How can I get the car washer jets to work in this weather??

[runnervt]

I've got a Ford C-Max and as soon as the temperature is below freezing (for most of the past month here in Scotland) the window washers don't work. I bought some super strength screen wash that said it worked to -36C and made it less dilute than instructed for severe winter conditions but still no joy. The jets are supposed to be heated and I sprayed them with de-icer but nothing. I can't think of anything else to try! Any tips??

I dont know but be careful not to keep trrying or you can blow the fuse on them like what I did

That wouldn't be good - thanks for the warning. I don't like to try too much because the wipers just go on automatically and smear the dirt around.

Oh gosh, we have had this all weekend. 120 miles each way with dodgy screen washer thingies is a nightmare!!

My dad told us that you should put neat stuff in, not diluted at all, apparently that's what he does and it works.

On the way home this morning it seemed the pipe bringing the stuff up to the jets was frozen and it took an hour and a quarter of the engine running to get them going. It also warmed up a bit outside as we came south which helped.

I have been blaming our crappy old car, I've never had this problem before!

I thought about putting the screen wash in neat but the bottle had warnings about not getting it on the paintwork which put me off! I can't believe the problem is the screenwash if it's supposed to work to -36.

Perhaps the pump has gone. Mine had...$35 to fix. Hmmm

I have had the same problem as well only had them working once or twice in the past week or so.
I don't buy the stuff that says you have to add water at all and it is in neat and nothing is working.
Would love a solution my windscreen was filthy looking tonight.

We put it in neat today and it still wouldn't work. We assumed it was something to do with the actual wipers/pump or whatever though as it wasn't making the wurring noise.

Thanks for the replies. I think the pump is ok (makes a noise). Guess I'll try neat screen wash.

Lurking for an answer. Same problem here. Squirter (that's a technial term!) on DH's car wasn't working today. I really, really don't want it to be broken. We cannot afford to have to have it replaced this close to Christmas, but it'll have to be done.

Try making a solution of water with a good splash of meths and a squirt of fairy liquid. I can verify that this is OK at -16 if you get the proportions right!

Although now that the jets are actually frozen you'd probably be better off starting with a heated needle and trying to get the ice out of the actual nozzles.