BMW wrong screenwash

[tali]

http://www.devonlive.com/news/motoring/bmw-refuses-fix-devon-mans-454100
On a side note I was talking to my brother who is a mechanic and he knows someone who was charged at another BMW dealer £100 (at £25 a time) to push his car on 4 occasions from car park to the service area !

 

[bob6600]

Definitely one for the Ombudsman

I wonder what is written in the service book

 

[AMGeed]

Car manufacturers are going the same way as insurance companies and looking for clauses to avoid paying out.
The screenwash one is a limp excuse IMO.

 

[Will]

Have to say though, cheap sh!tty screenwash (or lack of correct amount) can and does cause problems with the whole washer system - I've seen tanks go stagnant with mould and fluid that goes like jelly when it goes off.

Legionella anyone

 

[moonloops]

I only use Fairy Liquid Platinum as my screen wash. It means I don't need to put in additives such as salt, seagull poo, coke-a-cola or suntan lotion.

I've also redirected my aircon cold air to the turbo intakes, saves on the cost of an upgraded intercooler.

 

[JasM]

I only use genuine BMW washer fluid in my F10 , it's even clearly mentioned in the manual lol. To be fair it's actually decent stuff, I even use it in my FFRR, and 5L bottle only costs about £14.

 

[clk320x]

I only use MB screenwash in mine.. seems to work well, and it's not that expensive it's like £6 for a 1 concentrate bottle which I'm happy to pay

 

[Rayny]

The rear screen washer in my Skoda stopped working - It was due to a blocked pipe because the washer fluid had turned into a jelly like substance.
Not all screen washes are the same.

 

[Dryce]

ISTR seeing warnings that mixing screenwash could cause problems with BMWs - their screenwash doesn't play nicely with some other brands (or vice versa I guess).

 

[Petrol Pete]

^^ BMW probably make it that way so they can charge for repairs and point at the handbook when doing so. A tip for BMW drivers is maybe if you had a main dealer service drive until your washer bottle is empty , flush it through with plain water (Evian , if you must !) then use a decent quality screen wash mix cheaper than BMW charge.

Let us know how you get on

 

[TheFoX]

Even if he had used the wrong screenwash, he bought a car from them costing £40,000, so surely they would want to promote positive customer relations, or do they think that they are so important that they can pick and choose customers?

I'm sure that his next car won't come from THAT dealer.

 

[brucemillar]

I suspect (I may be wrong here) that is is not all true. If he has blocked the washer jets by using something that is not recommended then they are within their rigts to charge to fix it/unblock it. Mercedes themselves have used this to try and charge for their (infamous) W203 rear wash wipe failures, where using the "incorrect" fluids, can cause the fluid to freeze in winter and blow the seals and in some cases require a new wiper motor (ask me how I know). Washing up liquid is another favourite. It sets lke glue in the nozzles and pushes hoses off and blows seals/ I would not expect Mercedes or BMW to fund that.

 

[Steveml63]

Hi
I once used some cheap screen wash that came in a 5 litre container for one of our cars. Half was left in the bottle and a few months later I went to use the remainder. The horrendous smell of rotten eggs when I opened the bottle was incredible! - it had clearly gone off, no idea what was actually in it!
When I had my last BMW, I used their screen wash because it's actually very good and the BMW Forums even 8 years ago mentioned regularly that you shouldn't mess with cheap screen washes - so this is not a new problem on BMWs.
To the member above who uses Fairy Platinum as a screenwash - don't!!
I believe washing up liquids might contain a high salt content that is not good for car paint finishes.
Cheers
Steve

 

[RonFleet]

I've used Halfords' screen wash concentrate for years and never had a problem.

 

[John N]

I've used Halfords' screen wash concentrate for years and never had a problem.

Same here, I have never even thought of enquiring as to what Make/Type/Brand that I SHOULD be using!

 

[PobodY]

Another who just uses generic screen wash. - Makes me wonder what they think it needs to have in it, that it would react like that.

Most of the cheap stuff is water, methanol, blue colouring, and a bit of detergent.

 

[RonFleet]

Another who just uses generic screen wash. - Makes me wonder what they think it needs to have in it, that it would react like that.

Most of the cheap stuff is water, methanol, blue colouring, and a bit of detergent.

Halfords' concentrate seems to do the job, but I haven't conducted any back-to-back tests to get some kind of comparison. I'm not sure how valid a subjective feeling that one lot was better than the other would be, given that the operating conditions would be different between the tests.

 

[richard]

I use BMW screen wash in our minis and Mercedes screen wash in the Mercedes. I have seen different brands interact and go gloopy. I do buy the biggest containers they sell that I can lift (BMW do a gallon trade container) or a box of the Mercedes canisters and then it doesn't cost so much.
R

 

[Railwayman]

Have been using washing up liquid in all of my and my children's cars screen bottles, have never had a problem and I keep my cars a very long time. Maybe I've been lucky lol.

 

[Petrol Pete]

I believe the screen wash on all early Zsatava, Yugo and Skoda cars would only work if filled with Vodka..just like the driver