Useless Headlight Washers...Why?

[Anonymous]

I don't understand the reasoning behind having Headlight washers without wipers! Not that I'd really want wipers, but spewing a jet of soapy water onto dirty lights, only to have it run down the lights & then down the bumper, seems pointless to me. It does'nt clean them in the slightest, & mine shoots white soap 2 feet into the air, which then splashes onto my bonnet & windscreen, leaving white streaks everywhere!

I wont be too happy if I accidently activate this just after I've polished my 'Beast', so I'd better familiarise myself with the controls a bit better!

Anyway, does anyone else have any negative or possitve thoughts on these 'wipers'?

Cheers :thumbup:

 

[Anonymous]

The are only there because it is a legal requirement that factory fit xenon headlights have a washer system and a self leveling system.

 

[Anonymous]

yes my thoughts on the front light washers is also negative. soapy water jets out over the wing and side mirrors. maybe this is the problem some owners have had with white streaks on mirrors. i wonder if the washer can be switched off ? it appears to work with the screen wash when headlights are on.

 

[Anonymous]

I used mine for the first time today and was surprised at how much sprayed onto the bonnet and windscreen.

 

[Anonymous]

They seem to have quite a powerful spray (certainly more powerful than the windscreen jets) but it doesn't make a dent in the road grime that my lights have on them. Plus they fire twice, about 5 secs between each spray.

 

[FGRob]

My system works perfectly, two flicks and the headlights are clean - it's called a cloth :wave: :wave:.

I still get the white markes under the mirrors and I've not got the washer system - except the manual one above.

I had a similar system on my Civic, that was crap too - water everywhere but as said above it's a legal requirement with HID's

Rob

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the feedback guys. Seems pretty unanimous!!! :thumbup:

The lights would usually be kept clean, but we travelled in filthy weather on motorways with spray everywhere yesterday. Think I'll ask my dealership if the light washers can be de-activated, when it goes in for 1000 mile check in January. But interesting possibility about the headlights being on!!!

Cheers everyone :thumbup:

 

[Anonymous]

Could you not tweak the nozzles to point out the car...

Missing your car, avoiding streaks.. and reaping havoc at Burger King Drive throughs :lol:

 

[Anonymous]

Not a legal requirement on xenons to have headlight washers just self levelling because the light is so bright and could blind other drivers because of the variation of weight in the vehicle. They are meant to be sprayed at speed so the water pulls the dirt off, but obviously there is only so much cleaning a squirt of water can do.

 

[Anonymous]

Not a legal requirement on xenons to have headlight washers just self levelling.....

Technically true.....until 1 January 2012.

See the thread on "New MOT rules coming in".

"Vehicles with HID headlamps are therefore required to have a headlamp washing system (a wiper is not required) and be self levelling, which may be achieved either by the use of either headlamp or suspension levelling systems.
The presence and operation of these headlamp cleaning and levelling devices has been added to the test.
Therefore, if a mandatory headlamp levelling or cleaning device is missing, inoperative or otherwise obviously defective, the vehicle will fail."

I wont be too happy if I accidently activate this just after I've polished my 'Beast'.....

Is that a euphemism for something - or have we changed subject :eusa-think: :lol:

Could you not tweak the nozzles to point out the car.....

HeHe, we used to do that on a Land Rover Defender if any car / pedestrian passing / we were passing "upset" us for some reason.
Great fun giving them a good soaking :lol: :lol:
Only problem was to remember to turn them back on to the windscreen, otherwise you couldn't use them for their intended purpose when you actually needed them.

 

[Anonymous]

OH IT WAS YOU WAS IT. :x