Emptied screen washer tank - refilled - now nothing comes out

Live-and-learn

A couple of weeks ago, I bought a 2016 BMW 2 Series 225 xe with 43,000 miles on the clock.  Right away, I was getting a stale smell in the cabin. Someone told me that it would be the cabin filters and someone else stated that it's often stagnant washer fluid.

I have bought the filters and will fit them shortly.  However, that is not my issue...

I decided to drain the reservoir first, which I did (by squirting it all out over a couple of days, so as not to overstress the motor).  The person suggesting it was the screen wash was probably right as the smell is gone.  However, now I cannot get any screen wash to come out of the jets.

I can hear the motor trying to pump, so I'm wondering if I have to somehow prime the pump, but how would I go about that?

Cheers for any assistance!

tacpot12

It's possible that the filter on the pump has become clogged. I had this problem on much older Ford Mondeo. On the Mondeo, it was possible to just pull the pump out of the reservoir, and then clean the filter with a stiff brush. You'll probably find instructions on how to get to the pump on your model on a BMW owners forum. If you bought the car from a dealer, you could take it back to them and ask them to do it.  

Live-and-learn

Thank you.  I didn't get it from a dealer, I got it from a shyster car supermarket that sold me a car that doesn't accommodate a spare wheel and hence needs run-flats (but doesn't have them)...

Cheers!

thebullsback

try adding some very hot not boiling water into the washer Tank. Somtimes the micro filter at the bottom of the tank clogs up the hot water melts the glog .

DB1904

Live-and-learn said:

Thank you.  I didn't get it from a dealer, I got it from a shyster car supermarket that sold me a car that doesn't accommodate a spare wheel and hence needs run-flats (but doesn't have them)...

Cheers!

If they're in the business of selling cars then they're a dealer. 

Live-and-learn

For the reference of anybody out there that might be interested, the used car dealer that sold me this car is Carworld Superstore in Peterborough.

• Run-flats not fitted (that they didn't advise about)
• No type 2 charging cable supplied (which was standard equipment when new)
• ...and more but I won't bore you.

Yes, I know - caveat emptor.  I should not have been so trusting.

Cheers!

TadleyBaggie

Live-and-learn said:

Thank you.  I didn't get it from a dealer, I got it from a shyster car supermarket that sold me a car that doesn't accommodate a spare wheel and hence needs run-flats (but doesn't have them)...

Cheers!

Well it wasn't a private sale, so was a dealer (just not a main one). Pretty sure they had nothing to do with the lack of run flats, at 43K the previous owner almost certainly couldn't be arsed to replace the original run flats and so put budget tyres on instead.

Live-and-learn

Correct - and understood.

Bigwheels1111

I have a 5008 and ran the bottle empty to change screenwash brands.
Refilled it and it barely worked.
Some hit the screen but not much.
Cleaned the jets, then looked at the pump.
No filter on the pump.
So got a genuine Peugeot replacement off eBay £17.
Fitted it and worked. Shut the bonnet and stopped working.
Another look and found the pipe had split where it was attached to the bonnet strut.
It looks like your pump does not have a filter.

https://www.2addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1508233


Try with the bonnet up and down and see if it works, or you see lots of washer fluid dripping onto the floor.
Could be a split pipe or kink.
Next is too disconnect the pipe at the bottle and see if it pumps fluid out.
It looks like you car has 2 pumps, remove driver side wheel and inner wing, ouch.
Series 1,2 and 3 in the same location.

bmw 1 series washer pump location on YouTube the location is the same on most bmw.

2 pumps off eBay are under £30.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=bmw+67127302589&_sacat=131090&_sop=15&LH_PrefLoc=1&rt=nc&LH_ItemCondition=3

It looks like there might be two types, if you look at where the hoses fit.
A front and back, sorry I don’t know for sure.
MEYLE are a good brand.

shiraz99

BMWs don't like to have any old screenwash particularly if it's been sitting around for ages, which by the sound of it yours has judging by the smell. By running it to empty you've probably clogged up the washer jets with all the mildew and rubbish that's been sitting in the reservoir.

sat_mad

This often happens when you mix different types of screenwash together - particularly the cheaper winter ones. They create a kind of slime that clogs everything up. Even when you 'emptied it' there will be some left in the bottom, or there could have already been a build up.

Best thing to do is to take it to a garage and get the system removed and flushed out... which might be a faffy job depending on the location of reservoir/tubes etc.