BMW Z4: Washer Systems & Wipers Stopped Working

Hi there! I have some experience with BMWs and dealt with a similar issue on my 2006 BMW 3 Series (also owned an X3). The symptoms you're describing sound exactly like what I encountered. My washer system completely died, including the headlight washers. Took it to my trusted workshop and it turned out to be a faulty cable connection to the washer pump and a bad relay. The total repair cost me around 165 Euro, parts weren't too expensive, but accessing the components took some time. Could you share if you're getting any warning lights on the dashboard? Also, when you press the washer stalk, do you hear any sound from the pump at all? This info would help determine if you're facing the same issue. It's definitely fixable, but I'd recommend having a professional look at it since these systems are interconnected in BMWs and proper diagnosis is key.

Thanks for sharing your experience! I just had my Z4 serviced at 46187 KM, and I'm getting no pump sound at all when pressing the washer stalk. No warning lights on the dashboard either, which is weird. The timing's really unfortunate since I just replaced the wipers thinking that was the issue. Good to know about the cable connection and relay, that actually makes a lot of sense given all the symptoms. I'll definitely get it checked out by a professional. Just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something obvious before taking it in. Did your pump completely die without warning, or did it gradually get worse? Mine just stopped working suddenly one morning.

Hey again! Yeah, I totally get that frustration about the wipers, been there! On my 3 Series, it was exactly like yours, completely dead one morning without any warning signs. No pump noise, nothing. Just complete silence when pressing the stalk, which was super annoying. You know what's interesting, the symptoms match my case perfectly, right down to the lack of warning lights. In my situation, the cable had corroded over time but the final failure was sudden. That's why everything just stopped working at once. These systems are all connected, which explains why both the washer and auto-wiper functions are affected. Since you mentioned the recent service, maybe double-check if they accidentally disconnected something? Though honestly, given my experience, I'd put money on it being that pump relay or cable connection. The repair was pretty straightforward once they identified the problem, just took some time to access everything. Quick tip from my experience, when you take it in, ask them to check the washer fluid reservoir for any cracks too. Sometimes these issues can be related, and it's worth checking while they're in there anyway. The BMW tech who fixed mine said it's pretty common for these issues to show up around your mileage range.

Thanks so much for all these details! It's actually really reassuring to hear that yours had the exact same symptoms. I just called my local BMW specialist and booked it in for next week. You've definitely saved me some diagnostic time by sharing your experience. I'll make sure to ask them to check both the relay and those cable connections first, and I'll mention the reservoir inspection too, that's a great tip. The fact that yours was also a sudden failure makes me feel better about not catching any warning signs. These cars are amazing but they sure can throw some curveballs at you! Really appreciate you taking the time to share all this info. Will definitely update the thread once I get it fixed in case anyone else runs into the same problem.