Washer motor swap

► Gone are the days when there was plenty of spare room in an engine bay for the windscreen washer reservoir. With so much crammed into the underbonnet space, manufacturers have to find somewhere else to fit the ancillary components.

This 2008 BMW 318i came to us with a failed washer pump. On this model, the washer reservoir is within the rear section of the offside front wing. Access is only possible after removing the inner wheelarch shield and unbolting the reservoir, after which it can be manoeuvred out of position. Once the reservoir is out of the way, the washer pumps – one for the front and one for the rear – can be changed easily. Checking the operation before squeezing the assembly back into position is a good idea, because once in place there is no access to the pumps.

The washer reservoir needs to be slid out of its position in the wing cavity before the washer pumps can be accessed.