Mini Washer fluid

[rsbmw]

In my BMW I use the "official" washer fluid simply because I've heard various horror stories of generic stuff gumming up the jets/pump. I figure the wife's F56 will be the same, but can't find any horror stories. Worth using official stuff or not?

[E-bmw]

rsbmw said:

"official" washer fluid

Is that a BMW euphemism for "bend over while I insert this Sir"

If you use either ready-mix or concentrated (depending on specs) straight from the bottle, how can anything gum anything up? I ask myself.

I have always done exactly this with every car I have owned in 30 years & never had any issues.

[ladderino]

I've had all of the usual problems with gummed up fluid in my BMW, and have needed the reservoir removed 3 times so far - as a result, I've stuck with using the BMW fluid which you can get huge bottles on eBay.

It's mixing the BMW fluid with standard fluid that causes the problem - the two react, and cause blockages in the pumps.

When we bought my wife's Countryman about 6 months ago, I didn't want to have to go through the same hassle, so ran the reservoir dry several times with tap water and then filled up with standard fluid.

It's not yet had a service, so don't know what will happen if they decide to top up the fluid.

[E-bmw]

In fairness to that post, to be accurate, I have never bought new so have always "inherited" a car washer bottle full of just water, so I will have unwittingly actually done the same, well pointed out.

[CarsOrBikes]

Super concentrated screen wash congeals and blocks the filters, but other typical cheap blue ones can have issues with staining paint and tarnishing chrome or similar trim, most are ok and when you consider the bottle gets mould growing on it too which peels off and also congeals, some of the answer lies in emptying the bottle. You can either keep a hose in it flushing out debris, or cycle the pump too, but nobody does it, and begrudges paying later

BMW screen wash isn't exactly expensive, you can buy it in 1,5 or 20 litres