Windshield Washer Pump Issue

Trever007 · 06-12-2017, 09:39 PM

2016 m235i x-Drive
The windshield washer pump stopped working. The headlight washer pump works though. I think the car has a separate pump for each. Does anyone know?
Does anyone have a fuse break down diagram for the 2-series? I'd like to check the fuses for the pumps but can't find a break down.

dtcoff · 06-16-2017, 11:34 PM

I had the same issue and the dealer said it was a common thing as the washer bottle is close to the heat of the turbo that causes algae to grow in the bottle and clog the pump.

BMWZ4 · 06-28-2017, 08:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trever007

2016 m235i x-Drive
The windshield washer pump stopped working. The headlight washer pump works though. I think the car has a separate pump for each. Does anyone know?
Does anyone have a fuse break down diagram for the 2-series? I'd like to check the fuses for the pumps but can't find a break down.

There's a fuse chart in the trunk

crabu2 · 07-24-2017, 05:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dtcoff

I had the same issue and the dealer said it was a common thing as the washer bottle is close to the heat of the turbo that causes algae to grow in the bottle and clog the pump.

I guess they must just used colored water there.. Here, in most states, washer fluid contains alcohol, so I have a hard time believing algae would grow... here that is. To be honest, if there's an algae problem, I don't think the heat from the turbo would make much difference.. It gets dang hot anywhere under the hood.

Maynard · 08-06-2017, 02:57 AM

Our dealership has a big deal at signup about never using RainX wash, or others w/ that additive (silicone?). It will kill something in the pump, an O ring I think, and shut it down. Here they fixed these under warranty (perhaps not after the warning, but that doesn't apply to you who got no warning). This sounds more likely than algae, and you should be able to see algae real easy if that is the problem.

msej449 · 08-07-2017, 03:18 AM

Copied from the M2 Forum:

Issue (1) seems to be that mixing BMW and non-BMW screenwash can cause 'gunking' of the system from a viscous residue that forms quite quickly as the result of a chemical reaction. [Plus a variety of pump/jet failures] But this doesn't always happen. There's some evidence that completely flushing the BMW solution out, then using something else may be OK. But beware - a BMW service will use the BMW concentrate to top-up, with potential 'gunking' subsequently if you use 3rd.-Party. What you can and can't mix with the BMW stuff isn't clear from Forum postings. The consensus is that 'though this can happen with other models, the 2 Series Coupé, Convertible and M2 seem particularly susceptible.

BMW concentrate can be got in 5 litre containers which is much more convenient and cheaper than five times 1 litre. 5 L is Part Number 83.12.2.298.207 (in the UK, anyway). It's more concentrated than many garage products so apples-for-apples is 'only' about twice the $/pint of third-party products. Reviewing my annual usage, I reckon it's costing me about £13/$16 more a year than cheap stuff. Given a repair to the screenwash system may cost as much as £400/$500 (or more), then I don't think the saving is worth the risk.

As mentioned, the Owner's Manual makes a Really Big Thing of !Warning! a 2 Series owner never to mix BMW and non-BMW washer fluid and always to use the BMW one. So you can't say you haven't been warned. - Yes I know: who reads every section of their OM before they top-up the washer? Especially if you've taken delivery just before the winter weather starts. But it is there. There are a significant number of forum postings along the lines of - Owner: "My screenwash/pump isn't working - seems to be filled with some gunk or something ..." / BMW: "Do you use BMW concentrate?" / Owner: "No, that's just a rip-off. I use stuff from the gas station." / BMW: "Your problem. Read the Owner's Manual. Budget $400+ for us to sort it out."

I agree with the point [in the M2 thread] that the filler cap should have some sort of warning cover. I've made one up myself - it's a 4"x1" plastic label saying only use BMW and make up the solution first before topping-up:

BMW also advise diluting the concentrate before you add it to the reservoir i.e. don't just pour neat concentrate in. As ever, no explanation of why but I can speculate that it may just settle on the bottom and not mix.

Issue (2) There's some confusion cased by what may be an entirely separate problem of algae growing in the screenwash system. Some owners put this down to being in warm climate plus not using the screenwash system much. This means stagnant water in the system and bacterial/algal growth in a nice warm engine compartment. It's hard to determine if these people have used 3rd.-party screenwash or not. A few say they've definitely kept to the BMW blue stuff. My reading is that it's a climate thing but perhaps cheap concentrate is more prone to algae than BMW.

What some owners have done is to flush their screenwash system out just to be sure. You can unplug the tubing near the bonnet jets and then run the washers and collect the liquid - if it looks cloudy/algal/bacterial just flush trough 'till all is clear.

Some people don't believe any of this. Others say they've used 3rd.-party concentrate for years with no problems. So it's hard to really know for sure, other than that the Owner's Manual is so explicit: would they really state this so emphatically just for a little extra revenue from BMW screenwash?. I'll let you decide.

Tony88 · 09-13-2017, 11:16 AM

Same problem here. I never use the headlight washers so they still work but the windshield washer is dead. I tested it a few times and you can't even hear the pump running so its either not getting power or the pump died completely. The fuse chart just shows a little picture of the car on a lift so I don't know what that's supposed to mean. Either it doesn't have a fuse or they put the fuse close to the pump which would be stupid.

I've seen where people mixed the fluids before and it made a nasty semi sold gunk so I used all the fluid that came in the car and replaced it with rain-x. Worked great for nearly a year.

I have an appointment in a few weeks to get the oil changed and the washer pump looked at so we'll see what they say then.

Tony88 · 12-03-2017, 06:11 PM

So I finally had the washer pump issue taken care of. I don't know exactly what the problem was but it looks like from the dealer diagnostics, that the pump had failed and was also not getting power from the FEM body module. They replaced the pump and module under warranty. So far so good!

06-12-2017, 09:39 PM	#1
Trever007 New Member 5 Rep 24 Posts Drives: 2016 M235i xDrive Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: United States iTrader: (0)	Windshield Washer Pump Issue 2016 m235i x-Drive The windshield washer pump stopped working. The headlight washer pump works though. I think the car has a separate pump for each. Does anyone know? Does anyone have a fuse break down diagram for the 2-series? I'd like to check the fuses for the pumps but can't find a break down.
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06-16-2017, 11:34 PM	#2
dtcoff First Lieutenant 49 Rep 374 Posts Drives: 2014 F22 M235i Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Sydney iTrader: (0)	I had the same issue and the dealer said it was a common thing as the washer bottle is close to the heat of the turbo that causes algae to grow in the bottle and clog the pump. __________________ 2014 M235i / EB-II / Coral / Sunroof / Comfort & Parking Packages 2014 X3 3.0d / M sport / AW / Sunroof
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08-06-2017, 02:57 AM	#5
Maynard Colonel 3848 Rep 2,873 Posts Drives: 228iX & M2C Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: Upstate NY iTrader: (1)	Our dealership has a big deal at signup about never using RainX wash, or others w/ that additive (silicone?). It will kill something in the pump, an O ring I think, and shut it down. Here they fixed these under warranty (perhaps not after the warning, but that doesn't apply to you who got no warning). This sounds more likely than algae, and you should be able to see algae real easy if that is the problem.
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08-07-2017, 03:18 AM	#6
msej449 msej449 514 Rep 717 Posts Drives: M235i Convertible +LSD 2016 Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: South Coast UK & Swiss Alps iTrader: (0) Garage List 2023 Peugeot e208 GT [0.00] 2016 BMW M235i Conv ... [0.00]	Copied from the M2 Forum: Issue (1) seems to be that mixing BMW and non-BMW screenwash can cause 'gunking' of the system from a viscous residue that forms quite quickly as the result of a chemical reaction. [Plus a variety of pump/jet failures] But this doesn't always happen. There's some evidence that completely flushing the BMW solution out, then using something else may be OK. But beware - a BMW service will use the BMW concentrate to top-up, with potential 'gunking' subsequently if you use 3rd.-Party. What you can and can't mix with the BMW stuff isn't clear from Forum postings. The consensus is that 'though this can happen with other models, the 2 Series Coupé, Convertible and M2 seem particularly susceptible. BMW concentrate can be got in 5 litre containers which is much more convenient and cheaper than five times 1 litre. 5 L is Part Number 83.12.2.298.207 (in the UK, anyway). It's more concentrated than many garage products so apples-for-apples is 'only' about twice the $/pint of third-party products. Reviewing my annual usage, I reckon it's costing me about £13/$16 more a year than cheap stuff. Given a repair to the screenwash system may cost as much as £400/$500 (or more), then I don't think the saving is worth the risk. As mentioned, the Owner's Manual makes a Really Big Thing of !Warning! a 2 Series owner never to mix BMW and non-BMW washer fluid and always to use the BMW one. So you can't say you haven't been warned. - Yes I know: who reads every section of their OM before they top-up the washer? Especially if you've taken delivery just before the winter weather starts. But it is there. There are a significant number of forum postings along the lines of - Owner: "My screenwash/pump isn't working - seems to be filled with some gunk or something ..." / BMW: "Do you use BMW concentrate?" / Owner: "No, that's just a rip-off. I use stuff from the gas station." / BMW: "Your problem. Read the Owner's Manual. Budget $400+ for us to sort it out." I agree with the point [in the M2 thread] that the filler cap should have some sort of warning cover. I've made one up myself - it's a 4"x1" plastic label saying only use BMW and make up the solution first before topping-up: BMW also advise diluting the concentrate before you add it to the reservoir i.e. don't just pour neat concentrate in. As ever, no explanation of why but I can speculate that it may just settle on the bottom and not mix. Issue (2) There's some confusion cased by what may be an entirely separate problem of algae growing in the screenwash system. Some owners put this down to being in warm climate plus not using the screenwash system much. This means stagnant water in the system and bacterial/algal growth in a nice warm engine compartment. It's hard to determine if these people have used 3rd.-party screenwash or not. A few say they've definitely kept to the BMW blue stuff. My reading is that it's a climate thing but perhaps cheap concentrate is more prone to algae than BMW. What some owners have done is to flush their screenwash system out just to be sure. You can unplug the tubing near the bonnet jets and then run the washers and collect the liquid - if it looks cloudy/algal/bacterial just flush trough 'till all is clear. Some people don't believe any of this. Others say they've used 3rd.-party concentrate for years with no problems. So it's hard to really know for sure, other than that the Owner's Manual is so explicit: would they really state this so emphatically just for a little extra revenue from BMW screenwash?. I'll let you decide. __________________ 2016 M235i Convertible Estoril Blue & Oyster 2023 Peugeot e-208 GT (electric)
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09-13-2017, 11:16 AM	#7
Tony88 Private First Class 45 Rep 109 Posts Drives: M235ix Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Fairbanks, AK iTrader: (0)	Same problem here. I never use the headlight washers so they still work but the windshield washer is dead. I tested it a few times and you can't even hear the pump running so its either not getting power or the pump died completely. The fuse chart just shows a little picture of the car on a lift so I don't know what that's supposed to mean. Either it doesn't have a fuse or they put the fuse close to the pump which would be stupid. I've seen where people mixed the fluids before and it made a nasty semi sold gunk so I used all the fluid that came in the car and replaced it with rain-x. Worked great for nearly a year. I have an appointment in a few weeks to get the oil changed and the washer pump looked at so we'll see what they say then.
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12-03-2017, 06:11 PM	#8
Tony88 Private First Class 45 Rep 109 Posts Drives: M235ix Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Fairbanks, AK iTrader: (0)	So I finally had the washer pump issue taken care of. I don't know exactly what the problem was but it looks like from the dealer diagnostics, that the pump had failed and was also not getting power from the FEM body module. They replaced the pump and module under warranty. So far so good!
	Appreciate 0 Quote