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Windshield/Head Light Washer Fluid

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by dustoff003, Feb 27, 2011.

  1. dustoff003

    dustoff003 Blizzard Brigade #003

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    I was wondering if anybody here knows if there is a OEM Toyota windshield washer fluid or if anyone has any homemade recipes? I really liked whatever was in the tank when I bought my car it worked very good, problem is there was not that much of it. I wonder If it came from Japan? I figure they would put some fluid in to test the system. I have tried most
    commercially available products in the past just wondering if anybody has mixed up something good? I don't need any freeze protection but need something that can clean well.
     
    #1 dustoff003, Feb 27, 2011
  2. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Your local dealer should have the Toyota Washer Fluid (ours goes down to -35°C or -40°C... Not that you need it but that's the label on the front). I assume it's the same bottle all over North America.
     
    #2 Tideland Prius, Feb 27, 2011
  3. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    i pay .79 for he generic stuff. what's the oem, a buck? probably worth it.
     
    #3 bisco, Feb 27, 2011
  4. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    I've been buying the generic "-35 deg" stuff, and finding it's freezing a bit on the windshield, with temps maybe -2 centigrade. With the car full stopped, no windchill. So, am thinking they're not all created equal, you can get shortchanged on the methanol content Might be worth trying different brands, sticking to something tried-and-true. Could be the Toyota stuff is better?

    For example, last night, coming home from getting groceries, around -2 centigrade: I sprayed the rear wiper fluid, and from then on the wiper was going over little bumps of ice, unitl the defog wires finally melted it. :rolleyes:

    I do recall some saying "-40 deg", though not recently. It might be a bit better, ie: not freeze all the way down to -5 centigrade, LOL.

    One thing, I avoid pink stuff, stay with blue: I've had pink stain a bit on white cars.

    Addendum: See Canadian Tire has motomaster (house brand) windshield washer fluid, rated to -45 deg.
     
    #4 Mendel Leisk, Feb 27, 2011
  5. macman408

    macman408 Electron Guidance Counselor

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    Quick science lesson for the day: wind chill only applies to skin. It's an approximation of how cold it feels (so if it's a -10° wind chill, it feels like it is -10° with no wind). For inanimate objects, wind will cool them off faster, but never below the ambient temperature. So if the temperature is -2° and your washer fluid is -2°, it doesn't matter whether you're not moving or at top speed directly into the wind – the washer fluid's temperature won't change. If the washer fluid is warmer than -2°, it will cool down to -2°; and the faster you're moving, the faster it will reach -2°, but it can't go any lower, even if it would feel to you like the windchill is -20°.

    Back to the topic - maybe somebody diluted your washer fluid or something last time you took the car in for maintenance? -2°C is pretty weak.
     
    #5 macman408, Feb 27, 2011
  6. dustoff003

    dustoff003 Blizzard Brigade #003

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    If I have to worry about my fluid freezing I have bigger problems. I have to take the wife's Tacoma in for service tomorrow I will see if they have a OEM offering there. Whatever was in the tank was sudsy and cleaned good. I was mainly trying to find out if any fellow PC'ers had any good DIY washer fluid home-brew recipes that they would be willing to share? I have a couple ideas to try and mix up if I do I will post my recipes and results.
     
    #6 dustoff003, Feb 27, 2011
  7. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    It might have come from the dealer with summer windshield fluid. That's the last time it's seen the inside of the dealership, back last November. Still, I suspect it's just the cheap stuff I've been buying. :rolleyes:

    Will try CT's -45 stuff next.
     
    #7 Mendel Leisk, Feb 27, 2011
  8. dustoff003

    dustoff003 Blizzard Brigade #003

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    First batch of home brew, washer fluid.

    1 gallon Distilled Water -1 1/2 cups
    1/2 cup Isopropyl Alcohol
    1/2 cup Distilled White Vinegar
    1/4 cup Simple Green
    1 tbsp Joy liquid dish soap

    Added back approximately 1/4 cup of removed water shook. It did not explode and was not bubbling. I then poured it all into the empty reservoir then chased it down with remaining water removed from gallon jug. Yes I am bored.

    First impressions cleans and smells good no residue. I think I put to much Joy soap though a little to sudsy.

    May be the first and last batch but it was interesting. Anybody have any ideas for reformulation?
     
    #8 dustoff003, Mar 2, 2011
    Robert Holt likes this.
  9. danvee

    danvee Blizzard Brigadier

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    I might add that you'll want to be careful with the Simple Green. At that dilution, it could remove the wax from any surface and worst case might dull the paint itself.:eek:
     
    #9 danvee, Mar 2, 2011
  10. cit1991

    cit1991 New Member

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    P21s makes a nice washer booster. You add about 1 oz to a gallon of fluid. Seems to cut the grime better.

    Of course I have to run -30 stuff which uses methanol as an antifreeze. I get it wherever it's cheap, then nice person some of the P21s stuff.
     
    #10 cit1991, Mar 2, 2011
  11. dustoff003

    dustoff003 Blizzard Brigade #003

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    I used the manufacturers recommended dilution for automotive exterior. I have yet to wax my car, thanks for the heads up.


    Aloha,

    ED
     
    #11 dustoff003, Mar 28, 2011
  12. dustoff003

    dustoff003 Blizzard Brigade #003

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    My washer reservoir has just gone empty. Instead of mixing another batch of home brew I decided for a COT offering. I found Peak Eco Premium Bug Wash with Rain Off at Wal Mart and filled up with that yesterday. I may modify my mix for the next tank fill using slightly less soap. I was happy with my homemade creations performance.


    Aloha,

    ED
     
    #12 dustoff003, Mar 28, 2011
  13. dustoff003

    dustoff003 Blizzard Brigade #003

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    Well my resivior just went empty today so made a second batch of homebrew washer fluid. I used pretty much the same formulation as my first batch ecpept for the soap I used half a teaspoon of Joy and half a teaspoon of Kirkland Signature (COSTCO) environmentally friendly liquid dish soap. All other ingridients and amounts stayed the same. One thing I noticed after the last batch is it helps control the odor from the air conditioning and provides a fresh clean scent.
     
    #13 dustoff003, Jan 3, 2012
  14. Bob K.

    Bob K. New Member

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    I have tried several brands and mixes of washer fluid. I have found for cold weather driving that Prestone De-Icer Fluid works best. It does not freeze up, and has a what they call a dirt blocker in it. I think this is like a weaker version of Rain-X.
    It works very well, no streaking, iceing not an issue. Not bad stuff.
     
    #14 Bob K., Jan 3, 2012
  15. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    they've been pushing a product called 'splash' on the radio here about every five minutes. i have never heard of windshield washer fluid being advertised before. it's either really good, or some marketing guru decided if you advertise it enough, people will buy it.:rolleyes:
     
    #15 bisco, Jan 3, 2012
  16. dustoff003

    dustoff003 Blizzard Brigade #003

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    I just wanted to revisit this thread and say that I really liked the performance of my home brew windshield washer fluid, but it may have lead to the early demise of my windshield washer pump. I don't know that for a fact because the pump motor quit not the pump itself so maybe the pump being messed up caused the motor to fail. My car has three pumps one each for the front and rear washer and another for the headlight washer, the other two pumps worked after the front windshield failed. I am going to recommend against anyone trying my recipe above in that formulation. I have also had the check valve under the hood PN 85321-28020 fail previously causing my right side washer not to spray.
     
    #16 dustoff003, Mar 16, 2014
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