Honda Car Forum

My accord seems to have problem with the windshield fluid.
I can't seem to spray anything for the first 20-30 minutes
of driving. I hear the gears moving from the pump, but
nothing comes out of the nozzles.

I made sure that there are no ice or liquid frozen at the
tip of both nozzles. I can't find the hose easily when
I pop the hood (thinking it's frozen). Looks like the
hoses are embedded into the hood.

Anyone else have this problem either with 03 or 04?

My fiance's car, 99 Toyota Celica, is parked in the same
area with the same condition and her car have no problem
spraying the windshield liquid at startup.

Sometimes, I can use the spray again after driving for
a few hours. So it does indicate that something is
freezing or stuck inside the tubes.

Andrew Tsen <f00-bar@f-bar.com> wrote in news:slrncvkn93.i44.f00-bar@f-
bar.com:


>
> Sometimes, I can use the spray again after driving for
> a few hours. So it does indicate that something is
> freezing or stuck inside the tubes.
>



Yes. It means the fluid is freezing in the nozzles. If you get a washcloth
soaked in very warm water and let it sit on the nozzles for a minute,
they'll probably unfreeze. Even your fingertips will do if they're warm.

I don't know where you live, but you need to be using a low-temperature
washer fluid (-35 or -40 fluid is common here).

If you still have summer "bug wash" in there, it'll freeze very readily,
even in the lines.

--
TeGGeR®

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

Andrew Tsen wrote:
> My accord seems to have problem with the windshield fluid.
> I can't seem to spray anything for the first 20-30 minutes
> of driving. I hear the gears moving from the pump, but
> nothing comes out of the nozzles.
>
> I made sure that there are no ice or liquid frozen at the
> tip of both nozzles. I can't find the hose easily when
> I pop the hood (thinking it's frozen). Looks like the
> hoses are embedded into the hood.
>
> Anyone else have this problem either with 03 or 04?
>
> My fiance's car, 99 Toyota Celica, is parked in the same
> area with the same condition and her car have no problem
> spraying the windshield liquid at startup.
>
> Sometimes, I can use the spray again after driving for
> a few hours. So it does indicate that something is
> freezing or stuck inside the tubes.

--------------------------

Even if you've got propper 'winter' fluid in the reservoir, there may
still be regular water in the hoses. Once it warms up, run the squirters
for a long time until you see the juice coming out BLUE.

'Curly'

TeGGer® wrote:
> Andrew Tsen <f00-bar@f-bar.com> wrote in news:slrncvkn93.i44.f00-bar@f-
> bar.com:
>
>
>
>>Sometimes, I can use the spray again after driving for
>>a few hours. So it does indicate that something is
>>freezing or stuck inside the tubes.
>>
>
>
>
>
> Yes. It means the fluid is freezing in the nozzles. If you get a washcloth
> soaked in very warm water and let it sit on the nozzles for a minute,
> they'll probably unfreeze. Even your fingertips will do if they're warm.
>
> I don't know where you live, but you need to be using a low-temperature
> washer fluid (-35 or -40 fluid is common here).

dumping a 99 cent bottle of rubbing alcohol in the reservoir will fix
the problem.

On Fri, 28 Jan 2005 15:41:22 +0000, Andrew Tsen <f00-bar@f-bar.com>
wrote:

>Sometimes, I can use the spray again after driving for
>a few hours. So it does indicate that something is
>freezing or stuck inside the tubes.

It probably indicates you've got summertime washer fluid in the
reservoir. Not enough alky in the mix to keep it from freezing.
Try a winter grade.

motsco_ _ wrote:

> Andrew Tsen wrote:
>
>> My accord seems to have problem with the windshield fluid.
>> I can't seem to spray anything for the first 20-30 minutes of
>> driving. I hear the gears moving from the pump, but nothing comes
>> out of the nozzles.
>>
>> I made sure that there are no ice or liquid frozen at the
>> tip of both nozzles. I can't find the hose easily when I pop the
>> hood (thinking it's frozen). Looks like the hoses are embedded into
>> the hood.
>>
>> Anyone else have this problem either with 03 or 04?
>>
>> My fiance's car, 99 Toyota Celica, is parked in the same area with
>> the same condition and her car have no problem spraying the
>> windshield liquid at startup.
>>
>> Sometimes, I can use the spray again after driving for a few hours.
>> So it does indicate that something is freezing or stuck inside the
>> tubes.
>
>
> --------------------------
>
> Even if you've got propper 'winter' fluid in the reservoir, there may
> still be regular water in the hoses. Once it warms up, run the
> squirters for a long time until you see the juice coming out BLUE.
>
> 'Curly'
>

I'm finding the reservoir fluid not frozen and pump operating, but
suspect the alcohol in the straight winter fluid has evaporated via the
nozzles, leaving the water to freeze, so, no spray. Same fluid and same
result on both '05 Honda and '98 Caravan.

TeGGer® <tegger@istop.c0m> wrote:

> Yes. It means the fluid is freezing in the nozzles. If you get a washcloth
> soaked in very warm water and let it sit on the nozzles for a minute,
> they'll probably unfreeze. Even your fingertips will do if they're warm.
>
> I don't know where you live, but you need to be using a low-temperature
> washer fluid (-35 or -40 fluid is common here).

I do. I specifically go out and look for the winter windshield fluid.

I swear I got all of those ice out when I was scraping and picking the snow.
I'll try your suggestion next time when it freezes again.

I m in Philly. We recently got hit with 10+ inches of snow.

Thanks.

Andrew Tsen <f00-bar@f-bar.com> wrote in
news:slrncvl1j9.i44.f00-bar@f-bar.com:


> I swear I got all of those ice out when I was scraping and picking the
> snow. I'll try your suggestion next time when it freezes again.
>
> I m in Philly. We recently got hit with 10+ inches of snow.
>



Lucky you. All we had was -20F.

Occasionally the alcohol in the fluid in the nozzles can evaporate,
especially if they're not used for a bit, leaving a tiny plug of water in
the nozzles, which becomes ice. That's what you need to melt. It's entirely
inside the nozzle, so regular scraping won't help.

You can also get the tiny plug of water if the washers aren't used for a
while, and some snow has melted then refrozen on top of the nozzles.


--
TeGGeR®

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

Andrew Tsen wrote:
>>I don't know where you live, but you need to be using a low-temperature
>>washer fluid (-35 or -40 fluid is common here).
>
>
> I do. I specifically go out and look for the winter windshield fluid.

maybe you got a crappy batch? add a bottle of rubbing alcohol to it.

SoCalMike <mikein562athotmail@hotmail.com> wrote:
> Andrew Tsen wrote:
>>>I don't know where you live, but you need to be using a low-temperature
>>>washer fluid (-35 or -40 fluid is common here).
>>
>>
>> I do. I specifically go out and look for the winter windshield fluid.
>
> maybe you got a crappy batch? add a bottle of rubbing alcohol to it.

Will do. It just so happens I have some spare bottles in my medicine
cabinet. THx.