E39 - headlight washers not working

[Origin Unknown]

As reported by somebody else, the windscreen washers were not working last week. As per usual, the pipes had come off the jets on the bonnet. Fixed that and confirmed working. Now I have noticed the headlamp washers are not working. Tested on the drive and its leaking water from behind the bumper on the o/s.

Any suggestions as to what the issue maybe before I try and get at it tomorrow? I assume its wheel off and arch liner out to get at it?

[Fox-]

It's probably your distribution piece in the bumper. Get at it by removing the offside front headlight.

[Origin Unknown]

Thanks Fox, have you ever removed the light? Any chance that I'll cock up the alignment?

[skoff]

Do you hear the pump working when you try them? and does the car drop water from the front bumper? If you hear the pump and see water, then it's probably broken brittle pipes. You can get a replacement set that fit's nicely for not too much from BMW.

If you don't hear the pump then you will most likely need a new one - available online for £40 or so last time I bought one.

If it's the pipes then you will need to get the bumper off - not too difficult I think you need a T45 torx bit. Getting it back on is a bit of a nuisance if there is only one of you, but possible - I managed it.

Edit to fix multitasking error - duh

Edited by skoff on Friday 17th February 16:30

[Origin Unknown]

Yup, pump is 100% working. I know that the lights are not always washed so I put the lights on (which IME tends to trigger this wash) and used the intese washer button (whatever it is called).

It literally dumped a load of water from behind the front bumper, o/s so it is consistent with what you have suggested.

[Fox-]

The headlight comes off really easily - you just remove about 3-4 bolts and it lifts out. No risk to allignment as the entire unit lifts out.

Then you can clearly see the pipe from the pump, which goes into the distribution piece, and from there two pipes to each washer jet.

Get a friend to fire the washer jets and you can probably see where its coming from. On mine a stream of water would come flooding out of the centre of the distribution peice.

It's about 15 quid for a new one but the pipes often snap and split when you try to remove them from the old one.

[Origin Unknown]

Top man, thanks Fox.

[Fox-]

You can get in by removing the wheel and the arch lining etc as well and this is the way Haynes tells you to do it but it's hugely more faff than the headlight method