Dribbly Windscreen Washers

[Mr Tidy]

I collected my Montego Blue Z4C on a drizzly day in the half-dark back in May.

I realised two things on the way home! Firstly it's halogen bulbs after the Xenons on my Ruby black one were like the difference between night and day! And the screen-washers just about got some water onto the bottom of the screen!

Anyway it has been mostly dry since then, but a wet drive the other night (and an impending MOT test) made me investigate further! (Plus it annoys me no end when something doesn't work)!

So I looked in the screen-wash reservoir and it had blue screen-wash in it so I suspected the jets. Took them off and they seemed clear.

Today I took the reservoir out - yuk, loads of blue gunk in the bottom and all around the filters! Took both pumps and filters out (second one is for headlight washers) and cleaned them with an old toothbrush, flushed the reservoir several times then put it all back together and filled up with fresh screen-wash fluid.

Went for a quick test drive (any excuse!) and all working as intended!

But my initial messing seems to have knackered the wiper blades, so I'll need to get new ones before I book the MOT. Strangely enough it has had advisories a couple of times in the past for poor washer performance! Fingers crossed!

 

[Rob s]

I think BMWs in general can be quite fussy about the washer fluid you use. I've had problems on my Z4 and my 1 series with the filters getting blocked. Seems its quite common.

 

[cj10jeeper]

Usually caused by mixing different types of screen wash that creates a jelly like gunk over time

Guess you damaged the wipers running them back and forth on a dry screen

 

[Mr Tidy]

Usually caused by mixing different types of screen wash that creates a jelly like gunk over time

Guess you damaged the wipers running them back and forth on a dry screen

Yes, the screen wash must have been mixed but now I know what is in it I will just stick to the same one.

And you are right about the wiper blades - they weren't great to start with but running them when the washers weren't doing much has pretty much finished them off! Thankfully blades aren't too expensive though! Plus I get the bonus of new ones!