E34 - "No Washer Fluid" Warning

Hi,

I have a 1990 E34 535i. What with the rubbish weather we have been having in the UK, the roads are covered in salt. As such, when I was out the otherday, I was frequently washing the windscreen. Eventually my washer fluid ran out. I stopped at the next garage and refilled the reservoir.

However, upon re-starting the car I had a "washer fluid low" message appear on the dash. Despite having just filled up! I have since run it down again and re-filled the concentrate & water reservoirs, but still can't stop this message everytime I start the car.

Does anyone know WHY it would be giving this message? And HOW would I clear it?

Many Thanks, Simon

Reply to
SilentBob
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There is a little float in the lid. Just move it up and down gently a couple of times with your finger before you put it back.

or

You have normal and intensive wash reservoirs and you have only refilled one.

Reply to
R. Mark Clayton

Hi,

I have filled both reservoirs.

Also, there is definitely nothing in the lid. They are not even screw on lids. They are pretty rubbish snap on plastic lids.

All that I can see in the side of the bottles are the pumps. Is the level sensor built into this? Could it simply be clogged and in need of thorough cleaning?

Thanks

Reply to
SilentBob

I don't mean to hijack your thread, but to me here in Canada where it's

-20C, it seems like a very stupid design to have a pure water reservoir. It must sometimes go below freezing in England - shouldn't you be putting some aggressive mixture of what we call antifreeze and water in there?

Reply to
Nobody Important

Eh! I think you are assuming that when he says WATER it is PURE UNADULTERATED WATER.

If it is I must agree with you but anyone with enough sense to by a decent car must have the acquired knowledge to use a solution pertaining to the time of year.

Personally I use a "antifreeze screen wash solution" + an eggcup full of "sugar soap liquid ready mixed" This will remove all traces of diesel oil film and traffic grime.

However if you are excited enough to investigate further you might find the wires that pass under the inner fender? wheel arch are loose/broken/frayed or simply crudded up on the tank sensor.

Sir Hugh of Bognor

The difference between men and boys is the price of their toys. Intelligence is not knowing the answer but knowing where and how to find it!

Hugh Gundersen snipped-for-privacy@h-gee.co.uk Bognor Regis, W.Sussex, England, UK

Reply to
hsg

Sorry. To make clear:

I have always had a mix of water AND screenwash (which also acts as antifreeze) in BOTH tanks. I have only just found out that the second tank is supposed t obe concentrate only (don't know why). As such, there is a mix in the "water" tank, and now just the concentrate in the top tank.

Why is there a separate concentrate tank in these? Does it mix them? Or does it just ALSO give a squirt from the concentrate every x amount of squirts?

Anyway, I have never had a problem with this before. And it wasn't even telling me that it was low just before I ran out.

When I had run out, upon stopping the car it said "washer fluid low" (quite rightly). It was only then, AFTER filling back up, that it STILL displayed the message upon starting the car. I wonder if it has got some "crap" in the water, and upobn running out has drawn the "crap" down into the pump and/or sensor and gunged it up?

Only a thought. Didn't really want to start messing about taking things out, but I want to get rid of the car soon and don't want all sorts of messages popping up. So I suppose I am gonna have to take them out to investigate?

Reply to
SilentBob

I think you will find the front tank is for the lights and the one in the wing/fender is for the screen. Mixture in both if you please unless your vehicle is a one off ....................

Sir Hugh of Bognor

The difference between men and boys is the price of their toys. Intelligence is not knowing the answer but knowing where and how to find it!

Hugh Gundersen snipped-for-privacy@h-gee.co.uk Bognor Regis, W.Sussex, England, UK

Reply to
hsg

There is a reservoir on the front nearside (for UK drivers) of the engine bay which is for the lights. At the front of the engine bay on the offside are TWO reservoirs. One is sort of piggybacking the other. The bottom tank is for water/screenwash mix. The top one is for concentrated screenwash only. Both of these ones are for the windscreen. It is these that are supposedly low on fluid, despite being full & working.

Reply to
SilentBob

My US model X 5 has one tank. About two gallons. Low fluid warning came on once...refilled and the warning went off.

gam> > I think you will find the front tank is for the lights and the one in the

drivers) of the engine

Reply to
gw

The description is wrong; the main one is a conventional reservoir which takes a mixture of water and screen cleaner which includes an anti-freeze. The other one is an intensive cleaning system which takes screen cleaner neat.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

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