BMW X1 screenwasher pump

O

oldgit

Member
For the third time this year I have just cleaned the gunge from the filter on the screenwasher pump on my wife's X1. There was only a trickle of water - not enough to reach the windscreen.
This job involves taking the wheel off together with the plastic wheelarch liner. To remove the screenwash bottle four electrical connections and three hoses have to be separated and three pumps have to be removed so that the bottle can be removed from behind the wing and flushed through with a hose.
On the first occasion it was a challenge. It is now becoming a regular P.I.T.A.
Has any member come across this problem, and can something be added to the bottle to stop the jelly-like gunge forming?
Any help would be appreciated.
 
I had to do the same to my E46 about 3 years ago, then also my Z4C within a month of buying it in May 2016.

But in both cases I was lucky as the reservoir was in the engine bay! I'm just hoping my E91 doesn't suffer this problem, as that one is inside the wheelarch. :(

In both cases I didn't use BMW screenwash, but I only ever used the same brand and so far, so good.

From what I can make out it's mixing washer fluid brands that seems to be the problem.
 
David.

I can't remember. I've run out of screenwash and the bottle has gone for recycling.

I don't look for big name brands. I just buy any reasonably-priced 5 litre bottle of concentrate. I have been doing this for years and have never had a problem on other cars.
 
oldgit said:
I don't look for big name brands. I just buy any reasonably-priced 5 litre bottle of concentrate. I have been doing this for years and have never had a problem on other cars.
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Me neither, I've been using the Prestone concentrate they sell in my local Tesco - but only that.
 
Only ever used the BMW liquid, buy it in bulk. Never had an issue with that.
 
My wife inherited the car from her late father. I don't know which screenwash has been used previously, so there has probably been some mixing.
I will try and keep to the same brand from now on.
 
As an update, we have had no trouble for over a year since sticking to the same brand of screenwash (Eurocarparts own brand which is regularly on special offer).
 
I always use the same brand. We had jelly form in my wife's 5 series just after we got it and BMW did the clean as it was in their view building up before we got it.

I explained that I only use one brand in all the cars and my E85 had no issue with it so I would continue to use that. Picked the car up and BMW had helpfully filled it with their own wash again :headbang:
 
I used to get this all the time in my E46 3-series and my (now ex) wife's X3 - I used to have to clear the tanks out all the time. My understanding back then was that it was the cheaper screen wash that was causing the gunk to build up.

Anyway, wind forward a couple of years and I use BMW own-stuff on my X5 and Z4 and not had a repeat of the problem. You can get it on eBay from BMW direct - last time I bought some it didn't seem too expensive really...
 
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