A boring question - brightened up with pics!

[gmorris03]

Hi Guys,

My car had sat in the airport car park for the last week or so, picked it up lastnight and and when I went to wash the windscreen I could hear the motor running but no real amount water came out, just a quick dribble that soon stops. There's water in the system and the headlight washers are still spraying fine. I've tried it this morning and it's still doing the same thing.

Any ideas for a fix? I've checked the lines as best I can from the outside and there doesn't seem to be any leaks.

I know it's a really boring question so to spruce it up and illicit some responses I've put a few largely unrelated photos up too!







Thanks chaps!

 

[Number5]

I had a similar on my 5 series last month so as it was under warranty I left it with BMW.

It was the filter in the washer bottle blocked. Then they gave me some bull about putting the right mixture of washer fluid and water in otherwise it gets too cloggy... I reminded them that they topped it up two months ago when they serviced it !!

Drain the Washer bottle down, clean the filter and re-fit and it should be OK, hopefully.

 

[Mike8080]

Yeah, it'll be the filter. Happened to me, and a nice easy fix.

 

[srhutch]

As above, easy to do as the washer bottle isnt located inside the wing as on other models. One bolt holds it in place, but from memory you dont even need to remove to get to the filter under the pump.

 

[cj10jeeper]

I had a similar on my 5 series last month so as it was under warranty I left it with BMW.

It was the filter in the washer bottle blocked. Then they gave me some bull about putting the right mixture of washer fluid and water in otherwise it gets too cloggy... I reminded them that they topped it up two months ago when they serviced it !!

Drain the Washer bottle down, clean the filter and re-fit and it should be OK, hopefully.

Funny enough while the dealer may have been giving you a line the common cause of this clogging does seem to from mixing different types of screen wash that then creates a gel.

 

[Russ59]

I had a similar on my 5 series last month so as it was under warranty I left it with BMW.

It was the filter in the washer bottle blocked. Then they gave me some bull about putting the right mixture of washer fluid and water in otherwise it gets too cloggy... I reminded them that they topped it up two months ago when they serviced it !!

Drain the Washer bottle down, clean the filter and re-fit and it should be OK, hopefully.

Funny enough while the dealer may have been giving you a line the common cause of this clogging does seem to from mixing different types of screen wash that then creates a gel.

I wouldn't say it has to be a mix of different screen washes, mine has done it with using the same brand all the time. I mix a whole batch up and keep in the house ready for top ups and that even gels, it goes stagnant over time when not using your washes.

 

[Taz]

nice car

 

[cj10jeeper]

I had a similar on my 5 series last month so as it was under warranty I left it with BMW.

It was the filter in the washer bottle blocked. Then they gave me some bull about putting the right mixture of washer fluid and water in otherwise it gets too cloggy... I reminded them that they topped it up two months ago when they serviced it !!

Drain the Washer bottle down, clean the filter and re-fit and it should be OK, hopefully.

Funny enough while the dealer may have been giving you a line the common cause of this clogging does seem to from mixing different types of screen wash that then creates a gel.

I wouldn't say it has to be a mix of different screen washes, mine has done it with using the same brand all the time. I mix a whole batch up and keep in the house ready for top ups and that even gels, it goes stagnant over time when not using your washes.

No doubt that it can happen for a variety if reasons. Then fully a 10 minute fix.

My daughters washer bottle was stagnent and seriously smelled out the car. Totally putrid smell. Helped us knock down the price, but again an easy flush out and some sterilising tabs

 

[RichD]

Itheres a good chance it's just blocked. I had the same problem when I bought the Z. Pull ou the washer bottle and they'll be 2 filters (I had 2 because I have headlight washers as well) each pipe is terminated by a little mesh filter which gets clogged up by using different washer fluid. 20 minute job and you'll get it sorted.

 

[gmorris03]

Thanks very much for the replies! I'll have a good look and let you know how I got on!