Before the cold weather sets in, the summer washer fluid or water must be replaced with winter fluid. The remnants in the reservoir dilute the new mixture, and some may remain in the hoses and nozzles until the first activation. Below is the procedure for preparing the system for frost.
Replacing summer washer fluid: how to empty the reservoir and hoses
If the fluid has not yet frozen, the main volume can be pumped out through the filler neck using a hand pump or a syringe with a suitable tube. Access to the reservoir depends on the vehicle's design.
A small remainder can be used up through the washer with short activations and pauses. Do not keep the pump running for long periods or run it with an empty reservoir.
After filling with winter fluid, briefly activate all connected washers: windshield, rear window, and headlights, if present. This allows the new mixture to reach the lines and nozzles.
Winter washer fluid: choosing the fluid and thawing
A ready-made product is chosen based on the application temperature stated on the packaging, with a margin for the expected frosts. Concentrate is diluted only according to the manufacturer's table. Adding water to a ready-made mixture reduces its frost resistance.
"Replacing the fluid in the reservoir is not enough: the winter mixture must pass through all the washer lines," notes the author Oleksii Astapov.
If the system has already frozen:
do not turn on the pump until it has fully thawed;
move the vehicle to a warm room;
do not pour boiling water into the reservoir and do not heat parts with an open flame;
after thawing, check the system for leaks and replace the fluid.
Adding winter fluid to a frozen reservoir does not guarantee that the hoses and nozzles will thaw.
