Is anyone else having a problem with the washer fluid freezing up constantly. I have even tried that special never freeze stuff. Is it the pipes leading to the jets or the jets themselves.. but they are always frozen. (Yes, I do realized that its 0 in the northeast now, but no car has ever been consistenly frozen)

Thanks a lot
Nikki

GG EX 4WD

Can you tell if it the blockage is at the jets or in the hose? That is, could it be surface water freezing up and blocking the fluid, or is it so cold that the fluid is actually frozen away from the surface of the hood?

-brendan

I am having the same problem. Don't know where it is freezing, but it drives me crazy in the morning!

I thought I lived in a cold climate, but have yet to experience what you folks are. What's more, the more of these problems I have the fewer of, the more puzzled I get. No broken windshields, no seats rocking, no frozen washer fluid, no strange noises, no leaking fluids, no scratches or scrapes or door dings, no problems with keyless entry, no loud clanking brake clips, no fabric stains or rips, no missing parts, no extra parts, no broken parts, no fogged up interior windows, no lack of the proper temperature air emanating from the proper outlets at the proper time, no nothing. Did I buy an Element? If this is all a dream, please to not wake me up! And don't blame me if I ended up with a flawless one - it isn't like it's my fault, after all!

(OK, one bulb burned out in my aftermarket fog lights, but they were ten years old when I installed them, and non-Honda parts to begin with.)

I still think of this as a problem with the fluid though, not the Honda. If it's already frozen under the hood, it's sure as hell gonna freeze when it hits your even colder windshield, anyway! It's not like being in the tank under the hood inside your Honda is making the fluid somehow even colder. Try the next best brand and see if you don't have better results. (And never trust what it says on the label. It's only 99 cents a gallon, so it's not as it they need to care if it actually works exactly as advertised.)

I have never actually put windshield washer fluid in my E....always the dealer....are you telling me that the dealership took the cheap way out???? I am SHOCKED!

No problem to report for me too after 16,000 KM !
I received 4 or 5 rocks into my windshield created some pits but no crack !
Also, last week, we had the coldest temperature this winter (-30 C) and no problem with the small batterie and no problem with the windshield spray system... You should change your liquid, maybe your dealer put a mixture from 50%-50% water and blue windshield liquid.

Get it thawed out then siphon the old from the container with a $1.20 - 10 foot 3/8th od. length of neoprene tubing from Home Depot. Refill with Prestone. I saw some at Wally world. The US Element washer container is 5 quart capacity.

Or better yet, disconnect the common washer tube to the nozzles, put it in a 5 quart jug, and run your washer pump until it's all gone. Throw in a cup of water, do it again until clear. Reinstall the washer hose and fill the resovoir with the new stuff.

I did this... and now run Rain-X brand (the orange stuff)

My E has spent a few weekends in temps from -15 F. to -20 F and the stuff never froze up. Some friends of mine have done always modded their windshield washer path to go though a coil of small copper tubing wrapped around the exhaust manifold and then out to the squirters, nice warm fluid, always kept it from freezing up.

I never knew it, but some cars come with electrically heated washer fluid nozzles. Ebay has them sometimes, as seen here:http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=6763&item=2452827643

I am wondering why there seem to be a number of people having this problem...I live in Ottawa where it has been below -30C alot lately and have not had any problems with freezing...I am just using regular blue winter windshield washer fluid.

there are several products ( such as prestone heat ) that can be added to the fluid...

you also might want to try some methol hydrate from the drug store. this is the stuff they use to remove moisture and prevent freezing in the gas tank...

as well, maybe some water/snow fell into your washer tank?

The windshield washer reservoir on the E is mounted in the front right corner of the engine compartment and is almost entirely shielded by a divider panel. I have the same problem with mine in which the fluid comes out like glue. A few holes punched into this divider panel in order to get some engine heat onto the reservoir might do the trick.

Ahh, a new weekend project!

Sorry to revive such an old thread...but I just wanted to share my experiance last night.

Same thing as the rest, no washer fluid making it to my windshield, and the wiper blades were even more of a pain. They had no visible snow or ice on them after I cleaned it off but even a few bangs would not return them to a shape that would wipe the windshield. It was a major inconvenience for me seeing as how I was 2 hours from home, tired, and in no mood to deal with this.

What really bothered me though was just simply the washers. I never had that problem in the RSX unless there was major caked on snow on the nozzles. After getting them working 45 minutes later, what was coming out appeared to be nothing but soapy water. The stuff had no color and no smell whatsoever. The only hint of it being not just water was that it kinda sudsed a little on contact with the windshield. The guy at the dealer that filled it must have just thrown **** in there to get it out. I am going to be going out during lunch and draining that damn bottle and filling it with some good stuff. Also probably picking up a set of covered winter blades.

Thanks for listening.

Some friends of mine modded their windshield washer path to go though a coil of small copper tubing wrapped around the exhaust manifold and then out to the squirters, nice warm fluid, always kept it from freezing up.

In previous cars I have wound vacuum line around one of the radiator hoses and run the fluid through that. Works great (and less extreme than using exhaust manifold heat, IMO), but haven't tried it on the E yet. The key is to use oversize hose (3/16" ID to 1/4" ID) to minimize extra load on the little pumps and to keep fluid pressure close to nominal.

OTOH, the brand name "super cold" washer fluids (Prestone, Rain-X) shouldn't freeze.

I had the same issue with my wiper blade this morning. The washer fluid is not an issue, I long ago went through whatever the mix was that came with the E and put in 100% of the $0.99 blue stuff.

My passenger wiper blade was frozen into an arc. I removed it and placed in inside the E on the front defroster vent for a few minutes. This thawed it out and then it worked fine. Never had this happen to a wiper before. Not something I would blame on the E, but found it strange.

I am wondering why there seem to be a number of people having this problem...I live in Ottawa where it has been below -30C alot lately and have not had any problems with freezing...I am just using regular blue winter windshield washer fluid.


the one i use is orange and doesnt freeze
i can check the bottle for the temps if you want

if you need to drain your "blue liquid" wait till it thaws
disconnect the tubes under the hood have someone release it when you aim away from the vehicle or into a container

I have never had any freezing problems even with the blue stuff. In the winter I usually also run the non freezing kind but that is for (like colin said) when it hits the even colder windshield. I also dont dilute anything and pour it straight in. It was -7 with windchill here last night and you have to realize at those temperatures most things are going to freeze.

I picked up some rain-x stuff and these...

http://www.tricoproducts.com/brochure.cfm?brochure=2838&location_id=65

I'll let ya know how they work.

I picked up some rain-x stuff and these...

http://www.tricoproducts.com/brochure.cfm?brochure=2838&location_id=65

I'll let ya know how they work.


hey

before you use that rainx stuff
do up a google search
i think a while back people were complaining about how it stains the clearcoat on the hood AND breaks down the rubber in your wipers
this is all off the top of my head

and there is alot in the noggin :)

Did a quick search, nothing out of the ordinary. Gonna give it a shot.

Did a quick search, nothing out of the ordinary. Gonna give it a shot.


must be the crack i did on lunch :grin:

Type X -- Let's do lunch some day!

The only thing I can surmise when people complain about the washer fluid freezing may be that Honda installs "watered-down" fluid at the factory and it may take a while to use up that first big honkin' tankfull. If you use any of the over-the-counter gallon jug stuff, even at .$99 a bottle -- if it freezes in the nozzles, stay home! It's worse outside than you even imagined! :twisted:

Hey hardwired,

Where were you able to find those innovision wipers. i tried to order them from advance auto's website. but after i ordered them i got an e-mail saying they can find them anywhere.I am really interested in finding them. they look like they would work really good. I just picked up my E 3 weeks ago and my washers froze up than unfroze when the sun was out. but when the sun went down it froze up again. i definitely think they put watered down fluid in the factory.

Thanks

Robert

Glad to know it wasn't just me with the water in the washer bottle LOL.

I found mine at pep boys. 20" blades I believe. I will post a full review on next snow storm. Haven't even installed yet...gonna do that today as I pump out the crap water.

FYI, from my guy at Honda Parts...

"honda uses 20oz fluid w/ the rest being water, in the winter they use a full bottle"

Yeah I would love to be able to go to pepboys to get them. but the closest one to me is in long island. so i guess i will have to wait until i can get them around here. would love to hear how they work when we get some more snow.

Robert

Call it bad karma but I read this thread a few days ago and had no problems. It's been below zero here in Minnesota the past few days and yesterday I found I had a problem with freezing. I hope to pump out the bad fluid and replace it with the super-duper stuff. I hope it works. It's not the nozzles it has to be someplace in the lines itself or the pump (which I can hear working).

I will let you know if I get it fixed.

Oh and I have winter wiperblades that stay pliable in cold weather.

Bill

Today's example: I must live, as most, 15 miles east of joemoma. I knew enough not to use my washers until I'd driven maybe 7 miles, enough time for the engine compartment and the windshield to "warm up". I suspect that he and I are two of the few who can relate to the kind of conditions this morning's weather created, so I won't even attempt to explain them! Mine pumped and squirted just fine, but after two strokes of the wipers, what little remained on the windshield promptly froze to it. (It melted in less than a block, but it was that kind of cold out here today!) Brrrrrr! :-x

Actually I work from home so I didn't drive until after 5 PM today.

My washer fluid is frozen again when I went out tonight. I think I may have realized what happened. I went to Richfield Bloomington Honda for my last oil change. I think they added water and not winter fluid when topping off my fluids.

Even in the summer I add the blue fluid. So I know something is a miss. I pulled it into my sister’s garage last night long enough to get the fluid warm enough to flow; I did not however pump enough of the water out. I actually added HEAT (isopropyl alcohol) like the stuff you used to have to add to the gas tank. That failed to help. So I bought some extra deep freeze fluid at Target tonight. I will go over and pull it into the garage and let it warm up enough to pump it dry and add the new stuff. I hope that helps.

Just so the others in normal weather states know as a write this posting it’s below zero without any windchill. Factor in the windchill and temps will hit -35 tonight.. I think Hownowcb will agree you don’t know winter until you live in Minnesota. Other places the sun actually comes out during the day. Not here. Other places close schools and people stay home when winter storms or a deep cold sets in not here we just keep on keepin’ on. We are a sick and twisted group.

Well I pumped out the old stuff and threw in a gallon of rain-x anti-freeze and it still wasn't enough! How big is that tank?!?!?

Anyway, the rain-x stuff works nice to clean, have to wait to see how it fares in the cold. Going skiing on Sunday so that should be the best test.

Also installed the newfangled wipers. So far so good. Very easy installation (pop off old, pop on new), and a streak free wipe. Looks good so far and again, I'll get a better idea how they fare on Sunday, or when it snows again.

Too bad they don't make a 12" for the rear. Because of its design, I'm going to see if I can get the 14" they make and cut an inch off each side. We shall see.

I'm going to see if I can get the 14" they make and cut an inch off each side. We shall see.

Most wipers attach near the outer edge and if you cut that off the blade will slide right out, and as i dont need to say that sucks! A little bit of super glue on the flex arms should keep it from sliding out tho.

Im gonna check the design when I go back outside to see how its held on. If its as simple as a small metal tab, a pair of sheers and pliers can do the job after I cut.

I use blue washer fluid that my work gets, and factory blades, no problems here in chicago, and it was -1 this morning.

When your car comes from factory it only has about one quart or less in it. The dealership fills it up during the Pre delivery inspection.

I just had an MDX at work the other day from georgia with a frozen washer jug. Had to drain what I could, then filled it with hot water to defrost it and drain it out and put new blue stuff in. Works great now.

bought my e in june and only had the dealer washer fluid in the tank. The first cold morning with snow the fluid froze up. You can use a hair dryer on the nozzles to free it up. After doing this i noticed that the fluid left on the hood turned to a frozen goo. The dealer was using a watered down or cheapo fluid. Run the junk out to empty and put some store bought stuff in. Unbelievable that a dealer shop resorts to this to save pennies.

Add me to the frozen jets experience - and it was the jets and not the lines leading up to them. I had used them in the morning, parked for an hour and came back to no wiper fluid. A shot from a hairdryer at home solved the mystery. Cleveland has had a 16 inch mixture of snow, rain and sleet all on the same day followed by single digit temperatures. Hasn't stopped me once - but I did draw the line at trying to enter the driveway that had a five foot wide, 18" pile of ice left by the snowplow.

Snow and ice review...

The blades and fluid performed just as expected! After snowing for about an hour and with snow built up on the hood and wipers I expected a much better performance than from my stock wipers and fluid. I got what I was looking for!!!

The wipers cleared everything with a single swish, no problems, and the rain-x fluid sprayed THROUGH the snow on the hood and hit the windshield full force.

Conclusion...stock wipers and fluid sux...get innovision and some form of anti-freeze fluid. I'm probably gonna try the prestone next.

hardwired,

from your review i definitely want those wipers. but cant fing them anywhere. if anyone knows where to get them or sees them anywhere please post here.

Thanks

as silly as this is going to sound, make sure you use the windshielf wiper fluid and keep new fluid in the tubes because the longer it stay stagnent, th less alcohol the fluid contains. then it freezes in the tubes.

As silly as it may sound, and I'm suprised more winter drivers don't know this, but,
Turn the heat down on your defroster if you want to avoid ice buildup on your wipers.
The hotter the air blowing on your windshield, the greater the chances of meating the snow, and having it freeze up your wipers, where it accumulates.
As soon as your windshield is defrosted, and clear, turn the heat down, and only blow enough on it to prevent it from fogging up. I usually change it to the face/floor setting for a while, and heat up the passenger compartment.
Anyone who has driven any distance in a blowing snow learns to keep a cold, dry windshield, and the snow won't stick to it.

Maybe its the power of suggestion.......
I have NEVER had windshield fluid freeze in the lines...until today.
I had been adding "antifreeze washer fluid" to the factory orginal fluid....which seems to be mostly water.
Driving back from Canada to the Seattle area today, after a half hour or so of driving, after being parked in a garage for 5 days, I hit the washer switch and nada.
It took about 200 miles and parking in the sun just north of the border at mikey's pub and eatery for a burger to finally get it thawed out.
PURGE that factory crapola fluid and put in some cheapo REAL washer fluid if you plan to go anywhere freezing.
Luckily I was indeed driving with a "cold windshield" so not much was sticking.

Mine froze this weekend as well--apparently in the lines. Nothing would come out when I most needed it. The windshield had a grimey frozen film. I finally had to pull off the road and wipe it all off by hand.

All,

Just bought an 03 used E DX. Went to put washer fluid in the reservoir and it was as if I was pouring the fluid straight onto the ground below the car. I have never seen something leak so easily.

Does anyone have an easy DIY to replace or repair the tank?

Thanks in advance.

All,

Just bought an 03 used E DX. Went to put washer fluid in the reservoir and it was as if I was pouring the fluid straight onto the ground below the car. I have never seen something leak so easily.

Does anyone have an easy DIY to replace or repair the tank?

Thanks in advance.


You can use these instructions here to remove the front bumper

http://www.collegehillshonda.com/instructions/03element/foglights.pdf


and to order another bottle you'd need to look here

http://www.hondaautomotiveparts.com/auto/jsp/mws/catdisplay.jsp?inputstate=4&catcgry1=ELEMENT&catcgry2=2003&catcgry3=5DR%20DX%20(4WD)&catcgry4=KA4AT

not sure exactly what category you'd need (you can call your local honda dealer for the part number and cheat lol )

Good luck

Welcome, Aliceanna.

I deleted your duplicate post from the "DIY: Windshield washer fluid" thread. One post/thread per topic, please.

The tank is almost certainly not repairable. But before you buy a new one, it would be worth checking to see if one of the pumps or a hose has simply detached. You'll need to remove the plastic fascia either way, but it's surprisingly easy to do.

All,

Just bought an 03 used E DX. Went to put washer fluid in the reservoir and it was as if I was pouring the fluid straight onto the ground below the car. I have never seen something leak so easily.

Does anyone have an easy DIY to replace or repair the tank?

Thanks in advance.


Here is a TON of info.

http://www.elementownersclub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16735

Welcome, Aliceanna.

I deleted your duplicate post from the "DIY: Windshield washer fluid" thread. One post/thread per topic, please.

The tank is almost certainly not repairable. But before you buy a new one, it would be worth checking to see if one of the pumps or a hose has simply detached. You'll need to remove the plastic fascia either way, but it's surprisingly easy to do.

Thanks a million!