GM crosstown rival Ford Motor Company is considering the launch of a new heated washer fluid tank, per a recent Ford patent filing. The system is intended to help reduce icing on a vehicle windshield and provide better visibility. GM implemented a similar system in the past, resulting in a massive recall.
Per a recent report from our sister publication, Ford Authority, the new Ford patent filing was published on May 2nd, 2023, and is tagged with patent number US 11,639,155 B2 with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The patent was originally filed on August 27th, 2019, and lists several Michigan-based engineers as the inventors, including Stuart C. Salter, Paul Kenneth Dellock, David Brian Glickman, Phillip Marine, and John Budaj.
The Ford patent describes a heated washer fluid tank system that combines a fluid storage container with a thermal interface. The thermal interface transfers energy into the tank via an electrical heating element. The patent states that warmer windshield washer fluid can enhance its efficacy, in particular in colder ambient temperatures where ice may accumulate on the windshield, obstructing the view for the driver.
Although such a system certainly makes sense on paper, its implementation may be somewhat difficult – and potentially even hazardous. As GM Authority covered in the past, General Motors offered a similar system for several different models during the 2009 model year, but the system ended up posing a fire risk, resulting in a massive recall.
The GM heated windshield washer fluid system was offered as optional on Buick, Cadillac, Chevy, GMC, Hummer, and Saturn models. The recall affected some 1.53 million units, most of which were located in the U.S. The recall included disabling the system and a payment of $100 to owners as compensation for the disabled feature. The supplier of the system components, Micro-Heat, went bankrupt.
That all said, the essential idea is still sound – it’s really just a matter of implementation.
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Comments
Because spraying a warm fluid on a windshield in freezing [and sub-freezing] temps is always a great idea.
GOTTA KEEP THOSE ENGINEERS BUSY!!! FIX OR REPAIR DAILY!!!
Do you forget that GM offered heated washer fluid for a few years?
Look where that end up…. That’s why these vehicles are so expensive, to many useless features to drive up the price.
Is this in response to the first comment or the article because the latter mentions it at the end of the first paragraph.
Yes,your right. They they paid me to disconnect it.
Stop driving that clunker. Modern windshields are fundamentally plastic, for safety reasons.
Just use <20 degree washer fluid, every auto part store has it in stock.
That’s a waste of time and money, the fluid doesn’t freeze in the tank it freezes when it hits the windshield. Have these guys ever driven in the winter up north??
Just more stuff to go wrong. All these touch screens and unnecessary conveniences they put in cars nowadays, it’s all gonna go bad one day. It’s just so unnecessary.
Even if the washer fluid doesn’t freeze in the tank most vehicles it will freeze at the nozzle or in the metal section where the hose connects . Doesn’t matter if they are mounted on the hood or wiper blade. Good for summer because heated fluid does help get the bug crap off the windshield.
I was a school bus driver for 6 years, in sub freezing temps we had a driver who instead of getting his bus running with the defroster running while he did his pre trip inspection, would bring a bucket of hot water with him and throw the water onto his windshield to defrost it. He was the senior driver so his bus was a new one. One morning the temperature was about 15 degrees, when he threw the water on the windshield, CRACK! His new bus had a one piece windshield unlike the older buses that had 2 piece windshields. Now his bus is out of commission and he has the use the spare bus that’s 12 years old and much less heating capabilities. Plus now his bus has to be towed to the selling dealership for replacement of the windshield as it can’t legally be driven, a distance of 105 miles, $$$$! Needless to say he was severely reprimanded and drove the spare bus for 3 weeks while his was in the shop. Moral of the story, NEVER SPLASH HOT WATER ONTO A SUBFREEZING GLASS WINDSHIELD! This will qualify as a ford better idea! Lol
Just put a blanket or a tarp over the windshield before going to bed.
It’s difficult to keep those on in the wind.
Another one of those, “Just because you can do it, doesn’t mean that you should.” I had a 2008 Buick with washer tank heat that was disabled on a recall. Just another valueless “option” that drives up the price of a vehicle while increasing corporate profits. I’ve always used WSW fluid with a low freezing point. Beware however, read the fine print on the bottle. Some blue water is just that, blue water with a freezing point of 32 degrees F. And of course, if/when you get an “oil change” at a service shop or dealer ask to see what they filled your WSW tank with.