Heated Washer Nozzles

[Pandamedic]

I've got the winter pack on my XC60. It says Heated Washer Nozzles. So how/when does the heated washer part work?

[Spitfire4]

I have these too, I presume it will be like the heated mirrors, will work at a certain temperature. Had these on my Beamer and they worked by temperature.

[NigelDay]

Look under the bonnet. You will see some wiring going to the three washer jet nozzles.

[wimorrison]

These are good but you still need to ensure that you have enough antifreeze in the washing solution otherwise the fluid freezes when it hits the windscreen until you have had time to get the windscreen warm

I had this a few times where the screen wasn't warm enough from the blower and I then had to stop to manually clear the ice from the cleaning fluid - lesson, use more antifreeze in the solution, but then what is the point of having heated jets? Hopefully won't have this now I have the electric heated windscreen.

Confusing

[Roland_F]

Originally Posted by wimorrison

I had this a few times where the screen wasn't warm enough from the blower and I then had to stop to manually clear the ice from the cleaning fluid - lesson, use more antifreeze in the solution, but then what is the point of having heated jets?

IIRC, the anti freezing agents evaporate in the nozzle faster than the water, so getting more dilute, leaving a mixture which can then freeze solid, hence the value of the heated jets. As you say, the solution needs to have enough of the anti freezing agents to prevent instant ice forming on the cold windscreen.

It only takes a tiny ice plug to freeze the jets.

[alf27]

Heated washer nozzles*
The washer nozzles are heated automatically
in cold weather to prevent the washer fluid
freezing solid.

Is all the manual says, so when it's cold ? !! On my '99 V70 I seem to remember that they came on with the heated rear screen (or was that another car ?) On the OH's Mondeo they come on with the front screen heater.
To sum up - errrrr dunno !

[NigelDay]

Originally Posted by alf27

Heated washer nozzles*
The washer nozzles are heated automatically
in cold weather to prevent the washer fluid
freezing solid.

Is all the manual says, so when it's cold ? !! On my '99 V70 I seem to remember that they came on with the heated rear screen (or was that another car ?) On the OH's Mondeo they come on with the front screen heater.
To sum up - errrrr dunno !

Possibly when the dashboard shows the * frost symbol (at 4 degrees or less) ?

[Bloke]

Resurrecting an old thread here but does anyone know the answer to this. I have fairly strong solution in at the moment but again today there was nothing coming out and just the dreaded dry wipe of salt across the screen!

Would be nice to know if the rear/front screen heating elements need to be on or if it just goes by the outside temperature - or even just how to confirm it's actually working!

Paul.

[Chief inspector]

Mine are only good to about -4 on a cold start.

[wimorrison]

According to the car it was -7 when I got in this morning and it took almost 5 mins for the electric heating to completely clear the screen - but the washers squirted out fluid at startup - and I used that squirt to clean the windscreen on the wiper area.

I have Lidl premix in the washer bottle