Put windshield fluid in radiator fluid by mistake

Maintenance/Repairs
1

I have a 2007 Chrysler Town and Country, while moving to fast today, I put windshield fluid in the radiator pot instead. I am scared to death I have really hurt my car and don’t know what to do, I have not driven it since doing this HELP

2

You haven’t hurt a thing. It may help keep radiator goop from building up. Just be sure the anti freeze hasn’t been dilutet much. If you want the stuff out just remove the resivoir tube from the radiator and lower it below the casister. The the stuff should gravity feed out of reservior. LEE

3

If you haven’t even started the car, you are gooooood to go. Go in to the house, find the turkey baster, and suck all of the fluid that you can out of the coolant reservoir. Refill with fresh coolant/H20 mix and you’re golden. Fluid from the reservoir doesn’t mingle with the rest of the system until expansion and contraction from warm-up and cool-down of the engine occur.

Even if you HAVE run the car, the odds of harm coming from that action are so small. If you put in a gallon or something, you might want to take it in and have a coolant flush done, that’ll ensure that if any harmful or corrosive substance is created from the mix of coolant and washer fluid, it’ll get flushed out.

4

Right, it’s not the end of the world. Do as TBird suggests. On the onter hand,putting regular antifreeze in your windshield washer tank causes a real mess!

5

I’m assuming you put the washer fluid in the radiator overflow tank, not the radiator. I don’t think any harm would come from leaving the fluid in the overflow tank other than diluting the antifreeze/water mix slightly. You might want to drain the overflow tank and refill it with a 50/50 Antifreeze/water mix just to be safe. A siphon tube makes it easy,

http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductDetail.aspx?MfrCode=FTL&MfrPartNumber=10800&CategoryCode=3401

As a side note, if the coolant level in the overflow tank is dropping for any reason, take it to the dealer to have it checked.

Ed B.

6

Do nothing. Washer fluid, which is mostly water with methanol as an antifreeze, is completely compatible with regular glycol antifreeze. Your mistake is common and harmless. You may ignore the whole thing without worries.