R56 front windscreen washer dead - rear OK

[Krhuangbin]

Do the front and rear windscreen share a pump/fuse? I think they do as far as I can tell.... my rear is working fine but the front does not work at all - no noise even from the pump. Fuse all OK. Perhaps a dodgy connection somewhere between the front wash button and the pump?

[E-bmw]

Krhuangbin said:

Do the front and rear windscreen share a pump/fuse? I think they do as far as I can tell.... my rear is working fine but the front does not work at all - no noise even from the pump. Fuse all OK. Perhaps a dodgy connection somewhere between the front wash button and the pump?

I think you have answered your own question there haven't you?

If they are the same pump & fuse how would one not work?

They must therefore be separate front/rear.

If you think about it how would the same pump put water to 2 different places, how would that be possible?

[Krhuangbin]

E-bmw said:

Krhuangbin said:

Do the front and rear windscreen share a pump/fuse? I think they do as far as I can tell.... my rear is working fine but the front does not work at all - no noise even from the pump. Fuse all OK. Perhaps a dodgy connection somewhere between the front wash button and the pump?

I think you have answered your own question there haven't you?

If they are the same pump & fuse how would one not work?

They must therefore be separate front/rear.

If you think about it how would the same pump put water to 2 different places, how would that be possible?

Didn't know if it might be an electronics issue between the button on the stalk and the pump.. just wouldn't have thought a "city" car designed to a budget would have been engineered with two separate systems like that, clearly so! Also i'm sure a pump could push the feeble squirt that comes up the rear windscreen down the length of the car using the magic of hydraulics? Anyway sounds like it is the (very separate) pump at the front then

[chrisch77]

E-bmw said:

Krhuangbin said:

Do the front and rear windscreen share a pump/fuse? I think they do as far as I can tell.... my rear is working fine but the front does not work at all - no noise even from the pump. Fuse all OK. Perhaps a dodgy connection somewhere between the front wash button and the pump?

I think you have answered your own question there haven't you?

If they are the same pump & fuse how would one not work?

They must therefore be separate front/rear.

If you think about it how would the same pump put water to 2 different places, how would that be possible?

Prepare to have your mind blown.....

Numerous vehicles, MINI included, use a single pump that runs in both directions according to the polarity of the applied 12v supply, to feed front or rear washer systems (likely with some one way valves involved).

For benefit of the OP, here is a relevant parts diagram from an R56 generation MINI:
https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showparts?id=MM31...

It's a single feed into the pump so it's unlikely to be a blockage on the way into the pump; can you hear the pump running when you try to run the front washers? If not then the pump is goosed. If you can hear it then you have a blockage either in the pump outlet/valve or pipe the front washers.

[Krhuangbin]

chrisch77 said:

E-bmw said:

Krhuangbin said:

Do the front and rear windscreen share a pump/fuse? I think they do as far as I can tell.... my rear is working fine but the front does not work at all - no noise even from the pump. Fuse all OK. Perhaps a dodgy connection somewhere between the front wash button and the pump?

I think you have answered your own question there haven't you?

If they are the same pump & fuse how would one not work?

They must therefore be separate front/rear.

If you think about it how would the same pump put water to 2 different places, how would that be possible?

Prepare to have your mind blown.....

Numerous vehicles, MINI included, use a single pump that runs in both directions according to the polarity of the applied 12v supply, to feed front or rear washer systems (likely with some one way valves involved).

For benefit of the OP, here is a relevant parts diagram from an R56 generation MINI:
https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showparts?id=MM31...

It's a single feed into the pump so it's unlikely to be a blockage on the way into the pump; can you hear the pump running when you try to run the front washers? If not then the pump is goosed. If you can hear it then you have a blockage either in the pump outlet/valve or pipe the front washers.

Hi Chris, thanks for the above - nope not a sound when trying to operate the windscreen wash, but as normal operation when using the rear screen wash. So as it's only operating "unidirectionally" to the rear sounds like a new pump needed?

[RoadToad84]

Had the same on my R62 Countryman. Needed a new pump which is located on the bottom of the washer bottle. Just about accessible through the nearside inner wheel arch liner access flap thing..

[Krhuangbin]

RoadToad84 said:

Had the same on my R62 Countryman. Needed a new pump which is located on the bottom of the washer bottle. Just about accessible through the nearside inner wheel arch liner access flap thing..

Cheers Simple-ish job?

[Pip1968]

Personally I would just get in there and clean all the pipes and the bottle and pump. I don't really see how these fail as it is not like they are being used non stop and continuously enough to wear them out.

When I have fixed these on an r53 (and e39/ e34) just getting rid of the gunge was enough.

Pip