Hey, you guys, you betcha by golly, it was -26F this morning in lovely Minot, ND and I accidently hit my washers when I was driving to work and it worked as always. My father had the same problem, he used a brand from Walmart in Albuquerque NM, exactly the same stuff we use up here because he had the bottle with him (he carries all that type of stuff with him...oil, power steering fluid, etc) but he came up here in November last year, hit some sub-zero stuff here and his tank froze solid, but our still worked. Don't know what to say,maybe they have a different formula for the stuff that comes north. Howdy Canadian neighbors.

From the strange but true file... I had a customer bring her Buick Riviera in for a bad odor inside the car, dang I just realized this was almost twenty years ago... VBG.... Anyway, it was such a foul odor, and so strong it would make everyone that got into the car start to get sick. The only solution since the odor was everywhere was to quickly pull out the back seat, and the deck tray to improve air flow all the way through the interior of car. This allowed first of all me to even be in the car investigating the problem, and of course it thinned the odor down enough that we could start to isolate it's source. Turns out the amplifier for the LR speaker was failing, and the potting material was "cooking" but had not yet as yet started to burn. Which brings me to what kim needs to do. Get the car siting open, with fans blowing air through the car to cut the smell down, then stop the airflow and you should be able to narrow down where the odor is coming from.

If you live in an area where it's been freezing, and the washer won't pump out fluid in the morning or after sitting for a period in the cold, but will do so after the engine has been running for a while, or after the car has sat for a half hour or so after the engine has warmed up, perhaps you've topped up the reservoir with fluid that wasn't rated for cold weather and has been freezing in the tubes, but thaws after the engine compartment gets warm for long enough to thaw them out. If it's been cold enough to freeze the liquid in the reservoir, this solution won't work, of course. Probably pour hot water over it several times, if it won't cause complications in other parts of the system as it flows down to the ground. Or blow a hair dryer on it for an hour or so, until it thaws enough to pump some of it out, then add hot water to the tank to thaw the rest, pump it all out, refill with seasonally-adjusted stuff. Or remove the tank, take it into the house for a day - probably a lot of work. Hope you get it straightenedd out without too much difficulty. ole joyful

Many of the things have been covered so I'll try to avoid duplicates. But another caution: $20 will buy jumper cables good for Texas or Arizona, but not for Minnesota or North Dakota. You'll spend 2-3 times that for a decent set worthy of carrying around here. Check the gauge of the wire and the clamps. Buy from a reputable place, not a discount department store, if you want a good set. Another caution is a cell phone is a good idea but will do you no good without power. Always buy a car adapter and keep it in the vehicle. "Emergency" cell phones, won't be maintained so they won't be charged. Without a charger you stand no chance of using it. Also, be sure to check coverage. Why get one that won't have coverage when you need it? Also, if you need to repair a hose, don't go for the duct tape right away. Electrical tape will seal the hole better. Duct tape won't. Wrap it well with electrical tape and *then* give a wrap of the silver miracle. The grey gold will keep the electrical tape in place better and seal itself better. I always used a coffee can and put a roll of toilet paper in a plastic bag, double bagged, actually. Also had some matches and some large heavy duty garbage bags. A garbage bag will be a one-size-fits-most for a rain poncho, and have numerous other uses. People who use eyeglasses should keep an extra pair in the vehicle, especially if your license requires you to wear them while driving. I always keep water in the vehicle. Sure it freezes in the winter but the small bottles thaw quickly. I also keep aspirin, antacids and the like so I don't have to buy them at outrageous prices if needed. I just take a small bottle and keep a few in there. A roll of paper towels cut in half fits nicely in a coffee can and gives you an alternative to the toilet paper and gives you some ready napkins and something to use to clean up those accidents. Put the garbage bags in there and I like a few wet wipes. Tow chain or a tow strap. Takes little room. Oh, I use the crank flashlights. No need to worry about batteries. I usually like to carry a gallon of window wash fluid (de-icer in the winter) and a gallon of antifreeze. If you break a hose you can get the radiator filled. Dump in the antifreeze and it can get you going to a place to add some water. Or if your near a water source, even a lake, stream or ditch, you have a container for the water. Clothes appropriate for the climate. And a comealong winch is a good idea too. Can extend the reach of the tow strap and you can winch yourself out of a bad spot. And I believe in keeping some cash, including change, in the vehicle. Pay phones used to be a big reason but that's more obsolete now but if you have to buy some gas, or bandages or something, you might find a few dollars handy. Nobody's saying you should carry everything everyone has suggested. Very few people would find a gas wrench useful - most wouldn't know how to use it. So you use it for ideas. Modify it. There is no all-inclusive list that will work for everyone. Some things you would take on a trip but not leave in there all the time. Some things should be in there. Minnesota requires you to carry proof of insurance. I keep one card in my wallet and one in the vehicle. Belt and suspenders I suppose. I still haven't gotten around to stocking my "new" vehicle yet. But probably have most of it in there. When the weather gets nicer I'll clean it out and check inventory against my checklist.