HEADLAMP WASHERS INOP

[EUROPEANLOVER]

Happy New Year to my X5 family. Hope everybody's X is around to see another year. Anyway, my X is a 2003 X5 with the 3.0. My headlamp washers worked back in 2007 when I bought her and have assumed they've been working ever since. I've researched how they are supposed to work. I believe every 5th or 6th time upon windshield washer operation with headlights on. Also if I turn the key off and back on and can initiate the interval again. I believe the headlamp washer pump is being activated because I hear the pump hum twice upon headlight washer activation but no water sprays. I know the nozzles are not clogged because if I disconnect the hose from the pump and spray compressed air through the hose the nozzles spray. Is there anything else in conjunction with the headlamp washer system other than the pump and nozzles? Is it possible that the pump is not strong enough? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Really needed it with the blizzard we just had here in New York.

[TerminatorX5]

you are right, every 5th time with the lights on... the pump is a high pressure pump and the little impeller is known to break... with the fluid low, pull the windshield pump out the tank and inspect to see if the pick up area of the pump is broken...

[EUROPEANLOVER]

Pickup area of which pump?

[TerminatorX5]

I should have said - the headlight pump... the one that gives you the issues... there is a little impeller that picks up water from the tank, that one might be broken... do visual on that part of the pump...