Vinegar smell from screenwash

[Kev0607]

Hi all,

I've noticed this fairly recently, but when I spray the windscreen washers, it smells like vinegar.

I like vinegar on my fish and chips, but not so much coming through the air vents!

Is there anything I can do to avoid this? Washer jets are spraying fine.

I'm using Prestone screenwash, so its not cheap stuff. I only use a small amount (not even a cap full) and fill with water.

[Pidgeonpost]

I've known particularly stinky screenwash bottles in the past, but this has been at its worst where the car has been sitting unused for months, which is perhaps not so in your case. Rather than dismantle the screenwash plumbing, I've had satisfactory results by giving the reservoir a good flush out with mains pressure water. This dislodged a selection of pond life, and I then filled it up with a sterilising solution of the type used by home brewers. I left this for a few hours, operated the washers, flushed again and that fixed it. Stick to any recommended dilution and hose off the screen and bodywork just in case. Is your screenwash a concentrate? One capful doesn't sound much. Good luck.

[Kev0607]

Yes, its a concentrate. Its an "all season" screenwash.

I've had trouble in the past where the jets were blocking up. The mechanic said there was far too rich of a mix in the reservoir and over time, it can basically congeal and block passages.

Since I've put less of the solution in, the jets have worked fine and haven't blocked up... thankfully.

Maybe that's the problem now though. I'm putting less than cap's worth into the reservoir each time. Maybe that's too much and the smell I'm getting is a warning of that.

Being honest, I've never diluted the concentrate down in any car I've owned. I've always poured a cap full in or a tad less and topped off with water.

Volvo seems to be extremely picky about it though. I've never had smells or blocked jets on any other car using the same method.

[GrahamBrown1]

If you don’t want issues with screen wash and blocking jets, smells ect then Volvo genuine screen wash is the way to go. It isn’t even that expensive.

I have never had issues with the jets or head lamp washers. You get zero deposits. When you use the cheap stuff you can see the build up and staining forming around the jets even more so if they are heated.

100ml to a litre in summer, 200ml in winter. It just works.

Prestone has a good name mind, the Volvo stuff is spirit based which is why it works. Is Prestone the same? Auto glym screen wash is also sprit based but more expensive than the Volvo gear even with Halfords trade discount. £4 for a 500ml bottle compared to just over £5 for a Volvo litre bottle.

[bananarama]

So my dad's used to smell like vinegar too, he was naughty and used to buy cheap screen wash. I've now bought him 10 bottles of Volvo concentrate along with 10 bottles of deionised water. He has no excuses now and has no more vinegar smell. Just note it took a while for it to stop smelling like vinegar.

[Kev0607]

Prestone isn't cheap screenwash though. I'm not sure if its a spirit based one like the genuine Volvo stuff. I'll have to read the label.

Is there any way to get rid of the vinegar smell in the mean time?

[bananarama]

Originally Posted by Kev0607

Is there any way to get rid of the vinegar smell in the mean time?

The way I see it: you have to sanitise the screen wash system so if I were you I'd switch over to the Volvo screen wash.

BTW just for reference: I mix 1L concentrate with 2.5L of deionised water

[Tatsfield]

https://www.youtube.com/olv's SW additive is based on alcohol 2hich keeps the system sterile, stops the fluid from freezing and speeds up evaporation on the screen. I'm currently using a non Volvo product but it is alcohol based and works just fine.

[Kev0607]

Originally Posted by Tatsfield

https://www.youtube.com/olv's SW additive is based on alcohol 2hich keeps the system sterile, stops the fluid from freezing and speeds up evaporation on the screen. I'm currently using a non Volvo product but it is alcohol based and works just fine.

Link doesn't work?

[100K+]

In the 60’s my dad added an egg cup of meths to the water bottle of our Hillman. Never froze in winter, but you could smell it when the screen got squirted..
Cheers Bob