Got a problem with my wiper system. When I first bought the car the wipers used to spray the water very well, with the water being sprayed with pressure and evenly across the screen.

Now the water does come out from the holes but without pressure, and the water is not being sprayed, rather just squirted.

Any suggestions?

Thanks

Hi guys

The model is e39 year 2000

partially blocked washer jets or failing pump?

The wipers are working perfectly. it is just the spraying system. Somebody did suggest that there might be a hole in the bottle.

Got that checked and it was fine. I am not whether the relay has something to do with the pressure of the water?

I will try that first thing in the morning

until then more ideas welcome. Better to try all of them together.

cheers guys

i'd be interested in the answer because ive got partially the same effect - intensive cleaning spray is strong and even, but the normal screenwash spray is very weak in comparison; the drivers side jet hits the windscreen below line of sight, don't know if this is by design (never checked another e39!)

One of my mates is a mechanic for VW and he suggested, that the pipes connected to the bottle sometimes clog up with some algy/alky and they might need cleaning.

But I would prefer to leave the long option till the last moment.

I have asked that question to BMW but they have said that is not the cause, and won't tell whhat is causing it, until I pay them diagnostic charges which would cost me about £100 just to know the problem.

Also I had put a little anti-freeze in there a couple of months before

Mine went awol late last year, took it in to my Indy who identified that the connectors had come lose, but visually all looked okay.

It was only when the pump was working that water was leaking out under the car.

They also cleaned the washer bottle filters as they were clogged with an until then undiscovered life form !!!

Also wax and polish can get in to the jets and start to build up and block so do check those are clear as well.

are the connectors easy to get to and would running hot water through the system clean them out?

now you come to mention it i do get a puddle of water under the car when its stationary when using the washers

mines a build date of july 2000

Come to think of it, I do remember water leaking when the car was stationary.

Also any idea how to get to the washer bottle filters and as stephen has mentioned the connectors?

cheers

I had this same problem when I purchased my E39 530i Sport and found that the hose had just become disconnected from the base of the washer jets. 

Worked perfectly after that.

My sound proofing was also damp so must get that checked.

My e39 leaks water from the bottom of the bottle when i fill it up with screen wash and i get the very same thing as stephen describes, powerful with the intensive but not so good with the normal jets?

I think i asked about the washer bottle before on here and i had a few replies saying that the bottle on a few e39's leaked when filling up!

I would suspect that the pipes do get gunged up and may try the wire in the nozzles myself once it warms up a bit though

finally got round to checking today and one of the rubber pipes going to the washer jets had worked itself loose under the bonnet soundproofing felt, reconnected it and hey presto, both washer jets are like cannons now, with intensive clean or normal spray

a quick and easy fix, thank goodness!

You say that you put some anti freeze in the bottle a while ago, this may be the problem. It would appear that if you use some other washer fluids/antifreeze other than BMW recommenmded stuff it goes all gungy in the bottom of the bottle. If you have you need to take off the o/s/f wheel remove the inner wing cover and remove the whole bottle and flush it out.

Tim