Orange washer fluid?

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OK so I Googled it and RainX does indeed make an orange washer fluid so I guess someone didn't put Dexcool in the washer bottle which is right next to the coolant bottle on this Saturn Vue. Fluids look identical. Why would RainX make it that color in the first place?
 
That's a good question, and stupid on the part of RainX if you ask me. They probably good a good deal on orange dye I guess.
 
The colors other than blue means its a de-icer or other added function (bug remover) beyond basic WW fluid.

I have some Walmart de-icer that is a pinkish-rose color. Prestone de-icer is [censored] yellow.
 
Manufacturers are looking for ways to differentiate themselves from their competition. It's rather goofy for them to use a color that can cause confusion. Coolant manufacturers are in it as well.

Windshield washer fluid should be blue.
Transmission fluid should be red.
Coolant should be green.
 
Nissan and some others are using Blue Coolant which could easily be confused with washer fluid. Although the coolant is a bit darker but diluted with water I could see it happening.
Mazda I think uses blue transmission fluid in some vehicles if I remember correctly.

They really should have a standard.
 
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Brake fluid should be light straw color, not blue
Silicone brake fluid should be purple
Motor oil should be brown, not blue or red
Manual Transmission/gear oil should be greenish yellow
Any more colors ?
 
Originally Posted by Leo99
What color would you suggest they use?

The blue they used for years seemed to work, and cause no confusion. But as mentioned advertisement, brand recognition, and an interesting color that might steer people to it seems to come into play. Although an attractive label might help.
 
People have been accidentally putting the wrong fluids into the wrong reservoirs ever since the car was invented and it has nothing to do RainX's choice to use orange for their deicer windshield washer fluid. This has everything to do with people not reading the bottle that is in their hand and making sure that it matches the label that is on the reservoir's cap.
 
I use Einszett Krystal Klar and it turns the water in the reservoir a light green, kinda like 409. I had to get some of that Rain-X stuff to keep my washers from freezing up in the Tahoe air a few weeks ago and it turned everything puke green/orange like the water from a watercolor brush.
 
Yes, that orange Rain-X washer fluid is quite popular. It's about $3 at Walmart
smile.gif
 
Originally Posted by nthach
I use Einszett Krystal Klar and it turns the water in the reservoir a light green, kinda like 409. I had to get some of that Rain-X stuff to keep my washers from freezing up in the Tahoe air a few weeks ago and it turned everything puke green/orange like the water from a watercolor brush.

They do make a winter formula of that concentrate.

https://1z-usa.com/anti-frost-windshield-washer-fluid-concentrate-33-8-oz-1-liter/

I also use the Einzett product. It works great.
 
I can't understand why they don't sell a concentrate that you mix with water instead of the gallon jugs of the stuff which I assume is just 98% water anyway and 2% chemicals. Just shipping it is probably half the retail cost of the fluid in the stores. Say, a quart of concentrate for $10 that makes 5 to 10 gallons of fluid, and you can adjust the freeze point to your local weather, just like you do with antifreeze. Each capful lowers the freezing point 10 degrees so 4 capfuls and you're good to at least 0F with a good margin for error.
 
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Originally Posted by atikovi
I can't understand why they don't sell a concentrate that you mix with water instead of the gallon jugs of the stuff which I assume is just 98% water anyway and 2% chemicals. Just shipping it is probably half the retail cost of the fluid in the stores. Say, a quart of concentrate for $10 that makes 5 to 10 gallons of fluid, and you can adjust the freeze point to your local weather, just like you do with antifreeze. Each capful lowers the freezing point 10 degrees so 4 capfuls and you're good to at least 0F with a good margin for error.

You mean like this?

https://1z-usa.com/anti-frost-windshield-washer-fluid-concentrate-33-8-oz-1-liter/
 
Originally Posted by slacktide_bitog
Yes, that orange Rain-X washer fluid is quite popular. It's about $3 at Walmart
smile.gif



If you have a windshield washer fluid sensor, I wouldn't use it. Tends to gum them up and then you have to replace the sensor. I only use the blue stuff.
 
Originally Posted by PimTac
Originally Posted by atikovi
I can't understand why they don't sell a concentrate that you mix with water instead of the gallon jugs of the stuff which I assume is just 98% water anyway and 2% chemicals. Just shipping it is probably half the retail cost of the fluid in the stores. Say, a quart of concentrate for $10 that makes 5 to 10 gallons of fluid, and you can adjust the freeze point to your local weather, just like you do with antifreeze. Each capful lowers the freezing point 10 degrees so 4 capfuls and you're good to at least 0F with a good margin for error.

You mean like this?

https://1z-usa.com/anti-frost-windshield-washer-fluid-concentrate-33-8-oz-1-liter/

Helll no. 50/50 mix of that is good to -6F. At $12 a quart, it would cost $24 a gallon. The blue stuff at Advance/Autozone/Walmart is $3 a gallon and protects to -20F.
 
Originally Posted by atikovi
I can't understand why they don't sell a concentrate that you mix with water instead of the gallon jugs of the stuff which I assume is just 98% water anyway and 2% chemicals. Just shipping it is probably half the retail cost of the fluid in the stores. Say, a quart of concentrate for $10 that makes 5 to 10 gallons of fluid, and you can adjust the freeze point to your local weather, just like you do with antifreeze. Each capful lowers the freezing point 10 degrees so 4 capfuls and you're good to at least 0F with a good margin for error.

The Rain-X stuff is a concentrate that "legally" has to be mixed at no greater than 2oz/gallon(1:64 ratio) for areas with VOC restrictions(CARB Type B[but CA does allow for stronger mixtures in the winter], Texas and other states that follow OTC regulations). CA does allow for the sale of washer fluid concentrate.

Einszett and 303 are available and I feel those are much better cleaners.
 
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