Windscreen washer clogged...?

[Acid_Monkey]

So, I've ran the my windscreen washer tank down to empty - filled it up the other day, but I still get nothing more than a dribbling trickle out of both of the windscreen washers - although the right side at least hits the windshield! :thumbsdown:

Not sure what I've done, but my best guess is that debris at the bottom of the tank is either clogging the pump, or the pump has died due to being used when dry...

Any ideas or advice on how I can repair without actually replacing the pump!

Got a 4-5 hour drive to Devon tomorrow - would love my washers to be working again

Cheers!

 

[Angie4m]

Need to look into the bottle and see what there. Any floaters? I had an issue with mines where some nob dropped a bit tissue in it.

I found that a chopstick or some long pokey item to remove any build up from around the filter along with running pure, undiluted wash helped remove the blockage. I started running it through and loads of white tissue gunk sprayed all over the window. Let it sit for a hour or so and then went out and tried again and again running it through until all washers were working correctly.

Mines was so bad that the headlamp washers weren't working.

 

[firebobby]

Locate where the pipe goes from the engine bay into the bonnet, you should find a junction there, if not, then where the pipe goes into the jets. Disconnect it there and then use the screen wash function, if water comes out of the open pipe, then your jets are blocked. If they are, get a needle and clear them with it. If the blockage is in the bottle and it's floating matter, just fill the bottle and keep it overflowing to remove the muck. An air line is also good for blowing muck out of the lines/jets.

 

[Angie4m]

As the bottle of the E89 is huge, the location and the amount of stuff around it, I do not suggest running water into it until it overflows. Instead it's best to siphon off any fluid within the bottle.

 

[Geezah]

There is an in line filter where the tube exits the tank to the windscreen nozzles. IIRC it sits in a rubber grommet which just pulls out. My filter was clogged with crap. Literally a 5 minute job.

 

[Highlander]

Yeah,easy job to get to filter.Pull the wiring plug from the pump in reservoir and swivel the pump away from the reservoir to remove it....from memory the filter sits under the pump in the reservoir on top of the grommet.All that's from memory as I had the same issue with mine when I got it but you'll easily see how to fix it when the bonnet's up and you're looking at it.
Hope it's just the filter choked and you get them working.

 

[R.E92]

I had mine block recently. Just siphoned off the fluid then removed the washer fluid tank and scrubbed the plastic filter with a toothbrush.

Both pumps are pushfit so pop out quite easily.

I have only ever had BMW screenwash in the car but upon inspection of the siphoned fluid it was full of gunk. I think unless you fully empty the tank between fills you will get a build-up of gunk in the tank.

 

[Angie4m]

I tend to now not fill the tank right up knowing that I won't be using the car daily and knowing it could 'gunk' up it means I can just have enough for a few journeys and then when the warning pings I just top it up a bit.

 

[Acid_Monkey]

Wow thanks everyone - wealth of information here - tried to look into the reservoir but its filled to the top with a dark blue ready mixture so no hope in hell of seeing inside.

Will have a look at the filter and pump as suggested and keep you guys posted - however nothing happens now when i try and use the windscreen wash - can't even hear the pump...

Do I need to empty the reservoir before looking at the filter/pump?

 

[firebobby]

If you can't hear the pump, I would check to see if your getting power to it. Unplug the wire to the pump and test for power when someone presses the washer button. If the power is there, then you need to check the pump

 

[ric19]

Thread I opened a year ago (almost to the day) here :-

http://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=45&t=72861

 

[Tricky Dicky]

Hi Folks
Dropped the wife's Z4 off to Ryebrook warwick for its 4 year service, picked up a loaner had a phone call off service desk after wife passed them on to me ,As money was involved !!! there was an advisory on a small oil leak at the cam cover gasket , I could not see any oil when I valeted the engine last weekend and it's spotless not a trace of Oil on the floor either , trust me very OCD about that so I said no don't do that as they wanted £350 , next the screen wash just dribbled out of the jets , same bloke said filters blocked and wanted £130 to clean filters out , he said as the car has only done on average 30 miles per week it's to be expected !!,!! I thought That is total Tosh , initially I said yes do it , but then thought WTF I'll consult the Forum ,I've since said no so I'm going to try and fix it myself ,wish me luck , I must say I'm rather shocked at the prices , it's strange when it's your car you look at prices , I cannot remember the last time I looked at my company car service breakdown :|

 

[Chris_D]

Hi Folks
Dropped the wife's Z4 off to Ryebrook warwick for its 4 year service, picked up a loaner had a phone call off service desk after wife passed them on to me ,As money was involved !!! there was an advisory on a small oil leak at the cam cover gasket , I could not see any oil when I valeted the engine last weekend and it's spotless not a trace of Oil on the floor either , trust me very OCD about that so I said no don't do that as they wanted £350 , next the screen wash just dribbled out of the jets , same bloke said filters blocked and wanted £130 to clean filters out , he said as the car has only done on average 30 miles per week it's to be expected !!,!! I thought That is total Tosh , initially I said yes do it , but then thought WTF I'll consult the Forum ,I've since said no so I'm going to try and fix it myself ,wish me luck , I must say I'm rather shocked at the prices , it's strange when it's your car you look at prices , I cannot remember the last time I looked at my company car service breakdown :|

Cam cover gasket was one of the first issues I had to sort on my E85 as it was leaking. Discovered via a disconcerting but constant smell of burning oil on the exhaust manifold when driven. Then progressively more smoke from the burning oil.
Couldnt find the leak at first but on the E85 it commonly occurs at the back at the lowest point of the cover. Had to displace the heat shield to get my fingers round the back and under the lip of the cover and sure enough there was a suspended blob of oil at any given time.
Would suggest replacing the gasket as a matter of preventive maintenance but maybe ask the garage for evidence of a leak first?
Washer bottle is easy peasy. Plus, a few drops of white vinegar can help prevent bacteria and gunk buildup.

 

[mal_by]

I had the same issue ~8 months ago: 2 filters in the washer tank were blocked.

I fixed it myself in about an hour:
- You can unclip the reservoir, remove the pipes to the jets and water will drain out
- You can then use a thin implement with a blunt end to rub the filters
- There will be "gunk" residue, similar to what you find in ponds blocking them
- You can start to massage this away from the filters and remove it
- Clip pipes back in, run some water through to check it flows
- Hook the reservoir bank into place!

 

[Mr Tidy]

In the last couple of years I have had this problem on my E46 and my E86.

Both times it was due to a gungy goo building up around the filters on the pumps in the reservoirs. Took the reservoirs out, removed the pumps, cleaned the filters with a tooth-brush, flushed the reservoirs, re-filled them with a proprietary screen-wash and no problems since.

But probably best to keep using the same screen-wash all the time (doesn't need to be BMW, unless you have nothing better to waste your money on)! :lol:

 

[Alpine Z]

They are having similar conversations over on 3/4 Series UK Bimmer Forums.

The general thinking is mixing of different manufacturers/types of washer fluid.

Goes along the lines of use BMW fluid only, though many aren't prepared to pay for the significantly higher priced BMW product, unless bought in seriously larger quantities.

Link provided here: http://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1196561

Mods. If linking not the done thing on here, I will remove it.

 

[willgill]

I use only BMW approved stuff and still seen a large build up of crud, BMW tried to charge me for it and I showed them receipts for all the official screen wash I'd ordered from them and they covered the 'repair' under warranty

 

[Mr Tidy]

I use only BMW approved stuff and still seen a large build up of crud, BMW tried to charge me for it and I showed them receipts for all the official screen wash I'd ordered from them and they covered the 'repair' under warranty

So it looks like whatever you use it will get gummed up eventually!

I put Tesco's finest in my E46 2 years ago and the washers are still working fine. I just won't put anything else in it and it should be fine for another year or more!

To be honest it is such an easy job it's no big deal if I do need to do it every 3 or 4 years.