Windscreen washers broke, E39

[sparks_E39]

They are not firing. The hose is still connected I had that problem last year in the cold weather, it has 5 litres of screenwash so im not out, any other suggestions to what could be wrong?

[n3il123]

Had this on mine it was the pipe on the washer bottle (rear of drivers wheel arch) that had come off, also can be caused by the filter in the bottle becoming blocked.

[MarkwG]

^+1^ + the pipes sometimes pop off either by the off side inner wing, there's a join there, or under the bonnet sound proofing near the nozzles. Unless the pipe has split, it should pop back on again.

[derin100]

Yes, not infrequently come off under the bonnet insulation.

I assume you can hear the pump working?

[MitchT]

Perhaps they're just frozen. Mine don't fire when they're frozen. Okay, the screen wash may have an anti-freezing component, but if your car has had snow or water on the nozzles and that's frozen around or just inside them then nothing will come out.

[bramley]

MitchT said:

Perhaps they're just frozen. Mine don't fire when they're frozen. Okay, the screen wash may have an anti-freezing component, but if your car has had snow or water on the nozzles and that's frozen around or just inside them then nothing will come out.

The jets are heated.

[drivin_me_nuts]

bramley said:

MitchT said:

Perhaps they're just frozen. Mine don't fire when they're frozen. Okay, the screen wash may have an anti-freezing component, but if your car has had snow or water on the nozzles and that's frozen around or just inside them then nothing will come out.

The jets are heated.

Seems to mean bugger all unfortunately. I have 100% 'winter'washer in mine, the nozzles still freeze.

[58warren]

Seems likely the pipe has come adrift. This has happened on both E39's I have owned.

Regarding heated washer jets, a number of early cars (1996) were sent off the production line without these being fitted (although they should all have had it as standard).

[matt21]

drivin_me_nuts said:

bramley said:

MitchT said:

Perhaps they're just frozen. Mine don't fire when they're frozen. Okay, the screen wash may have an anti-freezing component, but if your car has had snow or water on the nozzles and that's frozen around or just inside them then nothing will come out.

The jets are heated.

Seems to mean bugger all unfortunately. I have 100% 'winter'washer in mine, the nozzles still freeze.

I have had heated washer jets for years. Next to useless. They just heat the actual jet themselves, not the pipes.

Even with washer fluid in mine often freezes. I dont bother trying them below freezing.

I would hazard a guess all will be well once the weather warms up.

[sparks_E39]

They were frozen in the end, thanks all :-)

[BliarOut]

Where do they typically come off? I'm assuming it's somewhere low down as I filled mine yesterday and I've got the "low fluid" warning on again today. Do the tanks split as it's probably no coincidence that it's happened in the cold weather.

[yanggoblin]

Hi there to all the bmw e39 guy/girls.
Re your problems with us heated washer jets Yes every time it freezes so do the washer jets & if like mine if you take of the pipe to the jets you find that the water actualy still comes out of the pipe you wonder why they bothered heating the jets in the first place as they seem as neer to useless as you can get.This is my 17th 5 series & all but for the washers & 1 with auto gearbox problems they have all been spot on for reliability etc.Those of you that are practical minded will be able to do a fix on the jets that stop the problem, as i have on mine.If you have pocked out the jets & you still can't blow air through them or get water through but have it comeing up to the jets via the pipes then this is what you do.Take out the jets at the side of them close to where the wires go in for the heated part,you will see there are 2 little lugs 1 one each side, get a sharp knife & gently lift the sides so as you can ease out the bottom of the washer jet where the pipe fits to.When it comes out you will find a rubber seal around the top of it, thats the water seal don't lose it.There is a spring inside & if your lucky on the bottom that you've removed there will be a little red rubber one way valve, its minute about 2mm x 5 long.if its not there & you still cant blow through the bottom part of the jet which will now be seperate to the top 2 little jets, you will find that when it froze up as the ice expanded it forced the valve down into the bottom of the jet pipe & is now blocking it of. i found getting a small drill bit & turning it round & round in the pipe fetched the valve out, i did try a piece of wire but the valve is very spungy & it only came out when i pocked the drill bit up as it disintergrated it.Once you have the pipe clear you will be able to blow through it, now don't worry about the spring you took out or the lack of the rubber valve just push the bottom back into the body of the jet macking sure you still have the oval rubber seal on the bottom part as you push it in, it will just click back into the sides of the body.Then push back into your bonnet & reconect the pipes, Now if it freezes & you have got enough screen wash in your bottle when the heaters heat up you got washers just like mine, also you will find the jet streams are better than they were.Just remember folks just because its german made don't mean to say its perfect all the time.Back in the 1950s when i was a lad we also had a good car industry to as well as good reliable cars.

[hadenough!]

yanggoblin said:

Hi there to all the bmw e39 guy/girls.
Re your problems with us heated washer jets Yes every time it freezes so do the washer jets & if like mine if you take of the pipe to the jets you find that the water actualy still comes out of the pipe you wonder why they bothered heating the jets in the first place as they seem as neer to useless as you can get.

This is my 17th 5 series & all but for the washers & 1 with auto gearbox problems they have all been spot on for reliability etc.

Those of you that are practical minded will be able to do a fix on the jets that stop the problem, as i have on mine.If you have pocked out the jets & you still can't blow air through them or get water through but have it comeing up to the jets via the pipes then this is what you do:

Take out the jets at the side of them close to where the wires go in for the heated part,you will see there are 2 little lugs 1 one each side, get a sharp knife & gently lift the sides so as you can ease out the bottom of the washer jet where the pipe fits to.

When it comes out you will find a rubber seal around the top of it, thats the water seal don't lose it.

There is a spring inside & if your lucky on the bottom that you've removed there will be a little red rubber one way valve, its minute about 2mm x 5 long.if its not there & you still cant blow through the bottom part of the jet which will now be seperate to the top 2 little jets, you will find that when it froze up as the ice expanded it forced the valve down into the bottom of the jet pipe & is now blocking it of.

i found getting a small drill bit & turning it round & round in the pipe fetched the valve out, i did try a piece of wire but the valve is very spungy & it only came out when i pocked the drill bit up as it disintergrated it.

Once you have the pipe clear you will be able to blow through it, now don't worry about the spring you took out or the lack of the rubber valve just push the bottom back into the body of the jet macking sure you still have the oval rubber seal on the bottom part as you push it in, it will just click back into the sides of the body.

Then push back into your bonnet & reconect the pipes, Now if it freezes & you have got enough screen wash in your bottle when the heaters heat up you got washers just like mine, also you will find the jet streams are better than they were.

Just remember folks just because its german made don't mean to say its perfect all the time.Back in the 1950s when i was a lad we also had a good car industry to as well as good reliable cars.

Better?

[Fox-]

My headlight washers are duff. This is annoying. The pump still works as I can hear it but it doesnt squirt

[skoff]

Fox- said:

My headlight washers are duff. This is annoying. The pump still works as I can hear it but it doesnt squirt

Hi Fox, this is likely to be the hose that's split. The plastic used by BMW does go brittle over time. I had to replace mine, it involves removing the wheel arch liner on the off side (on a RHD car). I only needed to replace the tube from the bottle to the splitter, replacing the rest looks like it's a bit of a PITA. It's also slightly larger tube than that used for the rest of the system

[Fox-]

Doh, what a nuisance, had the liner off only 2 months ago replacing the main washer pump! If only it had broken a bit sooner.

Thanks