1997 E39 528i Touring - Rear Washer Pump Location?

ToejaM

ToejaM

ToejaM

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Bit of a stab in the dark posting it here, have it on a BMW forum to but no replies as of yet.

Anyway.. my rear washer system doesn't seem to be working. I've checked the fuses (55 and 43 as it says on the little information ticket where the rear fuse box is) infact I've checked all the fuses and none are out, figured I might aswell while I was there! So its not the fuses. I also can't hear any motors working when I use the rear one, I can when I use the front washers.

I know the front pump is located under the wheel arch. The other pump I found at a quick look is attached to what seems to be a smaller reservoir? Whats that for btw? Is this the pump I need to be replacing or is there another one?

I think I read that smaller reservoir is for some kind of "intensive clean" or something. If thats the case, do I even need/use it and as a temporary fix could I swap that pump to the rear pump (providing I know where the rear pump is located!)

thanks
 
It's located on the side of the main washer fluid reservoir which is located behind the wheel arch lining of the offside front wheel, on the drivers door side.

The smaller reservoir is indeed the intensive washer reservoir.

The pumps cost about 15 quid, there is no need to go bodging it by canabilising the rest of the system for parts.
 
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I thought the one under the wheel arch was the front washer pump, I'm looking for the rear washer pump.

I'd only be canabilising it temporarily as I'm going on quite an adventure tomorrow so no time to wait for delivery.. and if I can work out which pump it is and swap them over easily I can then find out if it is indeed the pump that has gone.. which I think is most likely, with there being three pumps on the car.. one behind the arch and the other very easy to get to.. I'm wondering which is which and where the third one is.

Edit:

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=DH62&mospid=47558&btnr=61_0949&hg=61&fg=45

Thats the bit I think is the rear pump, number 3 but by going under the bit that is under.. thats just the pump for the intensive clean. So now I need to find where the rear pump actually is. Unless it shares the one under the wheel arch.. but that'd mean there was an electrical fault, the rear wiper moves when I use the stalk just no pump movement.. which leads me to believe there is infact a rear pump!
 
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It uses the same reservoir as the front windscreen washers.

The bit you've linked to there is the intensive wash system and isn't related to the rear washer pump.
 
There are two pumps on the front of mine but one is for the headlight washers which many of the 97 cars don't have. Whether there is a third (or second on non headlght washer fitted cars) pump on the Touring or whether it uses the main pump I don't know - I think it uses the main pump?
 
I can only assume it does share the same pump, I've looked & looked at the diagrams and can't conclude any other scenario.

I linked a June 97 build date 528i Touring, RHD, perhaps - its a long shot - the OP's car was built at a different date & has some revision thats not shown on those diagrams...?

If he enters his build date here, the correct diagrams for his precise build should come up.

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/select.do?kind=P&series=E39&body=tou&model=528i&zone=ECE&arch=0

Hope this helps OP. :)
 
Cheers for that website, tis very good! It does help aye thanks but alas still can't find a pump specifically related to the rear washer.

Now this'll sound stupid but if I use the rear washer, surely I should hear the same pump noise I hear when I use the front windscreen washer? If so, I hear nothing when using the rear but the front works.

So that'd lead me onto thinking there was a connection issue between the stalk and the motor but as the rear wiper does its happy dance those two (the wiper and pump) are on a different circuit? I guess the way to check would be to see which fuse the rear wiper uses? I'll check tomorrow.

As for the exact production of my car, I can't be sure.. again I'd have to check but I really doubt there will be a difference.

The three different pumps is just something I read about on a different forum before I came here


R420LA6X2/4MNA said:
So there should be two pumps on the front bottle? - I was not sure.....

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=DH62&mospid=47558&btnr=61_0948&hg=61&fg=45 this?
Click to expand...

I think thats just one pump on there and I think thats also the pump that is behind the wheel arch, though I'm pretty tired atm so I can't be sure!
 
ToejaMz0r said:
Cheers for that website, tis very good! It does help aye thanks but alas still can't find a pump specifically related to the rear washer.
Click to expand...

I don't think it has a dedicated pump.

I think thats just one pump on there and I think thats also the pump that is behind the wheel arch, though I'm pretty tired atm so I can't be sure!
Click to expand...

If your car has no headlight washers then one pump would make sense.
 
Just saw your post beermonster.. now I don't know what to think!

I'm pretty sure there are three pumps quite away from each other, one behind the wheel arch, one attached to the intensive cleaning bottle and one somewhere else. I guess I should go and have a look/take some pictures which I'll do tomorrow now.. in the mean time, feel free to search my problem.. would be greatly appreiciated! :D

Edit: My car does have headlight washers, which also work :) tis only the rear washer that doesnt
 
If it has headlight washers then there are two pumps on the washer bottle :p

I'm going with electrical fault. Does the wiper arm function?
 
Aye bud, I have said but I'll letcha off because you're being helpful ;)

When I use the stalk to activate the rear washer, the rear arm does its wiping motion for the duration I hold the stalk down but no motor sounds, so I'm thinking the motor/arm is on a different circuit to each other.. I just need to check tomorrow if they share different fuses (I'd assume that'd be one way if they are on different circuits)
 
would be easier to just follow the tube from the rear back to where ever it goes, on the end of it you will find the pump.
 
I'm sure I replied to your post scuba on my phone, stupid phone net.. I dont think I can follow that tube as I'm pretty sure its across the top of the car (sure thats what I read on another forum)
 
If someone can tell you which door pillar it travels down you should be able to find it where it exits the bulkhead and follow it forward from there.
 
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