going to do a whole lot of good to your paintwork.

It's impracticable to heat the whole chain especially when the bottle is "lost" in an inaccessible space under the front wing where it freezes first! I'm sure you guys who have real weather up the washer fluid concentration in the winter, but that's not enough.

The idea is simple, the execution is probably impossible - else there would be good products on the market, and I've not heard of any?

[barrykensett]

Whilst not quite the same thing I remember in the olden days we used to make up a device to heat the washer water. We used a piece of 1/2" copper pipe about 4" long and wrapped 3/16" copper pipe round it, about six turns, and soldered it in place. We then cut the heater pipe and inserted the device and routed the washer pipes through it.
Barry

[Sasquatch]

I agree that that is a neat function. One thing I've always found lame about the XC is that you have no idea how much fluid is in the reservoir until the warning light comes on.

JC Whitney has one:

WINDSHIELD CLEANING SYSTEM - HOT WATER (http://www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/Product/tf-Browse/s-10101/Pr-p_Product.CATENTRY_ID:2004488/showCustom-0/p-2004488/N-111+600003812+10201/c-10101)

This looks pretty overpriced. I might do my own by just coiling some extra washer fluid hose around the radiator hose. This would be better for long trips once things heat up, so as to melt ice and snow while moving; as opposed to something to spray warm fluid on before leaving.


As far as the fluid level, I check mine on weekends by lifting the hood.

[Art]

I came across this during a recent browse through Canadian Tire’s online website and thought the price was pretty reasonable. Looks like a pretty simple DIY job. :)

Motomaster Hot wash (http://www.canadiantire.ca/assortments/product_detail.jsp?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=140847439 6669671&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=1408474396670271&bmUID=1134436405331&PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524443285107&assortment=primary&fromSearch=true)

http://images.canadiantire.ca/media/images/Template/English/hotwash_560x425_en_50c17.jpg

[Sasquatch]

Wiper Shaker (http://www.canadiandriver.com/articles/pw/wipershaker.htm)