# E46 eats Windshield Washer Fluid



## Fzara2000 (Jan 22, 2004)

Well, my car is about 2200 miles on the car already, and apparently the windshield washer fluid is totally gone. :thumbdwn: 

I fed it some more...but boy! This thing literally swallows windshield washer fluid by the gallon! 

I put in some other brand, but it doesn't smell as much as the BMW ever did. It's too bad; I kinda missed the stuff BMW put in.

I was wondering...what exactly is the difference between the BMW windshield washer fluid? It seems like when I first washed it, it emitted a strong alcohol smell.


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## Kaz (Dec 21, 2001)

Dang, do you drive with the washers on all the time? The reservoir holds over a gallon.


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## Toast (Jan 9, 2002)

Do you have the cold weather package?


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## Bavarian (Jun 15, 2002)

Yep the E46 really does eat windshield fluid. It is because of the headlight washers.


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## little<>< (May 7, 2002)

I go thru about 4 litres every 2 weeks, and keep at least 1-2 jugs in the trunk. The headlight washers use the most, and since I do a fair bit of night/dusk driving, with all the road salt, the fluid just "disappears". That is what I use my Canadian Tire money for.


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## Fzara2000 (Jan 22, 2004)

Yup, Cold Weather Package included.

I think i'll be using less once the spring and summer months come in, but thankfully no more snow, ince, sleet, and salt on the lights or windshield!


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## inline6 (Jun 1, 2003)

I bought some fluid from Safeway and it smells just like the BMW gear imho. I've also learnt to use it *very* sparingly, since yes, it does eat the stuff. I just give it a short squirt, the bare minimum to do the job.


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## Fisch330ciTB (Jan 10, 2002)

I do the same thing to every car i've had to fix this problem.

I let the car wax clog the holes.


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## nickeltong (Mar 16, 2004)

Fisch330ciTB said:


> I do the same thing to every car i've had to fix this problem.
> 
> I let the car wax clog the holes.


 or just clamp the rubber tube to the headlamp washer tight.


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## Raffi (May 18, 2002)

Fzara2000 said:


> I was wondering...what exactly is the difference between the BMW windshield washer fluid? It seems like when I first washed it, it emitted a strong alcohol smell.


 Do a search for a thread started by Plaz IIRC about this same topic. BTW, you can buy the BMW washer fluid from teh dealer if you really want it.


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## LmtdSlip (May 28, 2003)

What weight fluid are you using...? :eeps: 

I find that when I use the synthetic 20-50 that it lasts much longer than when I use the reguiar 10-40.


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## anon (Jul 8, 2003)

errr... does windshield fluid really have "weights"?


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## Plaz (Dec 19, 2001)

Raffi said:


> Do a search for a thread started by Plaz IIRC about this same topic. BTW, you can buy the BMW washer fluid from teh dealer if you really want it.


 WOW, good memory! That's an OLD thread!

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4084


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## adgrant (Aug 13, 2003)

*Yes it is the headlight washers*

We have two E46s, one with headlight washers and one without. The one with headlight washers really goes though washer fluid, the E46 it replaced and our other E46 rarely requires a refill between dealer visits. I have had my new E46 with the headlight washers for six months and have refilled the reservoir twice already.


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## Raffi (May 18, 2002)

Plaz said:


> WOW, good memory! That's an OLD thread!
> 
> http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4084


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## jsc (Sep 3, 2003)

10 washes of the headlights (including washing the windshield 5 times for every headlight wash) is all that it takes to empty the 5 litre tank. In the winter travelling through the mountains in the dark with wet roads between Calgary and Vancouver, the tank will be empty by about the first fuel stop (about 700km / 400 miles)! Those Xenon lights do work well though when they are kept clean.


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## pmb1010 (Aug 26, 2002)

nickeltong said:


> or just clamp the rubber tube to the headlamp washer tight.


My drivers side headlight washer started to drip/leak, as I noticed a 12" blue puddle in the snow under the car's front bumper leaving work one day. After a week or so, the tank would be empty. I don't care for the headlight washers anyway, so I disconnected the hose at the tank's pump motor (there are 2 pumps, one is dedicated for the light washers), and pulled the electrical plug on the top of that pump motor. The windshield pump still works fine. Now my hood stays clean in the summer if I need to wash bugs from the windshield at night.


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## Terry Kennedy (Sep 21, 2002)

jsc said:


> 10 washes of the headlights (including washing the windshield 5 times for every headlight wash) is all that it takes to empty the 5 litre tank. In the winter travelling through the mountains in the dark with wet roads between Calgary and Vancouver, the tank will be empty by about the first fuel stop (about 700km / 400 miles)! Those Xenon lights do work well though when they are kept clean.


Here's a trick for you if you don't want to disconnect the headlight washer pump power cable - if you give multiple quick flicks of the washer stalk (I usually do it 4-5 times) you'll get enough fluid on the windshield for a good cleaning, but the headlight washers won't have time to extend and drain the tank. And then if you _do_ want to was the headlights, you can still do that. I wish they'd given us another switch for the headlights, though.


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## Fzara2000 (Jan 22, 2004)

The other thing you could do of course..is to shut your lights off and then use the windshield fluid, but its just not practical in the wintry months when you're driving down a highway at 5pm in the night.


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## alpinewhite325i (Jan 20, 2002)

Fzara2000 said:


> The other thing you could do of course..is to shut your lights off and then use the windshield fluid, but its just not practical in the wintry months when you're driving down a highway at 5pm in the night.


Turning the lights off won't stop the headlight washers. :tsk:


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