[EddieL]

Originally Posted by Wrightski

I've used this forum a number of times and found it very helpful, so I thought it was about time I tried to help others.
Over the cold snap my washers stopped working. I found out that if the water is frozen in the washer tank then the washers and wipers won't work, they have a thermal cut out to prevent the motor from burning out.

My screen washers have not worked the past couple of days. The part of the reservoir that I can see is not frozen and I've directed a hair dryer at the jets and pipes that are exposed. I've also driven just over 1/2 hour so there was a fair heat in the engine bay. There was good mix of screen wash in the reservoir pre freezing conditions, but here is my problem. I can not hear any sound of the pump trying to jet the water. It is silent when I operate the stalk for the jets.

Do you think the above is happening. It is a quote from a thread from last year which nearly matched my problem. Can anyone confirm this and is anyone having the same difficulties.

Eddie.

[Baby Dave]

If it's all frozen the motors stop working to prevent the fuse blowing. If it's really cold when you pull the washer stalk the wipers won't work. The wipers will still work if you switch them on by pushing the stalk up/down. Hope that makes sense.

[EddieL]

Cheers Dave.

No, when I pull the stalk the wipers do their four passes as if the Jets had worked.

[m1bjr]

Blown the fuse?

[EddieL]

Went back out in the car and on my return I tried them again.

Motor tried to pump jets maybe twice before fading to silent so I think it may be a failsafe to prevent damage. That being the case I'll wait till it works then step up the mix to try and prevent it in future.

Thanks for the suggestions.

[jjbirch]

i would say your washer bottle is blocked very common fault with the E9x theres a filter on the bottom, very hard to get to

[chris_s1]

Mine have been doing exactly the same. Even after a 4 hour drive they don't defrost.
Put the car in the garage overnight and they worked normally again the next morning.

I've never had a car where the washer system didn't defrost after the car being up to temp for a long time - bad design?

Or maybe the concentration of screenwash needs to be increased. I've never put any in, so what ever is in there is what came from the factory or was changed at service. (I don't use the wipers much - my screen has Gtechniq G3 on it so seldom need to)

[sattapaal]

i've whacked a bit of anti-freeze into the screenwash because i've been having this problem. took a while for the two to mix, but its working a charm now.

[EddieL]

Shit! Headlamp washers now popped out and not retracting.

What's the latest on the dealers fixing this FOC. Still have both taped in place so don't think I need parts.

[Walesy]

I had to lie out on the drive way the other night to strip mine out and clean out the bottle from crud. I wasnt a happy chappy.

[doughboy]

Originally Posted by chris_s1

Or maybe the concentration of screenwash needs to be increased. I've never put any in, so what ever is in there is what came from the factory or was changed at service. (I don't use the wipers much - my screen has Gtechniq G3 on it so seldom need to)

Never put any in?

You'll need about 30% mix this weather, so chuck a couple of litres of screenwash in every time you fill the bottle.

It's empty from the factory, so if your dealer was stingy you'll just have had water in from new.

[EddieL]

Phoned the dealer and was told that the headlight washers will be fixed under warranty only if the screenwash concentration is adequately high. If indeed they don't just return to normal by there own accord.

Today I made a concerted effort to thaw out my reservoir. Slowly but surely got there and have stepped up the concentration levels and will do so again in the next couple of days so if the headlight washers are damaged or fall off then the concentration will not be used as an excuse not to pay out.

[Em135eye]

My washer fluid took half an hour to defrost the other day - half an hour of salt spray on the windscreen was not handy!

Not added a lot more washer fluid.

[EddieL]

The extra concentration must have worked it's way through the system as my headlight washers have went fully home and seem located solidly. Going to keep on using the double concentrate so even if I do lose one or two it will be covered under warranty.

[urfankhaliq]

Originally Posted by Walesy

I had to lie out on the drive way the other night to strip mine out and clean out the bottle from crud. I wasnt a happy chappy.

I had this problem a couple months back... Took it to my local garage who attached an air compressor to the flexible pipe that connects to the actuall spraying bit (the jets) and blasted it with air... All the water and crud came out from the resovoir out of the bit where you pour the screen wash in!! Works a treat and saves you having to strip it out to get to the resovoir!!

Urfan

[eimer3107]

Seem to have lost my headlight washer covers over the recent cold snap - was using proper washer fluid with antifreeze.....(although not BMW's own brand, is this really stronger than the usual stuff ?)

Obviously BMWs are not designed for cold, Northern hemisphere countries with lots of snow !

[Dr Dave]

Same here, another £10+VAT for the cover plus the painting costs