Headlight Washers

[Cakesbaby]

Hi,

My headlight washers are set to spray twice after 3 times activating the windscreen washers, problem is they only do this cycle once and never repeats until the ignition is turned off and then back on.

Checked with Carly and no error codes and reprogrammed it just to check maybe something was missing but no joy. Checked pipe work and filters and even ran the pump in a bowl of water just to ensure no blocked pipes but the same result.

Any ideas ?

Steve

 

[Christopher72]

No faults/errors? Check connections, wear, etc.

If it were me, I'd just turn them off in coding. They make more mess than they resolve, and to be honest, we're not mudding around in these roadsters, which is what a washer for a headlight is ideal to fix - mud.

I noticed that mine were not working -- because they were never there. I just have the ugly bump under the lights. No interest in retrofitting something I'd just not use so that I didn't have to clean the mess it creates on the front.

 

[Mr Tidy]

If they are anything like E86/86 ones be grateful. The less they operate the less you'll get streaks up the front wings, lose covers or even the actual jets!

Once I got my leaking one fixed I pulled the fuse out to avoid any further hassle with them.

 

[Christopher72]

Kinda what I mean... They are ridiculous for this type of car. It was all the rage in the early 2000s to have headlight cleaners... but they are more pain than they are worth. If you are in a wet muddy envrion --- get a jeep or a rover.

 

[B21]

Hi,

My headlight washers are set to spray twice after 3 times activating the windscreen washers, problem is they only do this cycle once and never repeats until the ignition is turned off and then back on.

Checked with Carly and no error codes and reprogrammed it just to check maybe something was missing but no joy. Checked pipe work and filters and even ran the pump in a bowl of water just to ensure no blocked pipes but the same result.

Any ideas ?

Steve

Looks like a coding issue..

 

[B21]

Kinda what I mean... They are ridiculous for this type of car. It was all the rage in the early 2000s to have headlight cleaners... but they are more pain than they are worth. If you are in a wet muddy envrion --- get a jeep or a rover.

In Europe it was mandatory to have headlight cleaning as part of Xenon headlights as was self levelling..

 

[Christopher72]

You piqued my curiosity. so, I nerded up on it.

Interesting read: https://www.carlightblog.com/2013/10/22/a-clean-beam-the-purpose-of-the-headlamp-washer-system/

It is a widespread fallacy that headlamp washers are only compulsory for xenon lights. This is wrong on several counts. The latest generation of xenon, the 25-Watt version, doesn’t actually need one at all. Meanwhile, halogen and LED headlamps do need one if their light sources emit more than 2000 lumens. Indeed, this is required for ECE approval. (Under the DOT regulations in North America headlamp washers are not mandatory at all.) These do not refer specifically to xenon, but as no approved halogen lamp exceeds this threshold value and as this also is the case with most LED systems, only xenon headlamps are, in fact, affected in practice. They emit around 3000 lumens.
...
„Hold on though,“ the insiders will be saying, „There are halogen lamps with an output of over 2000 lumens.“ That’s quite true: The H9 is one such lamp, emitting 2100 lumens. But this lamp is intended for high-beam light and the ECE regulations only apply to the low beams.

So why do headlamps need a washer system at all? Most people think it is so that dirt cannot dim the light. This is only partly true, and in fact, this wouldn’t be a particularly crucial concern with xenon lights, which have such a very high light output. The main reason for the requirement is that dirt can impair the optical features of the headlamp and cause glare. Incidentally, headlamps which are only slightly soiled cause a stronger glare, and of course the brighter the headlamp, the stronger the glare.

Headlamp washers originated in Scandinavia. From 1972 up to the early 1990s, they were compulsory in Sweden and today almost all cars in the country are supplied with them – even if they have halogen headlamps. The nozzles for the high-pressure washing system spray the water onto the headlamp lenses with pressures of up to 50 bar. Using an unsuitable antifreeze or insect remover in the summertime can wreak all kind of damage. The headlamp lenses are dulled prematurely: New headlamps are expensive – much more expensive than buying antifreeze and the like from a reputable brand.

 

[YDB]

Hi,

My headlight washers are set to spray twice after 3 times activating the windscreen washers, problem is they only do this cycle once and never repeats until the ignition is turned off and then back on.

Checked with Carly and no error codes and reprogrammed it just to check maybe something was missing but no joy. Checked pipe work and filters and even ran the pump in a bowl of water just to ensure no blocked pipes but the same result.

Any ideas ?

Steve

I don't use very often at all but have noticed a similar cycle. Only come on once but I haven't investigated further. Cannot use them at will so maybe BMW don't trust us and know we will use them too often. Ill be interested to see if anyone else has a solution or if it is standard.

 

[flybobbie]

Halogens had glass lenses, these projector lamps have separate clear frontage that can disperse the light if mucky.
And of course encourages condensation on the inside.
Only car i have owned with spider webs inside lamps.
So need some form of cleaning, again stupid design. But still need to get a cloth and wipe over. And put up with spray over the nicely polished bonnet.
I assume designers like them as can now have streamlined lamp covering, style, pedestrian protection.