"Compatible" washer fluid? (Bear with me!)
 

Ok now this sounds like a dumb question.... but searches here and on 6speed show some results....

I first noticed this phenomenon with one of the first Cayenne service loaners I had.... seems Porsche uses a windshield washer solvent that, when mixed with the stuff you buy at the gas station, turns into almost a thick gel.

The dealer usually tops off the washer fluid, and it seems so long as I use the official Porsche stuff it's fine. All the loaners I've had, it's been 50/50 shot if the fluid that comes out is super thick... or normal.

So we've had CRAP weather lately. I got the "low fluid" warning... salty wet roads means I'm going through a lot.

Anybody know what I'm talking about - and has anybody found a washer fluid at a parts store that DOESN'T cause this to happen? I don't want to go to the damned dealer for a top-off, I'd rather hit Autozone or something...

But not if I'm going to wind up with thick slime coming out of the washer jets. The stuff winds up leaving a THICK crusty residue and makes a MESS.

I've been using the $5.99 for 2 at BJ's, Rain X stuff, here: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Rain-X-20...3=2660&veh=sem

No issues at all.

Before that, I was using the cheapest $1.50 per bottle jug of blue fluid I could get my hands on.

How many times have you been into the dealer? Do you know if they ever added some / topped yours off?

I almost always keep my fluid topped up as I'm obsessive about my windshield being clean so I'm pretty sure that the dealer has never been able to add anything to my W/W reservoir. In fact, every time before I've had to ever take the truck in this past year, I make a point to fill it up before I go in. Now that I think of it, I'm odd like that.

I had only been in twice, once to have a new hitch installed and the other time for the fix.

I have no idea about compatability, but given the price of the P stuff, I'd drain the reservoir and system completely via whatever mechanism necesssary and refill with the el cheapo brand. If you must visit the dealer, top your tank off prior so that it's full when you go in.

Wonder if the dealer is cutting their fluid with water or using mostly just a soap and water mix with no anti-freeze and what you're seeing is the "gelling" - slushing, really - from a mix of partial solution with anti-freeze (that comes as part of W/W fluid) and the water mix your dealer uses?

I dunno - it wasn't slushy, it was thick slime. It "clung" to everything, the glass, the paint, etc.

I've read a few threads where it was said to not "mix" the Porsche stuff..... that the gelling is what happens?

I fear if I drain the system, fill it with el-cheapo... the first dealer service they'll top it off and I wind up with gelled goo. At 35k miles a year that's a lot of oil changes and chances for the dealer to top mine off.

Weird!

Well, it's got a big reservoir, so might be dumping quite a lot. I added some to mine just the other day and it took a gallon without any sign of being full. According to the manual if you've got the headlight washing system (which mine does) it'll hold almost 2 gallons, or just over 1 without. So mine's probably now only half-full.

I didn't use Porsche-branded stuff, it was messy out and the MFD was nagging me that the fluid was low so I just grabbed some stuff at the local hardware store. Haven't seen any signs of being gelled, just operating as usual. However, the last time I was in the dealer for an oil change it was still milder weather, so they probably didn't use the winter formulation.

During my CD service I've watched the tech mix the Porsche fluid with tap water and fill the washer reservoir. Since taking over servicing the CD myself I mix the Porsche concentrate with distilled water. The Porsche fluid is supposed to help with wiper chatter. Of course at some services they didn't refill the washer fluid and I got the warning message by the next service.

Ok I didn't want to wait for the dealer but with another Winter Storm Warning put up for this evening's commute I bought a bottle of the cheap stuff to get me through.

Seeing as how the P stuff is a "concentrate" I wonder if, for the past service loaners I've had, the dealer just got the dilution ration messed up and that's why it all came out super thick?

Will see how my P-stuff and cheap-stuff mix works out.

It's possible the concentrate mixed with water had a bad reaction to the water used.. if they used tap water - hard to say what's in it. Distilled water is pretty much pure. Tap water - well - Flint Michigan tells that story..

I'm guessing the recommendation to use distilled has more to do with avoiding any potential conflicts with the worldwide range of water conditions out there than any likely interactions.

Is there an MSDS sheet available on the winter concentrate?

I've topped mine off with the winter formula of whatever was on the shelf at Walmart fro $3 and have had zero issues. In my life I got 99 problems but gelled washer fluid ain't one