Low Windshield Wiper fluid

datdude133d · 06-04-2010, 09:50 PM

got this message in my dash after only using the stuff a couple times on my 2011.. is there a special brand that Im supposed to use or anything I need to know? My manual didnt really say much to help. Thanks all

shodanusmc · 06-04-2010, 10:16 PM

$2 a gallon at the store or gas station. Chances are you are just low as it slipped thru at the dealer. Filler it up, message goes away, you are happy until the next message appears!

Dackelone · 06-05-2010, 04:55 AM

Germam stuff(Sonax, ect) costs 10 euros a gallon! lol

But it doesn't make a difference which stuff you use. Maybe your sensor level is bad. Did you physically check your level under the hood? Fill it until it almost over flows. That tank does hold A LOT of fluid!

Cris · 06-05-2010, 08:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dackelone

Germam stuff(Sonax, ect) costs 10 euros a gallon! lol

But it doesn't make a difference which stuff you use. Maybe your sensor level is bad. Did you physically check your level under the hood? Fill it until it almost over flows. That tank does hold A LOT of fluid!

And a quart of oil there costs 15+ euros! I never found out why fluids cost so much.

Mitch1er · 06-05-2010, 11:25 AM

they probably didn't top it off when your car got PDI'd. just buy some windshield washer fluid from autozone or pepboys.

jeremyc74 · 06-05-2010, 01:03 PM

If the dealer's close by, I'd drop in there and get them to fill it up. Either they didn't do it during PDI as they're supposed to, the sensor is faulty, or the tank is leaking. In any of those three cases it's their problem, not yours.

JimD · 06-05-2010, 08:10 PM

Mine was empty when I took performance center delivery. That was the only issue I had. It was not worth a drive to the dealer to get them to fill it. The gas would cost more than the washer fluid.

You can get it at walmart for a buck or two a gallon. I like the kind with rain-ex or something like that in it. Makes the wipers work better, maybe.

Jim

datdude133d · 06-06-2010, 09:23 AM

Thanks alot guys

jeremyc74 · 06-06-2010, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimD

Mine was empty when I took performance center delivery. That was the only issue I had. It was not worth a drive to the dealer to get them to fill it. The gas would cost more than the washer fluid.

You can get it at walmart for a buck or two a gallon. I like the kind with rain-ex or something like that in it. Makes the wipers work better, maybe.

Jim

The stuff BMW puts in from the factory is really a lot better than the stuff you get at Wal Mart though. I'm not sure it's enough of a difference to justify going there just for that, but it is damn good.

arsenyc · 06-06-2010, 01:18 PM

Just drive into a service center ask them to fill it up, takes less than 2 minutes and its free....but thats only if your service center is close to you lol

Tom K. · 06-06-2010, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeremyc74

The stuff BMW puts in from the factory is really a lot better than the stuff you get at Wal Mart though. I'm not sure it's enough of a difference to justify going there just for that, but it is damn good.

It also smells rather nice. Used to be available from the dealer in concentrated form.

Tom

MrBimmer · 06-08-2010, 02:25 PM

to me it seems like the stuff evaporates. i put some in there like 2 weeks ago and the washer fluid light is back on already. i got the dealer to fill me up today tho. i didn't check to see if they top me off or just put enough to shut the computer up.... gotta check.

jeremyc74 · 06-08-2010, 03:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrBimmer

to me it seems like the stuff evaporates. i put some in there like 2 weeks ago and the washer fluid light is back on already. i got the dealer to fill me up today tho. i didn't check to see if they top me off or just put enough to shut the computer up.... gotta check.

You may have a leak in the reservoir. It's not all that uncommon for them to have pinholes in the welds.

I've had to fill mine up twice in two years, and that's with about 43k miles driven. I'm not even sure the dealership topped it off when it was in for service either.

I'd check for puddles if I were you.

Jcrewsn · 06-08-2010, 03:23 PM

same problem as OP. I have about 18500 miles over one yr. ownership, have had it filled once bcause light came on and now the light is back on again...

tgxmike · 06-08-2010, 03:50 PM

My car will use washer fluid to wash the lights too, so it drains quick in the winter with all the salt.

Also I prefer to use Rain-X, it seems to work well to keep the window clear and the auto wiper sensor happy.

The stuff they put in at the dealer froze in my system for 3 days. I had to pull into my garage and heat the garage for ~6hrs (and use two tanks of propane).

Ash83 · 10-06-2010, 11:53 AM

With my old 328i i used to buy the stuff from Autozone till my pump died on me.. The BMW SA said that the pump died bcz the fluid viscosity is not the same between the OEM fluid and the Auto-parts fluid.. may be BS or maybe true...

I would just stop by any Dealer and let them fill it for you...

bkochuk · 10-22-2010, 10:47 AM

make sure it's not your engine coolant level. the symbol for that looks kind of like a low WW warning.

06-04-2010, 09:50 PM	#1
datdude133d Enlisted Member 4 Rep 43 Posts Drives: 2011 128i Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Kingston,Ny iTrader: (0)	Low Windshield Wiper fluid got this message in my dash after only using the stuff a couple times on my 2011.. is there a special brand that Im supposed to use or anything I need to know? My manual didnt really say much to help. Thanks all
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06-04-2010, 10:16 PM	#2
shodanusmc Captain 22 Rep 774 Posts Drives: 09 135 Vert Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Chicago burb iTrader: (0)	$2 a gallon at the store or gas station. Chances are you are just low as it slipped thru at the dealer. Filler it up, message goes away, you are happy until the next message appears!
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06-05-2010, 04:55 AM	#3
Dackelone European Editor 10759 Rep 22,992 Posts Drives: N54 e82 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Bayern, Germany iTrader: (1)	Germam stuff(Sonax, ect) costs 10 euros a gallon! lol But it doesn't make a difference which stuff you use. Maybe your sensor level is bad. Did you physically check your level under the hood? Fill it until it almost over flows. That tank does hold A LOT of fluid!
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06-05-2010, 11:25 AM	#5
Mitch1er Lieutenant 29 Rep 521 Posts Drives: 2011 135i Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: covina, CA iTrader: (21)	they probably didn't top it off when your car got PDI'd. just buy some windshield washer fluid from autozone or pepboys.
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06-05-2010, 01:03 PM	#6
jeremyc74 Banned 79 Rep 5,970 Posts Drives: '08 135i Montego/Terra Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Evansville, IN iTrader: (0)	If the dealer's close by, I'd drop in there and get them to fill it up. Either they didn't do it during PDI as they're supposed to, the sensor is faulty, or the tank is leaking. In any of those three cases it's their problem, not yours.
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06-05-2010, 08:10 PM	#7
JimD Brigadier General 373 Rep 3,550 Posts Drives: 128i convertible Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Lexington, SC iTrader: (0)	Mine was empty when I took performance center delivery. That was the only issue I had. It was not worth a drive to the dealer to get them to fill it. The gas would cost more than the washer fluid. You can get it at walmart for a buck or two a gallon. I like the kind with rain-ex or something like that in it. Makes the wipers work better, maybe. Jim __________________ 128i Convertible, MT, Alpine White, Black Top, Taupe Leatherette, Walnut, Sport Ordered 5/22/09, Completed 6/4/09, At Port 6/9/09, On the Georgia Highway 6/13/09, Ship Arrived Charleston 6/24/09 at 10pm, PCD 7/21/09
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06-06-2010, 09:23 AM	#8
datdude133d Enlisted Member 4 Rep 43 Posts Drives: 2011 128i Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Kingston,Ny iTrader: (0)	Thanks alot guys
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06-06-2010, 01:18 PM	#10
arsenyc Captain 73 Rep 658 Posts Drives: G05 M60i Join Date: May 2009 Location: NYC iTrader: (1)	Just drive into a service center ask them to fill it up, takes less than 2 minutes and its free....but thats only if your service center is close to you lol __________________ ///
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06-08-2010, 02:25 PM	#12
MrBimmer Rated M 37 Rep 214 Posts Drives: 1M Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Queens, New York iTrader: (3)	to me it seems like the stuff evaporates. i put some in there like 2 weeks ago and the washer fluid light is back on already. i got the dealer to fill me up today tho. i didn't check to see if they top me off or just put enough to shut the computer up.... gotta check.
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06-08-2010, 03:23 PM	#14
Jcrewsn First Lieutenant 12 Rep 369 Posts Drives: 2009 BMW 135i Join Date: May 2009 Location: North Tustin, CA iTrader: (0) Garage List 2009 135i Sport [0.00]	same problem as OP. I have about 18500 miles over one yr. ownership, have had it filled once bcause light came on and now the light is back on again...
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06-08-2010, 03:50 PM	#15
tgxmike Second Lieutenant 18 Rep 293 Posts Drives: '21 M2C 6MT, '21 Charger Scat Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Boise, ID iTrader: (0) Garage List 2021 BMW M2 [0.00]	My car will use washer fluid to wash the lights too, so it drains quick in the winter with all the salt. Also I prefer to use Rain-X, it seems to work well to keep the window clear and the auto wiper sensor happy. The stuff they put in at the dealer froze in my system for 3 days. I had to pull into my garage and heat the garage for ~6hrs (and use two tanks of propane).
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10-06-2010, 11:53 AM	#16
Ash83 Major 44 Rep 1,177 Posts Drives: 135i & RS5 (SOLD)/ 18 CTS-V Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Miami, FL iTrader: (1)	With my old 328i i used to buy the stuff from Autozone till my pump died on me.. The BMW SA said that the pump died bcz the fluid viscosity is not the same between the OEM fluid and the Auto-parts fluid.. may be BS or maybe true... I would just stop by any Dealer and let them fill it for you... __________________ Alpine White, Coral RED , Glacier Silver Aluminum trim, M sport, 6MT, NAV, HiFi, USB-iPod, Bluetooth Performance: JB4\|BMW PE\|DP Cosmetics: BMW Sport Pedals\|Black Kidney Grill
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10-22-2010, 10:47 AM	#17
bkochuk constantly curious 6 Rep 103 Posts Drives: '09 135 sedona red/boston gray Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: chapel hill, NC iTrader: (0)	make sure it's not your engine coolant level. the symbol for that looks kind of like a low WW warning.
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