[BIFCAIDS]

Evening all,

Well as in the title my windscreen washers are playing up, they only seem to be working for the headlights and not the windscreen, now Ive already had BMW replace the filter and clean the system out once 12months ago and Ive used nothing but BMW's screen wash so I honestly don't know whats up.

Any help or links to guides for common fixes would be great as I can't be bothered with taking it to BMW for this again.

Mike

[Sparky68]

Lines freezing?

[BIFCAIDS]

I was thinking that, but even before this bit of Winter we're having the windscreen washers seemed to be a bit shite compared to my Dads M3's for example, even my Mums Clio washers are better LOL.

[Sparky68]

Maybe its the pump? Did they check that out when they did the filter?

[BIFCAIDS]

Yeah, that was the reason I took it in the first place. You can hear the pump, also am I wrong in thinking theres one pump for both windscreen and headlights?

[jordanl5182]

Almost certain it's the filter on the pump, I cleaned mine today after just 2/3 months.

It's a bit of a faff, but not hard to do.

[BIFCAIDS]

Originally Posted by jordanl5182

Almost certain it's the filter on the pump, I cleaned mine today after just 2/3 months.

It's a bit of a faff, but not hard to do.

Surely with all the fuss over using BMW screen wash should mean I shouldn't need to go cleaning it, no?

[jordanl5182]

True. I didn't use the BMW screenwash, but your symptoms are exactly the same as what I had - headlight washers worked, but no windscreen washers even though I could hear the pump.

I opened it up today and the filter was covered in gunk...cleaned it off and it all works great now.

Thought about leaving the little plastic filter off, but knowing my luck, it'll just lead to bigger problems down the line.

[BIFCAIDS]

Reeto well I'll give it a go tomorrow and see where we're at. Fingers crossed.

[jotty]

Originally Posted by jordanl5182

True. I didn't use the BMW screenwash, but your symptoms are exactly the same as what I had - headlight washers worked, but no windscreen washers even though I could hear the pump.

I opened it up today and the filter was covered in gunk...cleaned it off and it all works great now.

Thought about leaving the little plastic filter off, but knowing my luck, it'll just lead to bigger problems down the line.

Mine are same, but am I right in thinking I have to take off the o/s wheel to get at the bottle and filter as per the E60.

[Shaun69]

I cleaned mine by putting 10-15L of hot water with a touch of washing up liquid through the system, I takes a while as the pump stops after a few hits. Not sure if this is recommended but BMW just blew air down the line on the two occasions I took it to them. Washer still working fine.

[Shaun69]

Forgot to mention:
Pop the bonnet and disconnect the dark grey rubber washer hose on the drivers side corner near the windscreen ( or passenger side?) then blow down the pipe with air line or mouth lol. This should allow the washer to work for a few goes and then you can start pumping through hot water

[jordanl5182]

Originally Posted by jotty

Mine are same, but am I right in thinking I have to take off the o/s wheel to get at the bottle and filter as per the E60.

Yep that's right, then it's a few bolts to partially remove the wheel arch liner and the bottle should slide out (it's held in place by one 12mm(?) bolt). You can then just pull out the windscreen washer pump (the lower, beige coloured one) and the filter is on the nozzle. Give it a clean and whack it all back in place. Should take 20 mins.

My bottle was full of screenwash, so maybe keep a bucket nearby when you pull out the pump.

[BIFCAIDS]

Morning guys, I tackled the washer bottle yesterday following a guide on here. Took me longer than 5mins like most say it does (dreamers) but I removed the bottle and checked the filter... Found the problem, it looked like snot all around and in the filter.

So I boiled the kettle and stuck the filter in a cup and filled it with water, once it had soaked I used a nail brush and finished up with a cocktail stick.

Once Id cleaned the filter I put it back in the bottle and replaced everything id took off and put everything back, filled the bottle with fresh water (as it was full so that was fun emptying it) and tested the washers... The hardest jet of water Ive seen from my washers, so it was a job well done and it took me over an hour but I do fanny about when doing stuff on the car and the arch liner was a c**t.