Milo Posted August 17, 2011 Report Share Posted August 17, 2011 Any clues as to why the head light washers would not be working on a 56 plate (B7) A4? All other wipers/washers working so it wouldn't be a fuse. There are no pools of water etc, so not a pipe off. Ta. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tipex Posted August 17, 2011 Report Share Posted August 17, 2011 Obvious one, but are the headlights on? They'll only work on most cars when the lights are actually on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milo Posted August 17, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 17, 2011 Yup, it was the first thing I checked Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eldavo69 Posted August 17, 2011 Report Share Posted August 17, 2011 Do they have a separate fuse? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milo Posted August 17, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 17, 2011 Not as far as I know. Researching on t'internet (which came back to here) said they are on the same fuse as wash/wipe hence I know the fuse is OK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Posted August 17, 2011 Report Share Posted August 17, 2011 They are typically telescopic pushed out under pump pressure with spring return. Could be a pipe blown off or blockage fuse, wiring or pump. Had it been winter another favourite is they freeze up. Can you hear the pump running when you request the washers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milo Posted August 17, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 17, 2011 Will need to check as I've only tried them on the way home yesterday while driving and then again when I got back with the car idling Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuprabob Posted August 17, 2011 Report Share Posted August 17, 2011 On some VAG models they only work every fifth operation of the washers with the headlights on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calm Chris Posted April 30, 2013 Report Share Posted April 30, 2013 I appear to have the same problem Bottle full Main beam on (and tried on dipped) Washed screen 20+ times ( in case the 5:1 windscreen v HL wash is correct) Nothing... So my understanding is there's two pumps under the washer bottle, one operates front and rear windscreen function and the other operates the HL wash. How do these pumps interact? As in if the HL does on work every 5th wash of the windscreen pump, how does the HL pumps "know" to activate? If I want to poke about, is it ok to lever the HL washer covers on the bumper out and wedge them open with some blocks of wood to check jets and pipe connections. Failing anything else I have a thing called Audi mot insurance, which suggests they will cover faults that potentially lead to an mot fail. Being German its ambiguous, would you say these terms would (or would not cover a fix since HL washer function is an mot pass / fail?). http://www.audi.co.uk/content/dam/audi/production/PDF/OwnersArea/MOT_Summary_of_Cover_PDF.pdf Any thoughts appreciated Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tipex Posted April 30, 2013 Report Share Posted April 30, 2013 If the 'every 5 washes' thing was true, it'd fail the MOT anyway, as they don't give it 5 tries to work, in theory at least anyway, in practice, i've never ever heard of anyone failing an MOT for non functioning headlight washers. All the cars i've had with headlight washers have always washed the lights every time you use the windscreen washers, if the headlights are on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PetrolDave Posted April 30, 2013 Report Share Posted April 30, 2013 If the 'every 5 washes' thing was true, it'd fail the MOT anyway, as they don't give it 5 tries to work, in theory at least anyway, in practice, i've never ever heard of anyone failing an MOT for non functioning headlight washers.All the cars i've had with headlight washers have always washed the lights every time you use the windscreen washers, if the headlights are on. The headlight washers run every time you wash the screen with the lights on - provided you wash the screen for long enough. If you just give the screen a quick burst then the headlight washers won't run, you need to give the screen around 5 seconds wash for the headlights washers to do their stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tipex Posted April 30, 2013 Report Share Posted April 30, 2013 I would imagine that's more to do with the pump needing to build up enough pressure to push out the washers than an built in delay? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian_C Posted April 30, 2013 Report Share Posted April 30, 2013 I think its a built in delay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calm Chris Posted April 30, 2013 Report Share Posted April 30, 2013 That's what the other research mentioned. It's some Germans idea of one button two jobs. If you don't want to feck the nice wax and clean, make sure you deploy windscreen wash for less than 4.9s Thing is, the obvious clue is look for water (since you can hear a pump motor, or maybe pumps in tandem), but by the time you over lap the HL wash time criteria the windscreen water is everywhere and makes the search difficult). Provided I use gentle effor,t am I okay to pull out the HL wash covers and spring mechs? Rather hoping its just a gunking up issue. The MOT is a fail without HL wash on Xenons, if the tester bothers to test. Well that's what I've read, and if they weren't required why have them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian_C Posted April 30, 2013 Report Share Posted April 30, 2013 I believe the covers pop off. Something like a lolly pop stick to lift them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricostuart Posted May 1, 2013 Report Share Posted May 1, 2013 My old Lexus is250 washed headlights once automatically with a manual button too when headlights on. My b7 s4 does it every time which annoyed me so I disabled it using vagcom. Passed is mot no problems. Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk HD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milo Posted May 1, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 1, 2013 I appear to have the same problem Bottle full Main beam on (and tried on dipped) Washed screen 20+ times ( in case the 5:1 windscreen v HL wash is correct) Nothing... So my understanding is there's two pumps under the washer bottle, one operates front and rear windscreen function and the other operates the HL wash. How do these pumps interact? As in if the HL does on work every 5th wash of the windscreen pump, how does the HL pumps "know" to activate? If I want to poke about, is it ok to lever the HL washer covers on the bumper out and wedge them open with some blocks of wood to check jets and pipe connections. Failing anything else I have a thing called Audi mot insurance, which suggests they will cover faults that potentially lead to an mot fail. Being German its ambiguous, would you say these terms would (or would not cover a fix since HL washer function is an mot pass / fail?). http://www.audi.co.uk/content/dam/audi/production/PDF/OwnersArea/MOT_Summary_of_Cover_PDF.pdf Any thoughts appreciated The problem I had above was to do with front of the car being pulled to bits for the cambelt etc change and not being put back together properly. It miraculously stopped working after the service and the cheeky buggers tried to charge me for sticking it on the VCDS system. It went back to have the front pulled off again and that sorted it (I think it's written up on the paperwork for 2011 from memory?). 'Twas working for the 2012 MOT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milo Posted May 1, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 1, 2013 And the doofers on the bumper pull out with gentle persuasion. I used plastic bike tyre levers when I blew a pipe off in 2009 after leaving the car in -11°C conditions at Centreparcs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PetrolDave Posted May 1, 2013 Report Share Posted May 1, 2013 The MOT is a fail without HL wash on Xenons, if the tester bothers to test. Well that's what I've read, and if they weren't required why have them? It's not quite that simple: - if you have Xenons then you don't need either headlight washers or headlight levelling to pass the MOT; BUT - if you have Xenons and headlight washers are fitted then they must work, AND - if you have Xenons and headlight levelling then it must work (but if the tester isn't sure if it works then he MUST give you the benefit of the doubt). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milo Posted May 1, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 1, 2013 - if you have Xenons and headlight washers are fitted then they must work, It was MOTed in Sept 2012 so I presume they were working. There's MOT protection on the car for the Sept 2013 test so it should be covered in any event. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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