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Hi Ard.
Your right about the county restrictions, but I am definitely using an anti-freeze solvent. I learned a long time ago that you can't buy the below zero solvent anywhere in Sacramento or Placer County.
I have a place in South Lake Tahoe, which is where I am this week. When I come up here, I usually pick up a gallon at the Shell station in Pollock Pines off of Hwy 50 on my way up the hill. Then if I run low when I'm up here, it's easy to find locally since this is part of Placer county on the CA side. Of course on the NV side, you can buy the stuff anywhere. I seem to refill a lot but between the windshield, hatch window, and headlights, I do use a lot of solvent when I'm driving around up here.
Anyway, I think your idea about dilution is right, and I have an idea how this might have happened. I had to make a Home Depot run down to Carson City yesterday. I did my usual routine of clearing snow from the cowl, and warming up. When I left my pace (el 7600 ft.) it was +14 f at about 2:00 PM. When I got to Carson (el 4200 ft.), it was +26 f at about 3:30 when I came out of the store. Miraculously, the washers worked fine after a very short warm up. I ran them for several minutes to flush out the lines, and they have been working fine ever since. I had another cold start cycle today and one more this evening, and so far, so good.
So, here is my theory. I've never run anything but anti-freeze solvent in this vechicle since new. BUT, I did have it in for service about 2 months ago, and my SA did his usual diligent job of having everything checked and topped off. I'm willing to bet the washer fluid was low enough that when they refilled it, they used standard fluid which had the effect of raising the freeze point when it mixed in with what was already in the reservoir. If I'm right, the current mix with more anti-freeze fluid in it has solved the probem. If I'm wrong, I'll take it in for service. I hope I'm right....
Anyway, thanks for the reply.
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Current Fleet:
2018 328d Xdrive Sport Wagon
2011 X5 Xdrive 35d
1973 2002 tii
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Past loves:
2015 i3 REX
2011 535i Xdrive
2005 X5 4.4i
2003 530i
1999 528i
1995 525i
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