Freezing weather and leaking headlight washers

Dickyt · Post by **Dickyt** » Tue 28 Dec, 2010 12:26

Just had a bizzare experience - Z3 has been in the garage for the last 2-3 weeks due to this all this lovely weather. The last 2 weeks have barely been above minus 5 here in Droitwich, with a few nights reaching minus 17 & 19. Went into garage yesterday, to be met by the smell of antifreeze, the thaw had now started with temp being plus 2 or 3, then I see a big pool of liquid underneath the front bumper - or to be precise a completely soaked bit of old carpet that it sits on.
My first thought was that the radiator had gone, but it was the distinct smell of washer fluid - so I flip the bonnet and the screen wash bottle is empty, except for a good wedge of ice. So where is the leak? A quick check and I can't see where it has come from, all the hoses look OK, and the bottle itself doesn't have any cracks or leaks - but loads of drips under the front skirt/bumper. Scratch my head a bit, and then see that the Headlight washers are soaked in the tell tale green washer fluid - that is where it had come from.
The botlle must have frozen, despite having what I thought was plenty of sreenwash mix. Then as it started to thaw out, the ice in the bottle must have put some pressure in the system and the liquid found its way out at the lowest point - the headlight washers !
Anyone else had this?
Topped it all up again, and checked the levels today & all seems fine.
Can't start it now, as the battery is flat!
All the result of some pretty extreme temperatures.

Jonttt · Post by **Jonttt** » Tue 28 Dec, 2010 14:19

I've not heard of this before but it does sound like the washer have acted as a pressure release when the liquid has expanded on freezing.

Batteries do not hold their charge as well at lower temps so you really need either a trickle charger connected whilst stored or remove the battery

Ferdinand · Post by **Ferdinand** » Tue 28 Dec, 2010 15:29

A CTEK charger is the best way to keep your battery alive.... Ask me how I know....

G2JRP · Post by **G2JRP** » Tue 28 Dec, 2010 15:37

Hi I have had exactly th same, not re filled mine as did not want it to freeze again?

I had a soaked car pet in the garage, thought the water must have came in!!. Then went for a driver and the washers stopped working and came to the same conclusion as you.

Next thought stone put a chip in the screen!!! (Had the chip fixxed today)

I will fill up and check levels.

Regards

Dickyt · Post by **Dickyt** » Tue 28 Dec, 2010 16:55

Good to know I wasn't the only one - just hope it's not damaged anything. My garage has been more like a deep freeze - we put all our Christmas Veg & anything which didn't fit in the fridge in there, got it out christmas morning & it was all frozen solid, minus 17 on Christmas Eve.

Dickyt · Post by **Dickyt** » Tue 28 Dec, 2010 16:57

Ferdinand wrote:A CTEK charger is the best way to keep your battery alive.... Ask me how I know....

I actually have one - it's hooked up to it as we speak. My own fault, with the run up to Christmas just forgot to connect it up.
Must get myself the adapter that plugs in the cigarette lighter - it's a pain hooking it up to the battery in the boot every time.
Must be more prepared next time!

berry · Post by **berry** » Tue 28 Dec, 2010 19:05

My washers stopped working also in the cold weather - I had assumed that they had frozen so set about poking them with a pin as you do .
Kept trying them but they didnt work still opened the bonnet and loads of screen wash trickled out from behind the felt sound deadening that covers the inside of the bonnet lid, turns out the hose had popped off from the jets.
It was a very easy fix once I'd ( well my OH tbh ) sussed out the cause .

Hope this helps

Ferdinand · Post by **Ferdinand** » Tue 28 Dec, 2010 19:24

Hi Dickyt!

With the CTEK you got 2 kinds of cables - one that you can fit to the car permanently and a set with clamps - I used the "permanent kit - hooked it up in the engine bay - to the ground and positive terminal ( had to remove a bit of the lid for the positive terminal) - so all I have to do is open the bonnet at hook it up - turn op the CTEK and close the bonnet - car is ready for winter season....

In the boot I connected a "Comfort Indicator Eyelet" cable with status LED's to the battery - that way you always know what state your battery is in...

Just my penny - Ferdinand

Geoff H · Post by **Geoff H** » Tue 28 Dec, 2010 21:02

Ferdinand wrote:Hi Dickyt!

With the CTEK you got 2 kinds of cables - one that you can fit to the car permanently and a set with clamps - I used the "permanent kit - hooked it up in the engine bay - to the ground and positive terminal ( had to remove a bit of the lid for the positive terminal) - so all I have to do is open the bonnet at hook it up - turn op the CTEK and close the bonnet - car is ready for winter season....

In the boot I connected a "Comfort Indicator Eyelet" cable with status LED's to the battery - that way you always know what state your battery is in...

Just my penny - Ferdinand

I have mine permanently fixed to the battery with the supplied cable (the one with the eyelets) The charger is fixed to the wall in the garage, so I only have to open the boot to plug it in. I posted a photo to show it some time ago, in this thread http://www.zroadster.net/forum/viewtopi ... ht=#179012
Mine has been connected since last Tuesday as I’m not using the car now till next year.