washer bottle leaking

[sheldo]

After some advise please on my 02 e39 530i sport.

Other day topped up washer level after warning came on saying empty, and then about three days later the car done the same thing. I parked the car on the drive where its dry and topped right up again and watched it slowly leak out drip by drip. I think the bottle is leaking or a hose near to it, but im not sure what the best way to get access to it is. Is it any easy fix for someone not that knowledgable with the spanners? Want to get it sorted as car's due mot in a couple of weeks.

thanks in advance

[sjj84]

Does your car have headlight washers? On both my previous E46 models it was these that leaked causing the washer fluid light to come on. Both cars were the offside too strangely enough.

[dave de roxby]

Has you washer 'bottle' had only water in it recently, without washer fluid additive?

If so, there's a chance the water has frozen in our recent Siberian temperatures and split the bottle.

[Sticks.]

sjj84 said:

Does your car have headlight washers? On both my previous E46 models it was these that leaked causing the washer fluid light to come on. Both cars were the offside too strangely enough.

+1

[sheldo]

It does have headlight washers. Were would i see the leak from if this was the case? Ive only had the car a few weeks so dont know if it previously only had water in it but i only use ready diluted washer fluid for that reason. Im not even a hundread percent sure were the washer bottle is, ive had a feel and followed the flexi hose that it uses to top it up but haven't yet seen the bottle or know how best to access it.

[Sticks.]

Accessed via the driver's side wheel arch afaik.

[sheldo]

thought as much so wheel off and arch lineing out just to have a look