Fatal windshield washer fluid problem on the first constant temp < 0 day

[mypatpat]

Hi everyone, not sure if you guys remember me but I just found out there&#039;s a temporary forum in place for TM3. Anyway, I really need help...

My last service was my annual 24k check at Mazda of Toronto (Yonge and Steeles). I purchased my 3 in Avante but MoT is closer so it&#039;s more logical for me to service my car there.

Over the pass few services I noticed that they tend to fill up my washer fluids for me, which was cool because it saves me the hassle to buy and fill the fluids. Until this morning I noticed the nozzles were clogged, initially I didn&#039;t take that as a big deal as it has been raining quite a bit in Toronto over the pass few days so I thought it could be the rain that got frozen. I got it unclogged a little heat from my lighter and all is fine.

Finally tonight when I went out for dinner, I purposely try the mist again just to reassure myself and noticed that it&#039;s clogged again. Moreover, the fluid freezes on my windshield and my wipers on contact! That happened from a cold start of my car and car was not moving. That got me to suspect that MoT filled my tank with water or high temperature washer fluid instead of the proper -40 degree fluid that everyone should be using in a country like Canada.

I guess I&#039;m looking for suggestions on what I should do. I&#039;m going to call MoT first thing in the morning and demand for an explanation, but the problem is I have absolutely no proof that they filled up the fluid for me.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks a lot.

[RedRaptor]

I think the question we are all wondering is when did MoT last touch your car (24K service)? If it was done in June or July, I wouldn&#039;t be surprised that they used summer fluid.

[mypatpat]

I think the question we are all wondering is when did MoT last touch your car (24K service)? If it was done in June or July, I wouldn&#039;t be surprised that they used summer fluid.


It was my 24k service, done in early August. Should I go and tell them to do something about it, or just spray it all and put in my rainx fluids?

My next service is due by this weekend by the way...

[Skarbro]

I think the question we are all wondering is when did MoT last touch your car (24K service)?* If it was done in June or July, I wouldn&#039;t be surprised that they used summer fluid.


It was my 24k service, done in early August.* Should I go and tell them to do something about it, or just spray it all and put in my rainx fluids?

My next service is due by this weekend by the way...


Don&#039;t hassle them with this minor thing (they&#039;re doing it as a courtesy).* Just spray out all the fluid you have and put in new fluid.* If you don&#039;t want them to top up your fluid when you take your car in - tell them, or make sure its already topped up.

Besides, if you take it to them complaining about it, they will just do the same thing anyway.

[mypatpat]

I think the question we are all wondering is when did MoT last touch your car (24K service)? If it was done in June or July, I wouldn&#039;t be surprised that they used summer fluid.


It was my 24k service, done in early August. Should I go and tell them to do something about it, or just spray it all and put in my rainx fluids?

My next service is due by this weekend by the way...


Don&#039;t hassle them with this minor thing (they&#039;re doing it as a courtesy). Just spray out all the fluid you have and put in new fluid. If you don&#039;t want them to top up your fluid when you take your car in - tell them, or make sure its already topped up.

Besides, if you take it to them complaining about it, they will just do the same thing anyway.


As as matter of fact, this can become a big deal. If it&#039;s really water or high freezing temp fluild that got in my car, then the fluild can potentially freeze in the washer tank and crack the flimsy plastic bottle.

Anyway, I do agree that if I can spray them all out (fingers crossed that it&#039;s not frozed in the tank) I should just do that and forget about it. I don&#039;t have time to goto them anyway this morning.

Thanks a lot for the helps.

[Skarbro]

The only way that your fluid would be freezing in this temperature (low of -5) is if there is water in there. There isn&#039;t any washer fluid out there that I know of that will freeze in this temperature.

[wtom]

It was my 24k service, done in early August.


Any dealership is going to laugh at you for running to them complaining that it is now DECEMBER and the washer fluid they put in back in AUGUST is for the wrong season.

[majic]

It was my 24k service, done in early August. Should I go and tell them to do something about it, or just spray it all and put in my rainx fluids?

My next service is due by this weekend by the way...


Don&#039;t hassle them with this minor thing (they&#039;re doing it as a courtesy). Just spray out all the fluid you have and put in new fluid. If you don&#039;t want them to top up your fluid when you take your car in - tell them, or make sure its already topped up.

Besides, if you take it to them complaining about it, they will just do the same thing anyway.


actually it&#039;s part of the 8000km service, so EVERY 8K they SHOULD top up the fluids..

http://www.whitbymazda.com/en/service/maintenance/index.spy?make=Mazda&model=3&year=2005&lcarids=1053900104|GT#dropmenu


Inspect brake and clutch fluid, power steering fluid, washer fluid and coolant level

wherever it says inspect, if it needs replacement or a topup they do it.. they dont charge you to inflate your tires just like they dont charge to top up the fluids..

patpat, drain your current wwf.. put some rainx to last you till you get to MoT and then get them to top it up as a part oif your next service.. simple.. no need to get angry with them... although i don&#039;t even think they have seasonal fluids.. maybe just the regular one diluted with water?

[mypatpat]

It was my 24k service, done in early August.


Any dealership is going to laugh at you for running to them complaining that it is now DECEMBER and the washer fluid they put in back in AUGUST is for the wrong season.


On the contrary, I just got back from MoT and accepted their polite apology. My tank and line was frozen this moring.

They had the pink summer fluid in my car when I had my service in August. They claim that they fill tanks with the summer fluid during summer time and flushes the tank at the first winter service for the winter fluids. Having said that, I asked the service advisor the following questions that he wasn&#039;t able to answer:


Why would summer fluid be put into my car in August when they know I wont be back until December, which temperature usually drops below 0?
Why wasn&#039;t I notified when summer fluid is used in my car?
I recently recieved a coupon from MoT saying that I&#039;ll get a free bottle of windshield fluid if I bring my car in for serivce, was that some tactics to bring my car in for the fluid transplant?


Anyhow, my coworkers and clients was waiting for me in the office for a meeting, so I simply confirmed that I can request winter fluid next time I come in for service and left.

A good lesson learned for everyone that goes to MoT.

Once again, thanks for everyone&#039;s help on this matter.

[wtom]

::)

I think most ppl here have the courage to get under the hood and maintain their own windshield washer fluid especially within four months of a scheduled service. What&#039;s next, expect the dealership to fill-up your gas tank for you too? Gimme a farking break. Not a personal attack, mypatpat, but the whole notion of getting upset because the dealership put summer fluid into your tank in AUGUST is just wrong.

NOTE to MoT; Use winter washer fluid all year round. ;)




Why would summer fluid be put into my car in August when they know I wont be back until December, which temperature usually drops below 0?

[Wild Weasel]

Dude, I&#039;m on your side. They shouldn&#039;t be using a fluid that&#039;s going to freeze, even in the summer, because frankly they have no idea how long it&#039;s going to take you to go through it.

As for expecting you to do it yourself... if I know I&#039;m going in for an oil change or something and I&#039;m low on fluid, I&#039;ll purposely not fill it up. Hey... it&#039;s free washer fluid. Why wouldn&#039;t you want it?

I&#039;ve never had an issue with it freezing. I just assume they&#039;re using the right stuff.

This just isn&#039;t something that should ever be an issue.

[Skarbro]

There has to be more to this story. What is the freezing point of summer washer fluid?

[Wild Weasel]

There has to be more to this story.* What is the freezing point of summer washer fluid?


I agree. If the dealer put water in, then they&#039;re certainly responsible. If someone else put water in and it&#039;s just coming to light now, I hope he&#039;d take responsibility for his own actions and not try to pin it on the dealer.

The dealer seems to have accepted responsibility though, so I wonder if they screwed up and know it...

[mypatpat]

::)

I think most ppl here have the courage to get under the hood and maintain their own windshield washer fluid especially within four months of a scheduled service. What&#039;s next, expect the dealership to fill-up your gas tank for you too? Gimme a farking break. Not a personal attack, mypatpat, but the whole notion of getting upset because the dealership put summer fluid into your tank in AUGUST is just wrong.

NOTE to MoT; Use winter washer fluid all year round. ;)




Why would summer fluid be put into my car in August when they know I wont be back until December, which temperature usually drops below 0?



My comments were not against you and to be very honest, I don&#039;t care what you think.

Let me put it this way, when you go buy Chinese food, they give you soya sauce for dippings. Would you go about checking whether it&#039;s really soya sauce or black ink? Would I say you don&#039;t care about your life and health if you don&#039;t check?

The point is, I do care and am capable in checking the fluids in my car, but it&#039;s their responsibilty to inform me of what fluid was put into my car. The fact that I wasn&#039;t informed about the summer fluild is what I&#039;m upsed about.

[wtom]

My comments were not against you and to be very honest, I don&#039;t care what you think.

Let me put it this way, when you go buy Chinese food, they give you soya sauce for dippings.* Would you go about checking whether it&#039;s really soya sauce or black ink?* *Would I say you don&#039;t care about your life and health if you don&#039;t check?

The point is, I do care and am capable in checking the fluids in my car, but it&#039;s their responsibilty to inform me of what fluid was put into my car.* The fact that I wasn&#039;t informed about the summer fluild is what I&#039;m upsed about.*


When I buy Chinese food but I get soya sauce for my spring rolls, I&#039;ll go get my own plum sauce and use that instead.

The point of what I said is that you also have the responsibility to maintain what you can in your car. I didn&#039;t intend for you to check the WWF to see whether it was -35 or -45 stuff; I don&#039;t think anyone can by just looking at it!

I have never been informed by any dealerships for any of my cars (past and present) after service whether they put in winter or non-winter WWF.

[FLIPDADY]

Note to people who serviced during the summer months. We like all other dealerships use summer w/w fluid.

Best thing to do is let it all out and bring it back in for a refill.

[EvilEric]

I just can't believe that something actually froze with the warm weather we've been having.

[Ghost3]

I'd like to know how many members go through a full bottle of windsheild washer during the summer months. I don't think I ever have. I think the summer fluid is better for the summer as it gets rid of bug goo better than winter fluid (cudos to MofT for the extra mile there) but really how many of us would think to check what fluid is in the car at the start of Nov/Dec.
I would think the car is delivered with winter fluid so why change that when servicing? I got my car in August and it was full of winter washer fluid.

I guess the bottom line here is that M of T just needed to let the customer know about the summer fluid. They were doing the customer a favour by adding the summer fluid but "whatever can go wrong....will"

[spyder]

This thread is a complete waste of time. It does not take a rocket scientist to understand what happen here. I had the same problem, sprayed the fluid out just a couple of days ago and filled it with -45 fluid. And some of us may drive more than 8000km in less time and some do it in a longer time although there is a maintainence schedule to follow distance and time also have a factor in how much any fluid is used.

Take the responsibility to know your car otherwise any dealership you go to will think you are talking nonsense...they cannot assume in August that you will not use up all your fluid by your next oil change. Weekend campers, cottagers and vacationers will use a lot of windshield washer fluid during their travels so usage really does vary. Beside if your wwf tank was full at yoru oild change, they wouldn't charge you less nor would they drain your tank and refill it to ensure your tank has the correct temp fluid.

Post your threads wisely and stop knocking dealerships especially MoT, your complaint is not a valid one and you should know that some of the members on TM3 work for dealerships....they are just being nice to not really tell you off. Please complain about stuff worth sharing this is really your issue for not maintaining your fluids...it does say in the manual to check your oil level frequently.....how much do you really to that too?

Cheers!

Spyder

[MicroDude]

or if you don't feel like checking buy the windshield wiper fluid heater from canadian tire.. 39.99 this week :)
lol
last winter mine froze also.. it's a pain but best thing heat it up with a blow dryer and you'll be fine for a bit.

[mf5781]

This thread is a complete waste of time.
Post your threads wisely and stop knocking dealerships especially MoT,


I think mypatpat has a point and it's not waste of time. Even though this might not be a fatal problem but it can cause a lot of inconvenience to him. If he only found this out in a rural road and the windshield was so dirty that he could not drive anymore. He would be struck in the cold for a long time and had to pay toll truck.

Spyder said every car owner should know his/her car and take care of it. But if mypatpat already checked the level of WWF and it's full but didn't know it's summer and not winter WWF. So is he also responsible for the freeze due to his inability to differentiate them? I don't think so.

Garages top up oil and fluids for customers because customers want the convenience. If every time customers have to check if these are correct WWF, this will defeat the purpose of the service. So mypatpat has every right to raise his concern and let MOT know that their way of topup can create problems to their customers. I think to avoid this problem, MOT should refill only winter WWF unless the customers request summer.