Is Antifreeze the Same as Windshield Washer Fluid?
2 Answers
Antifreeze is not the same as windshield washer fluid. The differences between antifreeze and windshield washer fluid are: 1. Different compositions: The main component of antifreeze, accounting for 95%, is ethylene glycol; the main components of windshield washer fluid are water, alcohol, ethylene glycol, and corrosion inhibitors. 2. Different functions: Antifreeze has anti-corrosion and rust-removing properties, providing anti-corrosion protection for cooling system components and preventing scale; windshield washer fluid has cleaning, anti-freeze, anti-fog, anti-static, lubrication, and anti-corrosion properties. 3. Different uses: Antifreeze prevents the coolant from freezing and cracking the radiator or damaging the engine cylinder block or head when the vehicle is parked in cold winter; windshield washer fluid is used to clean the windshield.
A couple of days ago, I helped my neighbor uncle check his car, and he asked the same question. Antifreeze and windshield washer fluid are completely different. Antifreeze is used to cool the engine and is added to the expansion tank in the engine compartment, usually appearing as pink or green liquid. It ensures the engine doesn't freeze even in temperatures dozens of degrees below zero in winter and prevents overheating in summer. Windshield washer fluid is much simpler—it's stored in the washer fluid reservoir under the hood and mainly used to clean the windshield. Just buy the -25°C antifreeze type in winter to prevent freezing. Never confuse the locations—if you pour windshield washer fluid into the antifreeze tank, the entire cooling system could be ruined, and the repair cost would be enough to buy half a car's worth of washer fluid. I recommend checking the antifreeze concentration every 20,000 kilometers, while windshield washer fluid can be topped up as needed.