Windshield Washer fluid frozen, Prestone Bug Wash - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Shorebilly · #1 02-12-2007, 06:49 AM

G'mornin' Folks,

I may have been the last person on the planet to learn that Prestone Bug Wash freezes......it does not state this on the front label, but does in small print on the rear label.....I mentioned this to the counter guys at the auto parts place where I purchased it, and they said "you must have purchased it before early November, because we pull all of that stuff off of the shelves when winter gets close".......I did not read the entire label, and I did purchase it in late October, and had recently topped up the sump tank......the frozen washer fluid did not harm my washer tank, and all it took was removal of the tank, and bring it indoors to thaw out.....and refilled with Prestone De-Icer.....

Prestone is one of the major manufacturers of Anti-Freeze / Coolant products.....it had never crossed my mind that they would produce a product that will freeze.....this product "Bug Wash" should have a warning printed in large and obvious type on the front label.....

Just wanted to inform others of my little problem, and maybe prevent someone else from making the same mistake....

SB

Ken300D · #2 02-12-2007, 07:41 AM

Yes, this is a fairly recent scam that the windshield washer fluid manufacturers have come up with. You see, they can produce the product cheaper, yet sell it for the same price, if they don't include the anti-freeze chemical(s). So, there is now a summer product and a winter product.

They did this without telling anybody, so when you put the summer product in you will find it freezes when the weather is cold. You can avoid this by purging the summer product each fall and buying winter product. Yup, the manufacturer wins again when you have to do this.

So, the solution is - once burned twice shy - buy only the product that includes anti-freeze.

I would like to see someone who sprays the summer blend on their windshield, only to have it freeze over and cause a wreck, sue the manufacturers of the summer blend silly. Hmm.......

Ken300D

TWeatherford · #3 02-12-2007, 08:18 AM

Yeah, got my car in July. A few weeks ago it wouldn't squirt fluid. Looked under the hood and it was blue slush. Dumped it out the next day and put in some -20 stuff. That might not be low enough for some of you, but if it gets that cold here in KY me and half the population will likely be dead.

JimmyL · #4 02-12-2007, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TWeatherford

Dumped it out the next day and put in some -20 stuff. That might not be low enough for some of you, but if it gets that cold here in KY me and half the population will likely be dead.

I wouldn't buy the rated -20 stuff. I would have to move........
BRRRRRRR

TimFreeh · #5 02-12-2007, 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken300D

Yes, this is a fairly recent scam that the windshield washer fluid manufacturers have come up with. You see, they can produce the product cheaper, yet sell it for the same price, if they don't include the anti-freeze chemical(s). So, there is now a summer product and a winter product.

And according to this press release from Prestone there will be more of this in the future due to....... you guessed it environmental regulations.

http://www.honeywell.com/en/carcare/announcement_details.jsp?rowID=3&docID=4182&catID=4

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken300D

They did this without telling anybody, so when you put the summer product in you will find it freezes when the weather is cold. You can avoid this by purging the summer product each fall and buying winter product. Yup, the manufacturer wins again when you have to do this

Unless you fill your windshield washer bottle twice a year I don't think you are going to be forced to "purge" your washer bottle in the fall. Just refill with the proper solution sometime during the fall season. Or buy the less environmental friendly fluid for year round use - at least while you can. In any case you are still going to be buying washer fluid from a manufacturer.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken300D

I would like to see someone who sprays the summer blend on their windshield, only to have it freeze over and cause a wreck, sue the manufacturers of the summer blend silly. Hmm.......

Best of luck in your future endeavours.....

It's been awhile since I've used Bug Wash but as I recall it was clearly labeled as a "summer only" product. I do know that when I purchased it I was aware it was for summer use only. The name "Bug Wash" was a pretty good clue...

TimFreeh · #6 02-12-2007, 11:54 AM

I can't seem to get the above mentioned link to work consistently - there is a page on the Honeywell sight that talks about the need to develop winshield was fluids with low VOC content in response to changes in environmental laws in California.