Windshield washer strange behaviour

[ajax911]

Hi guys,

 

I need some help and would appreciate any.

 

I have recently bought Edge 2011 Limited, and noticed strange behaviour of how the washer fluid goes.

First we have temperature around +2 - +10 C . I used to drive Grand Cherokee and to clean the window all I need is a little touch.

 

Now ford has a weird button I have to push. Its fin not a big deal but the problem is when I get to the car in the morning I can start my car and push and hold that button for minutes. Nothing works. The strange thing is that when I drive a car for 20-30 min the washer starts working. I went to dealer and of course it worked for them.

 

I thought liquid my get froze, I have a -40 one but who knows. But in this case why the back one works right away as soon as I touch it.

 

I need it to work in winter, and work right away, not after a 20 minutes of driving. Does anybody experienced anything like it? and any suggestions how I can prove it to a dealer that its not the way it has to work.

[bbf2530]

Hi guys,

 

I need some help and would appreciate any.

 

I have recently bought Edge 2011 Limited, and noticed strange behaviour of how the washer fluid goes.

First we have temperature around +2 - +10 C . I used to drive Grand Cherokee and to clean the window all I need is a little touch.

 

Now ford has a weird button I have to push. Its fin not a big deal but the problem is when I get to the car in the morning I can start my car and push and hold that button for minutes. Nothing works. The strange thing is that when I drive a car for 20-30 min the washer starts working. I went to dealer and of course it worked for them.

 

I thought liquid my get froze, I have a -40 one but who knows. But in this case why the back one works right away as soon as I touch it.

 

I need it to work in winter, and work right away, not after a 20 minutes of driving. Does anybody experienced anything like it? and any suggestions how I can prove it to a dealer that its not the way it has to work.

 

Hi ajax. :D Well, you can try making a video of the behavior, but that is not the same as the Tech being able to put hands-on and witness it first-hand. Therefore, since this only seems to happen in the morning before the car is driven, you will probably need to leave it overnight so they can witness the behavior first-hand in the morning. That will entail making an appointment. Some Dealars provide free courtesy loaners, so find out what your Dealers policy is. Or, if you have the ESP Plan with rental coverage you can have them provide a loaner as part of your coverage.

 

Keep us updated and good luck. :beerchug:

Edited November 28, 2011 by bbf2530

[Dingo]

It's freezing at the nozzle. Common on Fords that are parked outside. The wind does it, and then the engine heat melts it.

[swalker]

Hello everyone. I was just going to post something about this as well but did a search and found this topic already started. My windshield washers have not worked many times in the last few months. You push the button and nothing. If you keep trying it, eventually it will work. I would expect to heard the motor running when I push the button and there is nothing. Very frustrating. I need to take the car in for an oil change soon so I plan to have them look at this issue. With everything else being related to the MFT system, didn't know if this was somehow related as well. Just a shot in the dark, but I hope they can figure it out.

 

Scott

[ajax911]

Hello everyone. I was just going to post something about this as well but did a search and found this topic already started. My windshield washers have not worked many times in the last few months. You push the button and nothing. If you keep trying it, eventually it will work. I would expect to heard the motor running when I push the button and there is nothing. Very frustrating. I need to take the car in for an oil change soon so I plan to have them look at this issue. With everything else being related to the MFT system, didn't know if this was somehow related as well. Just a shot in the dark, but I hope they can figure it out.

 

Scott

 

Yes this sounds exactly what I have. Yesterday were around 0 C, was going home, washer did not work for about 15 min at all. After that it worked once, again couple of min nothing. Anf all the way home like that.

Will try to make a video for dealer see what they say.

[Theakerr]

This sounds pretty well the same as a problem I had. I had put in -40 windshield washer solution in knowing that winter was coming but had been running normal washer fluid (with a touch of washing up liquid to degrease) for the summer. Turns out that the weather was kind and I did not use the washers very much before winter came, so my washer fluid was a mixture of regular and -40. One would have thought this should have been OK but when I looked at the liquid at temps in the 0C (32F) range it was almost crystalline. My assumption is that rather than forming a fully miscible solution the mixture was forming some sort of eutectic mixture with a non linear freezing response. To correct the problem I 1} drained the windshield washer reservoir using a vacuum pump and 2) after filling up with new -40 washer fluid pumped the new fluid through the system for enough time to completely eliminate any of the old fluid (Time was somewhat arbitrary and a bit seat of the pants). No more problems although now I make a point of putting in -40 solution in late August to make sure the system is full of -40 stuff by the onset of colder weather.

[swalker]

Mine was doing this when it was 70 degrees out. So I don't think it is a problem with the solvent freezing. I will have the dealer check it out and hopefully they can fix the problem.

[1duFos]

This sounds pretty well the same as a problem I had. I had put in -40 windshield washer solution in knowing that winter was coming but had been running normal washer fluid (with a touch of washing up liquid to degrease) for the summer. Turns out that the weather was kind and I did not use the washers very much before winter came, so my washer fluid was a mixture of regular and -40. One would have thought this should have been OK but when I looked at the liquid at temps in the 0C (32F) range it was almost crystalline. My assumption is that rather than forming a fully miscible solution the mixture was forming some sort of eutectic mixture with a non linear freezing response. To correct the problem I 1} drained the windshield washer reservoir using a vacuum pump and 2) after filling up with new -40 washer fluid pumped the new fluid through the system for enough time to completely eliminate any of the old fluid (Time was somewhat arbitrary and a bit seat of the pants). No more problems although now I make a point of putting in -40 solution in late August to make sure the system is full of -40 stuff by the onset of colder weather.

 

I am sure Ford puts in wind shield anti freeze as the cars are built in Canada where the winters go well below freezing during the winter. Push button, going back to the 50s-60s...

[ajax911]

This sounds pretty well the same as a problem I had. I had put in -40 windshield washer solution in knowing that winter was coming but had been running normal washer fluid (with a touch of washing up liquid to degrease) for the summer. Turns out that the weather was kind and I did not use the washers very much before winter came, so my washer fluid was a mixture of regular and -40. One would have thought this should have been OK but when I looked at the liquid at temps in the 0C (32F) range it was almost crystalline. My assumption is that rather than forming a fully miscible solution the mixture was forming some sort of eutectic mixture with a non linear freezing response. To correct the problem I 1} drained the windshield washer reservoir using a vacuum pump and 2) after filling up with new -40 washer fluid pumped the new fluid through the system for enough time to completely eliminate any of the old fluid (Time was somewhat arbitrary and a bit seat of the pants). No more problems although now I make a point of putting in -40 solution in late August to make sure the system is full of -40 stuff by the onset of colder weather.

 

When u had this problem have u checked the rear washer? Mine works great when the front one not.

[Theakerr]

Ajax 911, Good Question, simple answer is No, did not think of it.

1duFos, like you, I am sure Ford does put in an antifreeze washer solution since we do live in Canada, but one does use washer fluid from time to time that has to be replensihed. In the summer I put in the cheaper regular washer fluid and a couple of squirts of dishwasher fluid concentrate to act as a degreaser.

[ajax911]

I bought car in a summer and Dealer told me they fill it with the regular blue fluid. However I did not test in in a summer time, first time I tried it were like +5 I dont think it should freeze at that temp.

How ever later I used about 30% of it and added -40 yellow fluid. same result but I see there is a comment about mixing them. I will try to completely exchange it. Will keep u posted.

[katandcharlie]

My wiper problem is a bit different.... The rain sensor works when it's NOT raining and doesn't work when it IS raining. I have had the car in the shop two times and both times the service dept replaced the sensor that is behind the rearview mirror. Works great for about a month or two and then, BAM, dry as a bone outside and the wipers start swooshing across the windshild like crazy. And you guessed it, they are back to having a mind of their own again.... raining like crazy outside today and the only way the wipers will come on is if I manually turn them on. When I run the car through the carwash I always make certain that the wiper control is turned completely off, not in the "auto/sensor" setting. Ahhh, the life of an independent thinking wiper blade.

[swalker]

Took mine in last week for an oil change and to fix my wiper problem. Turns out the switch was bad. Replaced it and everything works great now.

[JOEHIO]

Amen for the fix. Glad the issue was resolved for you

[ajax911]

That was a switch for me, had to go to dealer twice, first time manager was lazy bastard, he said its alright. How can it be alright ? Second time I picked a different guy, he send me to change the switch right away. Now no issues!

[cv27]

For me similar symptoms, but nothing to do with freezing up.

 

Occasionally, I will press the button, it will squish out some liquid, but not enough. That's when I will push the button again and it won't squirt anything; push button 2-3 times: nothing. Then after a few seconds, push again and it does its job. Not a constant occurence though.

 

As for the rain sensing, I find, sometimes, that it takes a bit too long to react so I need to increase the sensitivity. This usually happens when the rain is not coming down as hard for a while and then it starts pouring again.

 

Other anomaly of the rain sensing is that it will flip the wipers once, in bright sunshine weather, then keep quiet. Very seldom occurence.