Screen wash leaks headlight washer problem?

[andya1]

Hi guys

I don't really know where to start here when I bought my car I noticed that the washer bottle would drip onto the drive and after a couple of weeks it would be empty, the water was directly below the offside headlight. I recently had the bumper resprayed by a bodywork specialist who is a perfectionist, I told him it leaked and he said he would try and see if he could spot the problem when he took the bumper off, he didn't find it and the job he did is superb. BUT now the bottle empties really quickly and I can see water below both headlights, I can't take it back to him as it was leaking before and he made a mistake with his pricing and I got a first class job done on the paint at a lower price. The guy who did the paint job really is a specialist and repairs Ferrari/Porche etc and he sprays and repairs damage so I know he would have connected the washers (wouldn't he)

I trust the guy completely and respect him and his standard of work, so I am left now with a little problem and I don't know what to do about it I am not experienced in taking cars to bits but how hard would this job be to do at home, bear in mind I haven't done this before, the garage I had the mot done said he could isolate the water that goes to the headlight washers then at least I would have screen wash as at this time I can't clean the screen if I need to. I know that's not an ideal solution but I don't know what else to do as I don't want to take it into BMW and pay a fortune to have it done so any help/advice would be greatly appreciated

Many thanks

Andy

[Nelly Welly]

The headlights washer activates using the pressure from the pump, so a leak and possibly this is only a leak where the pipe has aged and no longer grips the fitting, will reduce the washing to zero externally but will allow the washing fluid to pump behind the bumper. Also being below the reservoir a small leak will drain it completely. I would definitely get the bumper off and make sure the pipes are attached to the washers correctly. If you have xenons then it would potentially fail the mot without the washers working.

[RJS-Z4]

Hey, very random.... But I just fixed this issue. Where in the country are you? I can either write out a really long explanation to try and fix, or if you're local, I'll give you a hand sorting out.

It's an issue that forms in the washer itself, but from my testing, it can be fixed, and doesn't have to be replaced.

[andya1]

RJS I sent you a PM

[andya1]

The headlights washer activates using the pressure from the pump, so a leak and possibly this is only a leak where the pipe has aged and no longer grips the fitting, will reduce the washing to zero externally but will allow the washing fluid to pump behind the bumper. Also being below the reservoir a small leak will drain it completely. I would definitely get the bumper off and make sure the pipes are attached to the washers correctly. If you have xenons then it would potentially fail the mot without the washers working.

Hi Nelly thanks for that, you say get the bumper off just like that I wouldn't know where to start, I don't have xenons does it make a difference with the MOT having xenons and washers!

I just want to be able to wash the wind screen

Andy

[RJS-Z4]

Right then, are you sitting comfortably? Good, then we shall begin:

The headlights washers are powered soley by water pressure, there is no electrical connection.

In my experience there are two possible leak sources:

1) The point the pipe joins the washer
2) The top of the washer itself where the water comes out.

Again, in my experience, 1) is directly linked to the top washer being blocked.

So, how do you fix it, really there's only one way, which will make sure you fix both elements.

Firstly, you don't have to remove the whole bumper, just that corner. To do so, you remove the torx screws along the top, and the clips on the bumper (look up the guide for bumper removal) and then pull the clip off the wing on that side (again, guide).

Now, once you've done this, theres a small plastic clip on the hose end connection, couldn't be easier to remove. Pop that off and pull the hose off the end.

Now's the tricky bit. Lever the washer up with your hands/a credit card under it if you need to. Then someone needs to disconnect the cap for you, it just clips off.

Once you've done this, the washer as a whole clips out very easily, away from the hole you've just opened up. (hence needing to remove the cap) There's a couple of very obvious plastic clips and Robert's your mother's brother.

So... you've done the hard work now, you can move onto the fun bit. It actually is too.

Get yourself a hose with a variation of one of these attached:



So, now you want the jet option, and push it against the end of the washer, pull the trigger and hopefully it'll raise like a cobra from a basket!!!!!

If it does, leave it running for a good minute, the turn it off and pull it away, it'll drop.

Repeat this say five times, then head into the kitchen. Find some kitchen cleaner, cilit bang is great for it, cover it in it, and then working by hand, a lot, try to suck it right into the washer, you'll see how it works and know what I mean.

Once you've done that, a lot. Fill something with hot water and cilit bang, give it 10 minutes in that, working it by hand under the water every now and again, then back out, onto the hose and run it through for a good minute again.

Now it should be fully free'd up.

Next stage is to put it back on the car and test without fixing the bumper, but make sure you re-fit your plastic clip... If it weeps a tiny little bit at the washer head that's fine, because it seems to self seal after a tiny drop. If it's leaking from the connection you need to cut an inch off the hose and re-fit the plastic fitting after cleaning it up.

I told you it was a bloody long one, but luckily I only did this last weekend so it's still very fresh!

[andya1]

RJS wow! Thanks for that detailed reply, but my headlight washers work fine and both pop up and spray nicely, my problem is that if I fill the screen wash bottle up and don't use the spray onto the screen and just leave the car parked up all of the water drains from the resoirvoir so I then can't clean the windscreen

Andy

[RJS-Z4]

And does it drain from near the washers??? Or did I read that totally wrong?

Cleaning the washer out on the effected side should hopefully re-instate the one way valve within the washer.

[srhutch]

If it is the hose like mine was, for just around £25 you can get the full hose kit from your local main dealer that goes from the bottle to both washer jets.

[Wildfire]

RJS wow! Thanks for that detailed reply, but my headlight washers work fine and both pop up and spray nicely, my problem is that if I fill the screen wash bottle up and don't use the spray onto the screen and just leave the car parked up all of the water drains from the resoirvoir so I then can't clean the windscreen

Andy

I had exactly the same problem, my whole washer bottle lasted about 3 days. I tried everything, cleaned out the pipes, the filters, checked the bottle and pipes for leaks. Both washers raised and sprayed properly. Turns out that it was the actual washer unit itself.

Sometimes you can fix them by manually pumping them up and down. Not in my case. I replaced the offending unit and voila it was fine.

Do as above, but just replace the whole unit. I got mine off from Sopers using the forum discount and free postage.

[andya1]

Thanks all so much for the advice I will I still don't know if I am the right man for this job due to me not being a DIY person

[andya1]

[quote="RJS-Z4"]And does it drain from near the washers??? Or did I read that totally wrong?

Cleaning the washer out on the effected side should hopefully re-instate the one way valve within the washer.[/qnot totally e]

Hi RJS yes when it leaks it comes out on both sides of the car below the headlight area and previously it was only on one side but now it's worse, damn I wish I was good with this sort of stuff I mean I am not totally clueless but not brilliant either

[stupot67]

RJS wow! Thanks for that detailed reply, but my headlight washers work fine and both pop up and spray nicely, my problem is that if I fill the screen wash bottle up and don't use the spray onto the screen and just leave the car parked up all of the water drains from the resoirvoir so I then can't clean the windscreen

Andy

I had exactly the same problem, my whole washer bottle lasted about 3 days. I tried everything, cleaned out the pipes, the filters, checked the bottle and pipes for leaks. Both washers raised and sprayed properly. Turns out that it was the actual washer unit itself.

Sometimes you can fix them by manually pumping them up and down. Not in my case. I replaced the offending unit and voila it was fine.

Do as above, but just replace the whole unit. I got mine off from Sopers using the forum discount and free postage.

Hi,

Had the same issue with mine - Internal leak inside the washer allowing the screenwash to dribble continualy from the spray nozzles - Easy to test, if you blow into water inlet on the bottom of the washer unit and you hear air escaping from the washer nozzles its an internal leak, I took mine to pieces and fixed the problem (If you attempt to fix the washer you have, PM me and I'll try to write down what to do - Didn't photo it at the time)

Stu.

[ben g]

I had 2 screen wash leaks.

First was the pump from the washer bottle to headlamp washers. Can be bought on ebay for less than 20 quid.

Second was the headlamp washer itself which was leaking about half way down. I just replaced it with a bmw one which cost about 50 quid.

[andya1]

Crikey I am confused with all the replies