E89 windscreen washers

[Highlander]

Hi,going to investigate this tomorrow and haven't looked yet so might be an easy problem to fix.
Does anybody know how to clean out the windscreen washer system.....poor jet at the bonnet washer outlets and reckon there's a partial blockage someplace....is there a filter fitted in the reservoir?
Is it easy to clean if so?
Thanks for all input

 

[Brasseye]

With other BMW i have found a filter on the pump inlet.
Looks like a thimble cage,have to lift the pump up and out of the tank its held onto.
Don't know if E89 is same.

As a fix after having to do it twice on a 330 put half a cap of bleach in the tank for a couple of changes. It was a slimy bacteria kinda blockage.
Think they were eating the soap put in from previous owners.

 

[Angie4m]

I had a hanky dropped into my washer bottle and found to brake down the mass I just used neat washer fluid, a chopstick to remove any gunk around the filter. Tried to get the solution moving around the system, left it overnight and in the morning after 3 tries it worked.

 

[Highlander]

Thanks guys,just back from a day at Edinburgh fringe so will get under the bonnet tomorrow(weather permitting) and see if I can locate any inline filters.I wonder if I empty the reservoir and try some hot water in there....maybe 50/60degrees that I can break up the blockage and push it thru' the system......maybe take the tubing off the nozzles.
Proper PITA this.

 

[Angie4m]

Thanks guys,just back from a day at Edinburgh fringe so will get under the bonnet tomorrow(weather permitting) and see if I can locate any inline filters.I wonder if I empty the reservoir and try some hot water in there....maybe 50/60degrees that I can break up the blockage and push it thru' the system......maybe take the tubing off the nozzles.
Proper PITA this.

That may well work. If I could get the headlamp washers working after it got clogged with a hanky without removing anything, you should be able to get it cleared too without too much hassle.

You should of driven down and left the car with me for the day. I could of given it a try for you. Tourists are a nightmare, I avoid most places outside the end of my street!

 

[Highlander]

It wasn't too bad in town,just busy in pedestrian zone on royal mile.We dumped the car up the hill from Murrayfield Hotel and took the Airlink bus....far less hassle than trying to find an over-priced parking spot in town-centre and worrying all day about "parking damage"
Worst part of the day was getting stuck before FRB for 30 mins........yet to see the incident,traffic speed slowly picked up before we all just continued our journeys.....bizarre :headbang:

 

[ric19]

E89 Windscreen Washers

Just had to take the washer reservoir out as the washers has virtually stopped working, I found the little mesh filter was completely blocked which was strange as the headlight one was fine, its a bit of a faff trying to get it out but reasonably easy. I understand this can be caused by mixing...

www.z4-forum.com

 

[Highlander]

Turned out to be an easy "fix"
Unplug wiring from pump on side of reservoir and swivel pump away from reservoir.Pull pump body upwards and out of locating grommet which turned out to contain cage style filter.Clean filter in kitchen sink whilst flushing reservoir with low pressure from garden hose until water runs clear then re-assemble with a squirt of WD40 in electrical plug incase any water got in there.Washer now have a good jet onto the screen and literally took 10 mins,in fact half that time was getting hose reel out if the shed,etc,etc
Whilst I was at it,I cleared all the leaves and dirt from front and rear rain water run-offs around boot aperture and under bonnet....not in the mood for car washing today so that can wait.
I wonder what main dealer would've charged to get the windscreen washers working satisfactorily......1 hours labour I suppose seems fair.

 

[Angie4m]

Glad to hear it's sorted. I bet you'd of been looking at 1 and a half to two hours labour from a dealer. I think they may have tried to make it more drawn out a process than it was looking for the issues elsewhere.

 

[mj2k]

I had a hanky dropped into my washer bottle and found to brake down the mass I just used neat washer fluid, a chopstick to remove any gunk around the filter. Tried to get the solution moving around the system, left it overnight and in the morning after 3 tries it worked.

How did a hanky get in there?? Have to ask, sorry!

 

[Angie4m]

I had a hanky dropped into my washer bottle and found to brake down the mass I just used neat washer fluid, a chopstick to remove any gunk around the filter. Tried to get the solution moving around the system, left it overnight and in the morning after 3 tries it worked.

How did a hanky get in there?? Have to ask, sorry!

Not sure.....it's how it came from the dealership. I noticed build up on the window not long after I picked the car up as it was winter and realised it looked like paper of some sort. Opened the bonnet, looked into the washer bottle and there was a white hanky in bits.

I can only assume that some tried to wipe up some possible spillage and lost part of the hanky in the bottle.

Glad I sorted it as the local garage told me I'd need to return to the garage I purchased it from to investigate and sort as they would charge me as I didn't buy the car from them. And they wonder why I stopped doing business with them and bought elsewhere.

 

[mj2k]

Poor customer service!

Worried you had dropped it in yourself, seems fairly hard to do though unless the 89 has a huge opening to fill the reservoir!

 

[Angie4m]

Poor customer service!

Worried you had dropped it in yourself, seems fairly hard to do though unless the 89 has a huge opening to fill the reservoir!

Very poor but hey that's life sometimes. Rest of the car and transaction was good.

Had I dropped in myself, I would have promptly fished it out before it got to that state. I wouldn't say that the reservoir opening was that big but it's big enough and it's not like they couldn't see into the tank as its like a big ice cream tub sat up top