Windshield washer fluid all over...

[Discovery]

Dunno where to post this.
Few minute ago, more than half a windshield washer bottle (1gal), emptied itself in the trunk of my 3week old 4runner. [emoji47]
**** **** **** ****

It's ethanol based for Canadian winter. Smell like a mofo. Sucked few ml with a vacuum but still. I guess most of it is trap under the carpet.
It's only wet near the rear door hatch.

It's 24 fahrenheit (-4 celcuis), so I put a small heater inside and crack a windows.

Should I remove all the rear carpet and molding to wipe everything off?

Can it make thing rust or damage anything or I'm getting paranoid for my beloved 4runner?

Halp

 

[bofa]

Its flammable and toxic. Id be taking everything apart!

 

[delloro]

The flooring comes out easily. I would disassemble, clean, and wash the carpeting and padding at a DIY carwash.

 

[1engineer]

Yeah it's hard to clean something that has cleaning fluid on it. You just have to flush and rinse with water and hope it didn't stain it. Or you could just buy a rear cargo tray.

 

[Discovery]

Got my hand on a little Bissell carpet cleaner, resoaked and re vacuumed the whole area... Still feel like there is unreachable spot, like under the floor hatch trim... That's where the most of it spilled.

Smell like Bissell carpet soap now... I will let it dry with my little 1200w heater for the night. It's 2h am over here, and I'm flipping shit.
Will see what happen tomorrow..

Is there a tutorial for rear carpet removal?

Sent from my LG-D852 using Tapatalk

 

[Jhalko]

Got my hand on a little Bissell carpet cleaner, resoaked and re vacuumed the whole area... Still feel like there is unreachable spot, like under the floor hatch trim... That's where the most of it spilled.

Smell like Bissell carpet soap now... I will let it dry with my little 1200w heater for the night. It's 2h am over here, and I'm flipping shit.
Will see what happen tomorrow..

Is there a tutorial for rear carpet removal?

Sent from my LG-D852 using Tapatalk

Maybe these will help...

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-gen-t4rs/196774-cargo-carpet-removal-help.html

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-gen-t4rs/215926-soundproofing-cargo-area.html

 

[Bossman]

Hey [MENTION=149860]Discovery[/MENTION],

Not sure where you are from in Canada, but I highly recommend the Toyota Touch Windshield Washer Fluid ... it's good to -40 C.

Toyota Touch Windshield Washer Fluid | Don Valley North Toyota

I used this in my 03 Limited, and now in my 2011 Limited with very good results.

 

[amalik]

so what's the scientific explanation on why this exploded in the back of the vehicle in a trapped bottle, but doesn't explode while trapped in a plastic reservoir in the engine bay in the same cold temperature? my only guess is there is some airflow/relief in the engine bay VS the sealed bottle?

 

[FrontRange4Runner]

so what's the scientific explanation on why this exploded in the back of the vehicle in a trapped bottle, but doesn't explode while trapped in a plastic reservoir in the engine bay in the same cold temperature? my only guess is there is some airflow/relief in the engine bay VS the sealed bottle?

It usually has more room to expand while it's freezing in the reservoir. If it's going to be really cold, make sure you are not "topped off" in case your fluid freezes. The one time my fluid froze, I had room in the bottle so it just turned to a big block of ice and did no damage to the system. I now only use the -30 or better stuff.

 

[amalik]

It usually has more room to expand while it's freezing in the reservoir. If it's going to be really cold, make sure you are not "topped off" in case your fluid freezes. The one time my fluid froze, I had room in the bottle so it just turned to a big block of ice and did no damage to the system. I now only use the -30 or better stuff.

Ah, makes sense.

 

[BlackWorksInc]

so what's the scientific explanation on why this exploded in the back of the vehicle in a trapped bottle, but doesn't explode while trapped in a plastic reservoir in the engine bay in the same cold temperature? my only guess is there is some airflow/relief in the engine bay VS the sealed bottle?

We had a bad mix of our bulk washer fluid when the first freeze hit this year and a couple reservoirs cracked. It all has to do with how much room the fluid has to expand. With the 4Runner bottles they have a bit of pockets and such to allow expansion, some of the RAV4 and stuff apparently do not.

 

[e60ral]

I haven't had a 4Runner long enough to deal with this issue, but on other cars its usually the pump or plastic hose fittings that freeze and crack before the reservoir

 

[ToyoDriver]

Wow! That is unreal! I've never seen ice just growing in the wild before. Let alone inside a car.

 

[Discovery]

Little update,
I vacuumed and shampooed the trunk, dried with heater for 2day. No more smell.

No carpet dismantle for now, still -7 farenheit outside... I want to install a goose floor panel system this summer...

Funny thing,
yesterday night, was waiting for the gf to get ready for a night out.
I found the windshield fluid bottle who leaked in my truck under the snow... Looked like some left, so I gently hit the container with my hand to remove the snow.
The mother****er squirted his remaining fluid in my eyes.
Burn like hell.
Spent 15-20min flushing my eyeballs

Wtf this thing is alive.

/End of adventure

 

[Antman]

The mother****er squirted his remaining fluid in my eyes.
Burn like hell.
Spent 15-20min flushing my eyeballs

Wtf this thing is alive.

:doh:

 

[Vinsil]

 

[Discovery]

Loled


My street tonight:

 

[philsey]

Whoa ... that'd turn your grapes into raisins.

:wow:

 

[Dorobuta]

Ozium does a good job of killing odors. Also, some of the hunting scent killer sprays, like Dead Downwind can eliminate odors really well.

Once you get it all clean, you may want to try one of these....