I'm so angry I could scream. My mother in law frequently buys bulk and then uses smaller containers. Well, she put some cleaner into an empty washer fluid bottle and my husband, not known this, filled his reservoir and now the whole thing is frozen SOLID.

Originally he thought it was just the lines, but when he was checking things out he found that the tank was just as solid.

It's really cold (sub zero wind chills) and there's no way he can thaw it out naturally since, um, it's just the beginning of winter.

So, how do we fix it? Will it require a trip to the dealer?

 

unbolt the reservoir tank and microwave it or defrost it.

 

A couple or three heating pads, a plug in pipe heater strip and an extension cord

 

I would not microwave the tank. Remove it place it in a bath of warm water. Change the water when it begins to lose heat. You could also just place it inside the house in a container near a heating vent or a warm room and wait for it to thaw. Only time can fix this. Or go to a junkyard and get a new reservoir if you can't wait for the current one to thaw out.

As for your mother in law. Buy her a label maker for the holidays just for situations like this. Be happy it happened like this and you didn't have someone accidentally drink the cleaner because it was in an improperly labeled bottle.

 

wow, REALLY, guys?

since this happened to me once.. (i bought the cheap stuff)

I debated removing it, but decided against it, since a lot of the clips are plastic and you risk breaking them. plus it's a pain in the ___. also IT'S A TERRIBLE IDEA, SERIOUSLY.

I ended up waiting a couple days. Unless you're in Alaska it shouldn't be a problem - even here in Chicago things are going to be above freezing tomorrow. Just park in the sun and run the terrible liquid out once it thaws.

Just don't get impatient or you'll make the pump unhappy.

If you DO live in Alaska, find a friend with a heated garage (no joke), or maybe a detail place (or mechanic), explain the situation, and see if they'll help you out. I'm sure they've heard sillier.

also i can't decide which is more bizarre: storing a chemical that is available at every gas station in north america, or reusing the bottle of something as hideously terrible as washer fluid! it's not even a good bottle!!!!!!

i work at the container store, give me her address and i'll send her some BRAND-NEW freaking bottles, lol.....then she can put whatever she wants in them.

i'll even label them with "MOTHER-IN-LAW'S MYSTERY CONCOCTION, DO NOT PUT IN YOUR CAR!!!"