Headlight and screen washers

[servicepoint]

When my auto lights are on is there anyway to prevent washing the lights every time I just want a quick scoosh on the screen.

[Yetigreenline2]

According to my handbook the headlights are only washed on the first squirt activation and then every 5 but I'm also sure some other people have changed the headlight washing to lower intervals through VCDS

[rockhopper]

When my auto lights are on is there anyway to prevent washing the lights every time I just want a quick scoosh on the screen.

It doesn't happen every time as mentioned above. I think even if the lights are just switched to on this happens. It can be a pain if the car has just recently been washed and you are driving slowly or stopped it then sprays the bonnet and part of the roof . Turn the lights off before washing? the system does that anyway when it sprays the lights......ever noticed the lights go dim when it happens? Not sure I would recommend that though.....They need to do that to comply with the regulations.

We have discussed this many times in the past.

[servicepoint]

Not a great set up, last car had a separate button on the stalk depending on the wash type you wanted.

[fuzzybunny]

Not a great set up, last car had a separate button on the stalk depending on the wash type you wanted.

Another of those minor skoda irritations of combining headlight and windscreen washers but keeping the rear screen heater and wing mirror heaters separate.

Auto lights are a pain anyway, they come on when I dont want them to and stay off when I want them on.

I tend not to use them in the auto position.

Grumble, grumble!

[EZ_lo]

Not a great set up, last car had a separate button on the stalk depending on the wash type you wanted.

I believe since the light washers are required when you have xenons they are automatic for a reason.

As for the heater buttons - if you have a heated windscreen there are three of them. Instead of even being grouped together they're positioned all over the dash ... "Ergonomics? Naaah. Strange name. Never heard of."

Edited 29 January, 2012 by EZ_lo

[Agerbundsen]

Live with it and love it. Note all the irritating and blinding headlights from oncoming cars with dirty headlights - Xenon and halogens. Be glad that yours are clean and do not blind the oncoming traffic. A little extra WW fluid is well worth it.

Edited 29 January, 2012 by Agerbundsen

[servicepoint]

Shame really as BMW have realised that you don't need to wash your lights when you want to clean your screen,xenons or not.

Strange as VW were always leaders in stalk control functions.

[silver1011]

Turn the lights off before washing? the system does that anyway when it sprays the lights......ever noticed the lights go dim when it happens? Not sure I would recommend that though.....They need to do that to comply with the regulations.

the lights don't turn off, it's just the spray of water blocking the light output which makes them look dimmer for a brief moment.

[silver1011]

On my two xenon equipped Octavia's the headlight washers can be prevented from operating by pulling and releasing the wiper stalk very quickly, and then washing the screen as normal.

Some claim this doesn't work on later Octavia's so I'm guessing it may therefore not work on the Yeti...?

[EZ_lo]

Couldn't get your workaround to work on my SM.

But point is, as Agerbundsen said, this is meant to keep your xenons a tad cleaner. And a tad can mean a lot when you are on the receiving end of xenon beam. Especially when these are retrofitted, dirty xenons with no levelling system. On such occasions i tend to turn into Mr. Swearalot

[Gnasher]

I find this very annoying, my last car a VW Eos had exactly the same arrangement - so I think it is VAG group feature. It's a quick way to empty the washer bottle.

[Freshacre]

why not just accept that it is, actually, in the interests of road safety, and find something else to grumble about. It really aint that much of a bind - is it?????

[JCP]

I find this very annoying, my last car a VW Eos had exactly the same arrangement - so I think it is VAG group feature. It's a quick way to empty the washer bottle.

If your windscreen needs washing what process do you imagine may have left your headlamps clean?

It is a perfectly sensible system and re-filling does not require a dealer visit. Washer fluid is designed to be used-not kept.

[Yetigreenline2]

Well i have to say i have never had a car with washers on the headlights and i think its highly amusing when it goes off.

Least it saves me job when it gets to the point when i cannot be arsed to wash the car, my lights will be reasonably clean

Edited 29 January, 2012 by Yetigreenline2

[servicepoint]

Not arguing over the rights and wrongs of the system as such but it could be so much better with not a lot more thought put into it regards everyday use, if other manufacturers can do it surely the VW group can. I am sure they must put in enough usage km.

[Llanigraham]

Not arguing over the rights and wrongs of the system as such but it could be so much better with not a lot more thought put into it regards everyday use, if other manufacturers can do it surely the VW group can. I am sure they must put in enough usage km.

I think you are in a minority.

Well said JCP!!

[servicepoint]

Oh well Jcp and graham are right .

BMW, Audi,Mecedes,VW and Aston Martin have quite clearly got it wrong.

[servicepoint]

Sorry should say VW could not.

[Llanigraham]

Oh well Jcp and graham are right .

BMW, Audi,Mecedes,VW and Aston Martin have quite clearly got it wrong.

Didn't say we were right, but that you seem to be in a minority.

[andyspan]

If your windscreen needs washing what process do you imagine may have left your headlamps clean?

It is a perfectly sensible system and re-filling does not require a dealer visit. Washer fluid is designed to be used-not kept.

Exactly!

[freedie]

On my two xenon equipped Octavia's the headlight washers can be prevented from operating by pulling and releasing the wiper stalk very quickly, and then washing the screen as normal.

Some claim this doesn't work on later Octavia's so I'm guessing it may therefore not work on the Yeti...?

Yes that does work on my Yeti. And yes that is also mentioned in the manual. The reason people say it doesnt work is because it is not intuitive i.e. the water takes a good second to actualy hit the screen after you "flash" the wiper switch. Doing this means the headlamp washer cycle is not activated; however, if one's windscreen is dirty and the lights are on, the lights may well be dirtier than one can tell, so cleaning them is not such a bad thing. I wish no liquids in a car ever ran out, especially the fuel!

[bilun777]

Yes that does work on my Yeti. And yes that is also mentioned in the manual. The reason people say it doesnt work is because it is not intuitive i.e. the water takes a good second to actualy hit the screen after you "flash" the wiper switch. Doing this means the headlamp washer cycle is not activated; however, if one's windscreen is dirty and the lights are on, the lights may well be dirtier than one can tell, so cleaning them is not such a bad thing. I wish no liquids in a car ever ran out, especially the fuel!

Where does it say that in the manual?

I've tried the" quick flash" on mine ages ago and it doesn't work.

[ejstubbs]

Where does it say that in the manual?

In the electronic copy I have, on page 65 it says:

The headlights are being cleaned after the windscreen has been sprayed for the first

time and fifth time, the low beam or main beam are switched on and the windscreen

wiper lever was held in the position 5 -> page 63, fig. 50 for about 1 second.

The implication is that if you hold the stalk in the wash position for less than a second then it won't wash the headlights. But it doesn't actually say that explicity. Pretty much par for the course for the Yeti menual! (Are the other Skoda manuals as idiosyncratic as the Yeti's?)

FWIW I don't have any problem with the car washing its headlights every once in a while. Saves me having to think about doing it.

[CFB]

I think you are in a minority.

Well said JCP!!

well I'm another in the 'better to have clean lights at the same time as a clean screen' camp, although I'm not sure how effective just a spray of screen wash is compared to wiper as well, as older cars we're equipped.

Is cost the reason why wipers aren't fitted any more or is it just advances in technology?

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