I also purchased 6 gallons of distilled water from local grocery store as this is needed (do not use tap water). I could not do anything about it at the time, so when I got home the next day, I ordered 2 gallons of mopar concentrate 68163848AB from (after tons of research, this is the correct part number and best price I could find ~$18 per gallon). I thought to myself "uh oh" and I stopped at a gas station, opened the lid of my coolant tank and sure enough, it smelled like straight rainx. I wasn't thinking about it until the next day DURING my 200 mile trip. In my defense, I am not the first to do this as the coolant tank is black with a yellow cap on the left of the radiator (when looking at it from the front) and the washer tank is black with a yellow cap as well on the right. I was on auto-pilot changing my oil and washing my 2021 Ram 5.7 and I put half gallon of rainx windshield washer fluid in the coolant tank. Your windshield might get damaged and if you spill some coolant on the car body, expect the paint job to get ruined.As I sit here and write this, I know how stupid this is going to sound, I normally have common sense - but I had a really dumb moment. Your wiper blades will have to go into overdrive, which might not be enough to get rid of all coolants from the windshield.Īlso, coolants are far more abrasive than windshield wiper fluid because of their high chemical concentration. What about the other scenario? Washing windshields seem like a far less technical job, right? So, how wrong could things get if you choose to use coolants as an alternative to regular washer fluid?Ĭoolants would be way more difficult to remove from the windshield because of their thicker consistency. Why You Should Not Use Coolant Instead Of Windshield Wiper Fluid? It could damage the engine beyond repair. That’s why you can’t put washer fluid into the radiator in place of coolant. So, most of the coolant will evaporate when the water concentration is high. If you recall your elementary school science lessons, you would remember that water begins to boil at 212☏. It’s normal for engine temperatures to get between 200☏-220☏. If the water presence is high in coolants, it will evaporate when the temperatures go high. You need to mix water with antifreeze in the radiator, but the ratio is usually 50-50 or 60% antifreeze and 40% water. Since coolants deal with extreme engine temperatures, they cannot have a high water concentration. So, why does this become a problem when you pour windshield washer fluid into the coolant reservoir instead of coolant? Usually, wiper fluids have as much as 90% water content. But the primary ingredient of windshield wipers is water. In some cases, there could be traces of ethylene glycol, which is also present in antifreeze. Windshield wiper fluids contain methanol and other chemicals. Why You Should Not Use Windshield Wiper Fluid Instead Of Coolant? Can you use coolants instead of wiper fluid, and vice-versa? The answer is a resounding no! If that’s all you wanted to know, there you have it! Interested to know why? Read on, then. Now, let’s get to the question we asked at the beginning. Are Coolants And Wiper Fluids Interchangeable? So, they are crucial in maintaining the windshield’s clarity. The windshield wiper fluids help to break down the dirt and grime that accumulates on the windshield over time. Once the washer fluid button is pressed, the liquid travels through the windshield washer hose and comes out through the washer nozzles to splatter all over the windshield. Windshield wiper fluid is a liquid that goes to the windshield washer reservoir. What Are Windshield Wiper Fluids?Īgain, the name gives away the purpose. It stays in liquid form even when the temperatures drop as low as 30☏.įurthermore, the coolant prevents the water pump, head gasket, cylinder, and piston timing from being damaged by keeping them lubricated.
As the name suggests, coolants cool down the engine when the engine temperature exceeds ideal levels. I promise that I won’t take long! What Are Coolants Or Antifreeze?Ĭoolant is a liquid that you mix with water and put inside your engine.
Windshield Wiper Fluid: What Are They?īefore explaining why we should or should not use coolant and windshield wiper fluids as substitutes, I’d like to briefly discuss what they are and what they do in a vehicle. What do I do if I put windshield washer fluid in the coolant?Ĭoolant vs.Can I use coolant as windshield washer fluid?.How Much Methanol Is In Windshield Washer Fluid?.Is Coolant The Same As Windshield Washer Fluid?.Why You Should Not Use Coolant Instead Of Windshield Wiper Fluid?.Why You Should Not Use Windshield Wiper Fluid Instead Of Coolant?.Are Coolants And Wiper Fluids Interchangeable?.
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