Months ago I was driving on the highway around 5 PM so the sun was low. As the curve in the highway turned towards the west, the sun was coming into the windshield at a good angle to highlight dried spots on the windshield. I hit the wiper fluid button to wash the windshield spots but it just smeared them so bad that I literally couldn't see out of the windshield! Fortunately I was able to pull off the road into the emergency lane.

At the time, I chalked it up to having too dirty of a windshield perhaps, cleaned the windshield and never thought about it again.

Just recently I was driving somewhere at 45 mph around 5 PM with the sun low as it is this time of year. Same thing happened. Instead of washing the dried spots the wiper fluid just smeared everything. I couldn't see out of the windshield again except the areas where the wipers don't hit.

When I got home I thoroughly cleaned the windshield and the wipers, even with rubbing alcohol and let it dry for a few minutes. With the windshield totally clean, I hit it with wiper fluid and got smearing! I think that I have found the culprit which is the wiper fluid. It's too bad that I threw the bottle away after the last fill up of the reservoir but it was orange so I think it was Rain X wiper fluid. I called the company and he said "yeah, there's a few things that could cause that". Well gee, thanks. Just what every driver needs, to not see while driving at 55 mph.

He said to get the old stuff out and put in new, so I did that today, sucked the old stuff out with a turkey baster, and put in a different brand, the regular old blue stuff from Walmart. It's a good thing I only poured half the jug in there because when I looked at the blue fluid in the reservoir it had sort of like an oily film on it. That could be leftover oils or waxy stuff from the Rain X fluid perhaps. I'll see how it goes the next time I'm driving.

I did a Google search and lots of other people have had this problem with Rain X. I like Rain-X that you apply to your windshield by hand but maybe that stuff is leaving behind the dry spots that smear, but even with the windshield totally clean, the Rain X wiper fluid in the reservoir was causing smearing.

Interesting…

But why did you use a turkey baster instead of simply lifting the reservoir and tipping it out?

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1981 240D 4sp manual. Ivory White.

I didn't know it came out easily. With the heater and stuff in there it looks like it'd be hard to take out.

An old possible remedy instead of a Rain X is to rub a raw potato on the windshield. The potato juice dispels rain water. As to smearing the windshield, I don’t know.

Many people have not been happy with other than normal windshield washer fluids.

Forget the rain x.

You need to check if your heated circuit is leaking coolant into your reservoir.

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79 300TD “Old Smokey” AKA “The Mistake” (SOLD)
82 240D stick shift 335k miles (SOLD)
82 300SD 300k miles
85 300D Turbodiesel 170k miles

don't tell me stuff like that, bill! i'm so cheap i'll start installing potatoes instead of new wiper blades

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0o==o0

James 4:8

"...let us put aside the blindness of mind of those who can conceive of nothing higher than what is known through the senses"
-Saint Gregory Palamas, ---Discourse on the Holy Transfiguration of Our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ


Centrally located in North East Central Pa.

This…

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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

Once got sprayed with coolant from a truck. Turned on the wiper and got a major smear. Could not see through it. Knew it was coolant by the aroma that came into my car

I like the old rainx. Don't know if it's still available as Autozoo didn't have it the last time I was there. It saved my butt a few times. An 18 wheeler threw a wave of rain onto my windshield and it cleared immediately. I make sure the windshield has a fresh coating especially when going on a long trip.

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85SD 240K & stopped counting painted, putting bac together. 84SD 180,000. sold to a neighbor and member here but I forget his handle. The 84 is much improved from when I had it. 85TD beginning to repair to DD status. Lots of stuff to do.

On my w124 the previous owner had let the washer fluid get pretty low and/or had some additive in it that did not react well to the heat of the coolant coil. It smeared and was virtually impossible to get off. I would start by cleaning and flushing the reservoir.

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TC
Current stable:
- 2004 Mazda RALLYWANKEL
- 2007 Saturn sky redline
- 2004 Explorer...under surgery.

Past: 135i, GTI, 300E, 300SD, 300SD, Stealth

We'll know when you start asking around if anyone has one of those french fry cutters that some restaurants use...

Phil Forrest

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1972 220D "Trudy," named by a friend.

"The 220D sounds good... I suspect it is the only car that you need a calendar for, rather than a stopwatch, when doing acceleration tests."
Tom Abrahamsson

yeah they smear especially when driving toward a low sun. When I have to clean under those circumstances I pull over first. ...oh and clean it more often.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

I tried the rain-x junk in my W126 once and had similar results. Smearing and skittering wiper blades. It also turns to sludge from the intense heat of the heated coolant reservoir. Never again!

I use the regular old blue stuff now and it works just fine. Sometimes in the warmer months I'll mix a batch of the "Krystall Klar" concentrate but its not for cold temps and I use it all up/flush it out before cold season.

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-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

Use the green RainX, not the orange. The orange stuff has always smeared for me... I swear that melted milk chocolate would be less messy.

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1991 300D 2.5 "Rocinante"
2002 Golf TDI "Teen Spirit"
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1984 300D
1966 Mustang I6 3sp
1985 Mazda RX-7 GSLSE
1982 Toyota Supra
1977 Datsun 280z
1971 Datsun 240z