Blurry Windshield after each swipe ? What did I fill my windshield reservoir with ?

[canadien99]

Hi,

The windshield reservoir for my friend's car wasn't full, but i figured i'd top it off anyway after seeing the first dump of snow in the area. I found some "green liquid" in the trunk without a label on it, and poured it into the reservoir... it must have originally been 3/4 full, because it didn't take long to top it off.

Initially, the windshield wiper worked just fine for the first few 2 hours or so of spray, wiper swipe and driving. Then after a while, each subsequent spray and swipe of the wiper caused a "disabling" blurriness feeling to my windshield and as a result i had to exit the highway at the next exit as it was impossible to see clearly (i figure this was probably the point when "the green liquid" made it to the bottom and was being used instead of the previous liquid in the reservoir).

I had no idea what i had poured into the windshield reservoir. Although at one point, i thought it was coolant, I knew it wasn't coolant. I was worried it was some kind of "summer" washer fluid or one of those "windshield bug washer" fluid, so i used it to exhaustion while parked at a Petro Canada station. Bought one of their "all season" fluids and the spray, wiper swipe and drive, and the remainder of the commute was a clear and comfortable one.

Anyone have any guesses as to what it may have been that caused the "blurriness" effect on my windshield today ? I thought it was oil or soapy fluid.... but then again so was the "Petro Canada" all season fluid.

Would a mixture of one type with another cause this ? What kind of fluid could cause this ? Could it possibly have been windshield fluid that i poured into the reservoir ? It is solid green in colour. At the time, it was below 0 with wind chill with a thin layer of snow or slush on the roadway.

Thanks for the expertise here.

[AudiDude]

Engine coolant...

[blibbertibs]

sounds like engine coolant...

the petro can stuff is still streaky because of the left over coolant that hasn't been emptied.

don't feel bad, i've done the same when my grandpa filled a washer fluid bottle with coolant.

[Pete_Coach]

Hi,

The windshield reservoir for my friend's car wasn't full, but i figured i'd top it off anyway after seeing the first dump of snow in the area. I found some "green liquid" in the trunk without a label on it, and poured it into the reservoir... it must have originally been 3/4 full, because it didn't take long to top it off.

Initially, the windshield wiper worked just fine for the first few 2 hours or so of spray, wiper swipe and driving. Then after a while, each subsequent spray and swipe of the wiper caused a "disabling" blurriness feeling to my windshield and as a result i had to exit the highway at the next exit as it was impossible to see clearly (i figure this was probably the point when "the green liquid" made it to the bottom and was being used instead of the previous liquid in the reservoir).

I had no idea what i had poured into the windshield reservoir. Although at one point, i thought it was coolant, I knew it wasn't coolant. I was worried it was some kind of "summer" washer fluid or one of those "windshield bug washer" fluid, so i used it to exhaustion while parked at a Petro Canada station. Bought one of their "all season" fluids and the spray, wiper swipe and drive, and the remainder of the commute was a clear and comfortable one.

Anyone have any guesses as to what it may have been that caused the "blurriness" effect on my windshield today ? I thought it was oil or soapy fluid.... but then again so was the "Petro Canada" all season fluid.

Would a mixture of one type with another cause this ? What kind of fluid could cause this ? Could it possibly have been windshield fluid that i poured into the reservoir ? It is solid green in colour. At the time, it was below 0 with wind chill with a thin layer of snow or slush on the roadway.

Thanks for the expertise here.
There was no oily part of the fluid you eventually bought and put in. There would have been some soap and possibly some type of alcohol (to prevent freezing)
No, mixing washer fluid will not cause a reaction because they are all the same, soap, water and alcohol.
There is no windshield washer fluid that is made to smear your windshield and impair your vision.
Yes it could have been washer fluid but your symptoms indicate it was not.
If you no longer have the problem, then what is your questions or issues? Next time, if you don't know what it is, don't use it.

[canadien99]

If you no longer have the problem, then what is your questions or issues? Next time, if you don't know what it is, don't use it.

No problem. No issue.

Just a beautiful learning experience. I want to learn more about vehicle maintainance and how to fix a problem. If i was being a "dumb-a$$" with my car, i'd like to know how far I went so that if someone else does the same thing, i have something i can laugh about.

This experience has taught me much about Coolant.

[demonio]

Pete_Coach must have a pickle up his but... lol

and op your friend might have mixed in some other stuff with the green liquid

[aquariaguy]

No problem. No issue.

Just a beautiful learning experience. I want to learn more about vehicle maintainance and how to fix a problem. If i was being a "dumb-a$$" with my car, i'd like to know how far I went so that if someone else does the same thing, i have something i can laugh about.

This experience has taught me much about Coolant.


How is that a learning experience? More like a candidate for the Darwin Award. Doing something so ******** and stupid doesn't count as a learning experience, when it screams failure to begin with. It was 3/4 full and you wanted to top it off with unknown green stuff.

It's like finding a bottle of "something unknown" in your fridge and filling up your engine oil because it was 3/4 low.

Your friend should kick you in the balls for almost crashing his car and make you drink that green fluid next time you're thirsty.

[Avatar]

How is that a learning experience? More like a candidate for the Darwin Award. Doing something so ******** and stupid doesn't count as a learning experience,when it screams failure to begin with. It was 3/4 full and you wanted to top it off with unknown green stuff.

It's like finding a bottle of "something unknown" in your fridge and filling up your engine oil because it was 3/4 low.

Your friend should kick you in the balls for almost crashing his car and make you drink that green fluid next time you're thirsty.

Well. Everyone is learning everyday. Experience is the name every one gives to their mistakes. Just have to learn from your mistake. That's all. Nobody knows everything when coming to this world.

[pgfreak]

How is that a learning experience? More like a candidate for the Darwin Award. Doing something so ******** and stupid doesn't count as a learning experience, when it screams failure to begin with. It was 3/4 full and you wanted to top it off with unknown green stuff.

It's like finding a bottle of "something unknown" in your fridge and filling up your engine oil because it was 3/4 low.

Your friend should kick you in the balls for almost crashing his car and make you drink that green fluid next time you're thirsty.

As if you've never made a mistake

[aquariaguy]

As if you've never made a mistake

A mistake and stupidity are two different animals. Ah this is too funny. Time to move on.

[tyfriend]

At least you didn't put windshield washer fluid in the coolant reservoir. :lol::lol::lol:

[bmnb4tches]

lol but it's good to learn from mistakes. this of course was a mistake not stupidity.

next time, taste the liquid that you put into the car- the sense of taste can confirm your aspects.

[dgmorr]

Taste it. If it's sweet, it's probably washer fluid. If not, then it's probably coolant. Do this at your own risk :twisted:

[Bazooka Joe]

This was a hillarious thread, thanks :lol:

[mikeycanuk]

How about this. 20yrs ago a salesman we had thought he'd save a $1 or two (literally). So he used some air compressor oil we had in the shop instead of brake line oil. Needless to say the compressor oil quickly burned up and he spent a fortune replacing his entire brake system. DUH!:lol:

[terrybear]

Well at least 1 thing about this, his winshield washer pump wouldn't overheat !!!! :lol::lol::lol::lol::lol: ;):D

yeah your only option would be to remove the resivour if possible & dispose of the fluid & flush it out, re install & refill with something to flush the pump out more & then put in your new washer fuild in. :)

[nornet]

Well at least 1 thing about this, his winshield washer pump wouldn't overheat !!!! :lol::lol::lol::lol::lol: ;):D

yeah your only option would be to remove the resivour if possible & dispose of the fluid & flush it out, re install & refill with something to flush the pump out more & then put in your new washer fuild in. :)

As well as flush the area around the windshield thoroughly including the paint on the hood and the gasket around the windshield. Coolant is not friendly to either.

[terrybear]

As well as flush the area around the windshield thoroughly including the paint on the hood and the gasket around the windshield. Coolant is not friendly to either.

Exellent point as well !!

[hightech]

Sounds like engine coolant to me.

Purge the system and replace it with fluid. Also, coolant and paint don't work well so clean the area thoroughly!

Next time, when you get some green mystery liquid, toss it out :)

[hightech]

How about this. 20yrs ago a salesman we had thought he'd save a $1 or two (literally). So he used some air compressor oil we had in the shop instead of brake line oil. Needless to say the compressor oil quickly burned up and he spent a fortune replacing his entire brake system. DUH!:lol:

A (cheap) fool and their money are soon parted :D

[canadien99]

Well at least 1 thing about this, his winshield washer pump wouldn't overheat !!!! :lol::lol::lol::lol::lol: ;):D

yeah your only option would be to remove the resivour if possible & dispose of the fluid & flush it out, re install & refill with something to flush the pump out more & then put in your new washer fuild in. :)

Beautiful !

The situation i'm trying to avoid is with the older car, this person forgets to fill their windshield reservoir for god knows when. Finally, the windshield reservoir melted.

[canadien99]

As well as flush the area around the windshield thoroughly including the paint on the hood and the gasket around the windshield. Coolant is not friendly to either.

Thanks. Will do.

[canadien99]

Sounds like engine coolant to me.

Purge the system and replace it with fluid. Also, coolant and paint don't work well so clean the area thoroughly!

Next time, when you get some green mystery liquid, toss it out :)

I purged the system in that i tried to use up the fluid first before i installed the petro canada stuff. It was late in the night and i was tired so i wasn't exactly thorough in ensuring that the reservoir was completely free of the older stuff.

Next time, how to flush the windshield reservoir to ensure that it was clean of "foreign" fluids before i put in new stuff ?

[canadien99]

A mistake and stupidity are two different animals. Ah this is too funny. Time to move on.

I'm glad you found it funny. I'm sure it'll be funny to me sooner or later ...

It was a simple honest and lazy mistake. Stupidity is knowing clearly what you're doing is detrimental and persisting. That was not the case here. Haha, I honestly it was windshield fluid. What it comes down to, I was tired, lazy and being cheap !!!

Unfortunately, the school i went to got rid of auto tech by the time i was in grade 10, what i learned in grade 9 wasn't much ... installing tires onto rims and some other stuff. It wasn't much since i went to a semestered school.