Windshield washer fluid

Windshield washer fluid is a water-based mixture for cleaning the windscreen or on the front light units (mainly headlights) of vehicles. On vehicles with a sloping or steep tail it comes today also on the rear window are used.

Windshield washer fluid has a composition adapted to the season an important role in traffic safety. Its use prevents, among other things filming in sudden incident rainfall on dirty windows in the summer months. In winter antifreeze additives prevent icing of the windows. In addition, it allows for periodic cleaning of the vehicle window, must leave the vehicle without the driver. This hazards are minimized as glare from light reflections for example. In Germany it was fixed by law from 2006 to the amendment of the Highway Code in 2013 that the windshield washer fluid must contain antifreeze. Failure to observe a warning had money of 20 euro result.

In summer a small part detergent is added, in the winter alcoholic antifreeze ( eg, 2 -propanol and alcohol, but the obscuring a lubricating film leaves ). Even mixed windshield washer fluid for the winter rather not worth it because of the price differential compared to the finished concentrates. In the spring, the winter concentrate should be replaced by summer concentrate.

In the commercial concentrates or ready mixes are available. The windshield washer fluid is pumped to the nozzles under the windshield usually have a plastic container in the engine compartment by means of electrically -operated, or for older vehicles mechanically operated by foot pump or pushed by compressed air. This only happens after mechanical pressing the appropriate switch. The operation is usually done via a steering column switch. Some vehicles also operate satellite or switches are used in addition to the display instrument use. The distribution is done by the mostly automated simultaneously triggered wiper operation.