Headlight washer delete

[green_ghost]

Hi, poking around the engine bay and see a PO has made a headlight washer delete mod. Is this a common thing? I guess if not being used as a winter car stops all the washer fluid going over the bonnet, or the pipe in the front bumper is broken :wink:

 

[Rockhopper]

I pulled the fuse out of mine - much easier!

 

[green_ghost]

Oh yeah what a better idea! Looks like quite a lot of faffing around versus a fuse pull. Makes me think there’s a leak then. Anyways I don’t really need them so will leave alone

 

[Scooba_Steve]

Oh yeah what a better idea! Looks like quite a lot of faffing around versus a fuse pull. Makes me think there’s a leak then. Anyways I don’t really need them so will leave alone

More often than not it is the washer that starts leaking, though I have also had a leaky pump which can be fixed for a tenner. Yours is most likely not that.

Washer units are about £70 each and while they can sometimes be cleaned/fixed, not always. From what I remember with mine though is that the pump is only a boost pump, if the washer leaks and the system is connected the pump won't stop fluid from passing under gravity.

So I think there is probably no issue with your system, the previous owner just didn't like the washers dumping vast quantities of fluid over the bonnet. To prevent further possible corrosion issues on the loom I'd connect it back up and see. If there is a leak then back to the drawing board, otherwise you have a few options:
Disable completely either removing the fuse or coding the washers off.
Or coding to change the wash/wipe interval (I think default is 5 but 3,7,9 also available).

 

[Rockhopper]

Another reason for abandoning the washers is that the cover has an annoying habit of popping off and they cost about £20 plus paint to replace.

 

[srhutch]

Do you have the washer jets on the bumper?

As said disconnecting the pump electric supply doesn't stop them from leaking as it just syphons through to the leaky jet, so that pump has either been bunged up or is connected all the way through and they are not leaking.

 

[green_ghost]

Or coding to change the wash/wipe interval (I think default is 5 but 3,7,9 also available).

Thanks for advice I did not know that could be programmed, I’ll go and have another look - good point re: the connector

 

[green_ghost]

Do you have the washer jets on the bumper?

As said disconnecting the pump electric supply doesn't stop them from leaking as it just syphons through to the leaky jet, so that pump has either been bunged up or is connected all the way through and they are not leaking.

Yes does have the washers in the bumper, had a look in front of the washer container, and the pipe has been taken off and the outlet bunged. Will have look at reconnecting it and see if it works.

 

[Mr Tidy]

After reading about the caps flying off and in some cases the jet glying out I pulled Fuse 40 on my previous Z4.

Then when I got this one I found one of the jets was leaking, so I couldn't use the screen washers because all the fluid leaked out. :headbang:

So after getting a replacement jet fitted out came Fuse 40!

 

[green_ghost]

Second thoughts here I’ll think I’ll leave this alone, don’t fancy the hassle of losing the caps from the bumper either. Thanks for the advice everyone

 

[mmm-five]

I've had 1 cover fly off in 160,000 miles - don't consider that a regular occurrence

 

[green_ghost]

:rofl: Not regular for sure. What’s the betting I get them working and next week mine drop off on 91k miles? :rofl:

 

[mmm-five]

:rofl: Not regular for sure. What’s the betting I get them working and next week mine drop off on 91k miles? :rofl:

Well, I tend not to get all the 'little' issues everyone else gets with O2 sensors, coils, TPS, mirror glass, bonnet release, brake disk warping/pad transfer, etc.

I just get the big things like diff & engine failures :thumbsdown:

 

[green_ghost]

Ooo that sounds ££££ expensive. I’m hoping that mine although on 91k is going to run smoothly then!