F20 screen wash not working
F20 screen wash not working
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gh79

Original Poster:

2 posts

93 months

Tuesday 12th February 2019
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The front screen washers have stopped working on my F20. The pump is still working, (can hear it) but no water comes out of the hose, even when unclipped from the nozzles under the edge of the bonnet. Rear washer and headlight washers are working fine, so there's plenty of water in there.
I don't think the hose is blocked because when I blow down it I can hear bubbles in the tank, so I'm guessing the hose is disconnected from the pump?

Has anyone had the same? How easy is it to fix? Do I have to take the water tank out (how? I can't even see it!).

Thanks in advance for any help.
Cheers,
Glen.

smashy

3,108 posts

188 months

Tuesday 12th February 2019
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Hi
Have you been putting "halfords" "petrol station" screenwash in it? If so thats the reason sadly BMW screenwash is whats needed or it all gums up

craig1912

4,677 posts

142 months

Tuesday 12th February 2019
quotequote all
smashy said:
Hi
Have you been putting "halfords" "petrol station" screenwash in it? If so thats the reason sadly BMW screenwash is whats needed or it all gums up
Keep on reading that but we’ve had at least 6 BMWs over the last 10 years all, from new and kept them for 3 years (three sets of company cars), put alsorts if washer fluid in them and never had any issues.

smashy

3,108 posts

188 months

Tuesday 12th February 2019
quotequote all
craig1912 said:
Keep on reading that but we’ve had at least 6 BMWs over the last 10 years all, from new and kept them for 3 years (three sets of company cars), put alsorts if washer fluid in them and never had any issues.
ok fair enough good to hear..maybe its an urban myth?................just be careful I guess if you want to keep a warranty https://www.carbuyer.co.uk/news/160678/non-bmw-scr...




Edited by smashy on Tuesday 12th February 22:12

ladderino

728 posts

169 months

Tuesday 12th February 2019
quotequote all
It's not an urban myth. I had to take the wheel off, arch liner out and then the screenwasher bottle out in order to clean out all the gummed up crap that I got when I used cheap screen wash.

It's mixing screen wash that causes the problem, as long as you stick to just BMW or just cheap, it's fine.

DailyHack

4,479 posts

141 months

Wednesday 13th February 2019
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Just drop in a sterilizing tablet (one that fizzes in water) into the tank via the fill hole, should clear it up - had same issue in my older E87, leave it over night or a day or so.

CarsofGlasgow

30 posts

93 months

Wednesday 13th February 2019
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My F20 screen wash tank used to fill up with gunk/algae and block the hoses. Just don't get air blown through as it cracked my bottle once and caused even more work.

But as mentioned previously my bottle was located behind the lining on the front wheel arch (drivers side), you will need to take off the wheel though smile

Mr Tidy

31,748 posts

157 months

Thursday 14th February 2019
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My first 2 BMWs had a service pack, so I never had to top them up.

With number 3 I seem to have got lucky!

Numbers 4 and 5 I had to remove the reservoir, flush it out, clean "gunk" off the filters on the washer pumps and just use one brand from there onwards. But being an E46 and an E86 it was fairly easy as the reservoir was under the bonnet!

With number 6 it's behind the wheel-arch liner - I'm hoping I never have an issue with that one! Which is why I bought some BMW washer fluid. laugh

Pica-Pica

16,682 posts

114 months

Thursday 14th February 2019
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DailyHack said:
Just drop in a sterilizing tablet (one that fizzes in water) into the tank via the fill hole, should clear it up - had same issue in my older E87, leave it over night or a day or so.
Will Steradent do? spin

iSore

4,011 posts

174 months

Thursday 14th February 2019
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1 Series and E9x cars have the washer bottle behind the drivers front wing - it's a couple of hours to remove it and clean it all out.

parabolica

7,018 posts

214 months

Thursday 14th February 2019
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ladderino said:
It's not an urban myth. I had to take the wheel off, arch liner out and then the screenwasher bottle out in order to clean out all the gummed up crap that I got when I used cheap screen wash.

It's mixing screen wash that causes the problem, as long as you stick to just BMW or just cheap, it's fine.
Yeah I thought it was bks too until it happened on my Z4 a few months ago; the filter in the reservoir had this gunk around it stopping screenwash from getting through. Easy enough to pull the whole reservoir out and flush it through & clean the filters; not sure how it's set up on a F20 though.

Mr Tidy

31,748 posts

157 months

Thursday 14th February 2019
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parabolica said:
Yeah I thought it was bks too until it happened on my Z4 a few months ago; the filter in the reservoir had this gunk around it stopping screenwash from getting through. Easy enough to pull the whole reservoir out and flush it through & clean the filters; not sure how it's set up on a F20 though.
Yes, the 2nd one I had to do was a Z4 and its an easy job.

But I think the reservoir on an F20 is inside the offside front wheel-arch liner, so it may be a bit more challenging!