Headlight Washer cover issue

Derek.Hohn · 07-16-2017, 01:27 PM

I have a 2009 335i mtech sedan. A week ago I lost a headlight washer cover and the sprayer on the driver side. I looked up the cover off of realoem.com using my vin and ordered the cover. Once I received it I checked fitment to insure it was the right part and it doesn't seem to fit. I chalked this up to a mistake in ordering the right part on my part. So I called my local dealer, gave them my vin and ordered a new one. Unfortunately it was the exact same thing. It doesn't fit, its to big for the opening. So out of frustration I tried trimming it down to size by removing material from the two tabs that connect to the headlight washer nozzle. Unfortunately I ended up breaking it while trimming material.

I am at my wits end. I have now ordered 2 headlight washer covers that do not fit and the local dealer is telling me they don't know why it doesn't fit and that I would need to schedule an appointment to have them look at it, all at 165 dollars an hour. I even verified with the dealer that they had given me correct part for my car.

I will post photos of the part they gave me and of the bumper itself. Any help you guys could give me would be greatly appreciated !!!

Banana Clipper · 07-16-2017, 05:31 PM

I have a washer cover fitment issue too but I dont have a car with headlight washers. I was able to 'wedge' them into the bumper but Im worried they may come off at freeway speeds as theyre not secure

laurentProd · 07-24-2017, 11:33 AM

pics?

165 dollars an hour !!
5 minutes easy job if only for the cover...

If you have to replace the nozzle, fairly easy job too. 1 hour, DIY

Underground6t9 · 07-25-2017, 08:55 AM

Just remove the washers, they are worthless, glue the covers to the car. Thats what I did on my car.

NYBulldog · 07-26-2017, 06:29 AM

I took mine out. They don't clean a damn thing. They just make the whole end dirty. I removed all the hardware, plugged the washer pump on that side and coded it out.

Post a picture of your car. Your front bumper and the side with the cover stil o it. We'll get you the part number asap

Derek.Hohn · 08-02-2017, 09:13 PM

I cant seem to figure out how to upload photos on here from google photo.

Here is the link though to the album. https://goo.gl/photos/1KpPixuR3v279VnNA

The washer cover looks right but is going to require trimming of bottom side arms so that it will full retract and sit flush. This just doesnt to me like something Bmw would do.

Derek.Hohn · 08-03-2017, 06:36 PM

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[IMG][URL=http://s350.photobucket.com/user/derekhohn615/media/20170802_201906_zpszbjtqvvj.jpg.html]

Derek.Hohn · 08-03-2017, 06:38 PM

In the last photo you can see how the tabs extend towards the bottom of the cover. This is the area that needs to be trimmed to fit the holes in my bumper.

This seems very odd, the parts were ordered directly from my local bmw dealer using my vin number.

Any help or ideas would be appreciated.

TenOx · 11-09-2021, 10:54 AM

I believe there were several bumper variations installed originally. Most common apparently was a bumper that sat further out and required the cover with longer supports behind it - and that's the one they sell based on my VIN, but it doesn't fit. Mine were stolen in a parking lot and I've been trying to get the right parts ever since. I've decided to trim and modify the wrong part and see if I can MAKE IT FIT!

Even if I trimmed this part so it was short enough to retract, and remove some of the web from just behind the front of the cover, at the bottom, the 4 retaining slots are too far back to allow this version of the cover to retract into the bumper. The piston/squirter part sits too far forward, IOW.

I've ground off some of the plastic support-web, as above, but they will not retract. So I'm going to cut another slot on each side, closer to the front, using a drill, Dremel, chisels, box-cutter...important to mark the position the same as the other two sets of slots, same spacing apart, then mod the new slot to the right size: then when the piston retracts the cover back to the hole, it should fully seat the cover. This will require shortening the front-to-back length too.

It's taking HEROIC lengths to go to to install these parts: I wish I could find the proper ones! Matched my paint on the first try - with some silver from a can. HTH

07-16-2017, 01:27 PM	#1
Derek.Hohn New Member 9 Rep 25 Posts Drives: 2022 M3 Grigio Telesto Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: South Dakota iTrader: (0)	Headlight Washer cover issue I have a 2009 335i mtech sedan. A week ago I lost a headlight washer cover and the sprayer on the driver side. I looked up the cover off of realoem.com using my vin and ordered the cover. Once I received it I checked fitment to insure it was the right part and it doesn't seem to fit. I chalked this up to a mistake in ordering the right part on my part. So I called my local dealer, gave them my vin and ordered a new one. Unfortunately it was the exact same thing. It doesn't fit, its to big for the opening. So out of frustration I tried trimming it down to size by removing material from the two tabs that connect to the headlight washer nozzle. Unfortunately I ended up breaking it while trimming material. I am at my wits end. I have now ordered 2 headlight washer covers that do not fit and the local dealer is telling me they don't know why it doesn't fit and that I would need to schedule an appointment to have them look at it, all at 165 dollars an hour. I even verified with the dealer that they had given me correct part for my car. I will post photos of the part they gave me and of the bumper itself. Any help you guys could give me would be greatly appreciated !!!
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07-16-2017, 05:31 PM	#2
Banana Clipper Jewel Runner 331 Rep 912 Posts Drives: G01///G20///I20 Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: Bay Area iTrader: (2)	I have a washer cover fitment issue too but I dont have a car with headlight washers. I was able to 'wedge' them into the bumper but Im worried they may come off at freeway speeds as theyre not secure __________________ www.BHANANA.com 2009 335i - SOLD 2021 M340i - GONE 2024 iX - Yea, she fast
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07-24-2017, 11:33 AM	#3
laurentProd Private First Class 20 Rep 183 Posts Drives: E93 Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: France iTrader: (0)	pics? 165 dollars an hour !! 5 minutes easy job if only for the cover... If you have to replace the nozzle, fairly easy job too. 1 hour, DIY
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07-25-2017, 08:55 AM	#4
Underground6t9 Lieutenant Colonel 317 Rep 1,735 Posts Drives: BMW 335xi, Lexus is250 Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Eugene, OR iTrader: (2)	Just remove the washers, they are worthless, glue the covers to the car. Thats what I did on my car. __________________ \|instagram@underground6t9\|
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07-26-2017, 06:29 AM	#5
NYBulldog Specialist 1310 Rep 2,706 Posts Drives: Nikes Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: NuYawk iTrader: (19)	I took mine out. They don't clean a damn thing. They just make the whole end dirty. I removed all the hardware, plugged the washer pump on that side and coded it out. Post a picture of your car. Your front bumper and the side with the cover stil o it. We'll get you the part number asap __________________
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08-02-2017, 09:13 PM	#6
Derek.Hohn New Member 9 Rep 25 Posts Drives: 2022 M3 Grigio Telesto Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: South Dakota iTrader: (0)	I cant seem to figure out how to upload photos on here from google photo. Here is the link though to the album. https://goo.gl/photos/1KpPixuR3v279VnNA The washer cover looks right but is going to require trimming of bottom side arms so that it will full retract and sit flush. This just doesnt to me like something Bmw would do.
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08-03-2017, 06:36 PM	#7
Derek.Hohn New Member 9 Rep 25 Posts Drives: 2022 M3 Grigio Telesto Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: South Dakota iTrader: (0)	[IMG][/IMG] [IMG][/IMG] [IMG][URL=http://s350.photobucket.com/user/derekhohn615/media/20170802_201906_zpszbjtqvvj.jpg.html]
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08-03-2017, 06:38 PM	#8
Derek.Hohn New Member 9 Rep 25 Posts Drives: 2022 M3 Grigio Telesto Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: South Dakota iTrader: (0)	In the last photo you can see how the tabs extend towards the bottom of the cover. This is the area that needs to be trimmed to fit the holes in my bumper. This seems very odd, the parts were ordered directly from my local bmw dealer using my vin number. Any help or ideas would be appreciated.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

11-09-2021, 10:54 AM	#9
TenOx New Member 3 Rep 27 Posts Drives: 335i Titanium / Black Dakota Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Atlanta iTrader: (0) Garage List 2007 BMW 335i [0.00]	I believe there were several bumper variations installed originally. Most common apparently was a bumper that sat further out and required the cover with longer supports behind it - and that's the one they sell based on my VIN, but it doesn't fit. Mine were stolen in a parking lot and I've been trying to get the right parts ever since. I've decided to trim and modify the wrong part and see if I can MAKE IT FIT! Even if I trimmed this part so it was short enough to retract, and remove some of the web from just behind the front of the cover, at the bottom, the 4 retaining slots are too far back to allow this version of the cover to retract into the bumper. The piston/squirter part sits too far forward, IOW. I've ground off some of the plastic support-web, as above, but they will not retract. So I'm going to cut another slot on each side, closer to the front, using a drill, Dremel, chisels, box-cutter...important to mark the position the same as the other two sets of slots, same spacing apart, then mod the new slot to the right size: then when the piston retracts the cover back to the hole, it should fully seat the cover. This will require shortening the front-to-back length too. It's taking HEROIC lengths to go to to install these parts: I wish I could find the proper ones! Matched my paint on the first try - with some silver from a can. HTH
	Appreciate 0 Quote