# Ethanol-based windshield washer fluid - safe? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 23, 2008, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ethanol-based-windshield-washer-fluid-safe/474095 "2008-11-23T14:47:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ethanol-based-windshield-washer-fluid-safe/474095/21 "2008-11-24T12:55:37Z")
> [@Fubaya](#): > > Why don’t they just leave the washer fluid empty until it gets to the dealership instead of buying drinking alcohol for the alcoholics on the ship. I mean, I guess they expect it to be empty when it gets off the ship anyway. Why go to the trouble and expense to give away free booze? Dial 1-800 Ask Sven\* and ask him. Other than they have to test the system at the factory, I have no clue. ::: shrug::: this is just how they do it. \*Not a real phone number, this is just what I would tell my students when they asked why the factory did something a particular way, and I had no clue. ---
**Author:** ![Throatwarbler\_Mangrove](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8c91f0/32.png) [@Throatwarbler\_Mangrove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Throatwarbler_Mangrove)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ethanol-based-windshield-washer-fluid-safe/474095/22 "2008-11-24T13:37:28Z")
> [@](#): > > Why don’t they just leave the washer fluid empty until it gets to the dealership instead of buying drinking alcohol for the alcoholics on the ship. I mean, I guess they expect it to be empty when it gets off the ship anyway. Why go to the trouble and expense to give away free booze? > Reply With Quote I suspect it’s because the pumps can be damaged if someone tries to run them with no fluid. cheaper and less foolproof to just put a couple of cents of fluid in there rather than risk damage. ---
**Author:** ![Santo\_Rugger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Santo\_Rugger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santo_Rugger)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ethanol-based-windshield-washer-fluid-safe/474095/23 "2008-11-24T15:27:30Z")
> [@Rick](#): > > This post was in response to post #4 from **CookingWithGas**. I wanted to show what the inside of one of these ships looks like, and the pictures of the Tricolor salvage was the easiest way to do that. I know damn well that if I just posted a pic with no explanation, there would be a whole bunch of WTF posts. So I posted a link to the story of what happened. And I get a why the fuck post. :smack: Some days you just can’t win. FWIW, when I first read that, I thought you linked to the story because the captain was drinking all the fluid out of the reservoir, got hammered, and wrecked his ship. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ethanol-based-windshield-washer-fluid-safe/474095/24 "2008-11-25T03:52:56Z")
**Santo** Since the captain was a Norwegian, I guess that is possible. What I am curious about is why did the wreck get hit twice more despite radio warnings, the presence of Navel vessels, and both lit and radar buoys. Perhaps the Captain of the Tricolor wasn’t the only one hitting the sauce. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ethanol-based-windshield-washer-fluid-safe/474095.md?page=1)