Hi all,

 

So headlight washers, really winding me up. The spray is far too powerful and it leaves horrible spray stains up my bonnet, front wings, front side windows etc. Everytime it comes on I have to wipe down the panels and glass, otherwise it water stains the whole front of the car in an ugly manner.

 

I keep the car clean and shiny often but this washer operation is a really messy function. I know they need to be working to pass MOT as I have self levelling Xenon's. Don't really want to pull the fuse as no doubt I'll forget to put it back in before an MOT. Are there any VCDS options to reduce the power or range of the spray?

There's an option to adjust the frequency.

I read about that, it's the power of them that's the issue.

 

If it's every 5 times or every 10 times its still gonna cover the car either way.

Pretty sure there is no option to adjust the power, they are either on or off I'm afraid.

 

 

You could put some kind of restriction or reducer in the pipework or even try a less powerful pump. You might find that the washers then fail to emerge from the bumper or cause other issues.

 

I can't understand the design, I get washing of the headlights but the overspray is horrific on my car.

 

Appreciate the responses, I guess removing the fuse is my only realistic option. It'll throw up fault codes on the ECU log no doubt though and I'll just have to set a reminder to out the fuse back near MOT time.

 

Does anybody know which fuse it is?

It also depends on the washer additive you are using. I found the best is genuine VAG stuff.

49 minutes ago, pikpilot said:

It also depends on the washer additive you are using. I found the best is genuine VAG stuff.

 

I didn't realise this could be an issue. At the minute cheap stuff but I have purchased some Autoglym ultimate screenwash but it is yet to go in, so what causes the cheaper variety to overspray the car?

Switch the headlights off when you wash the windscreen and the headlight washer won't activate! Maybe not in the dark though!

My car ha even gone through MOT at a Skoda dealer without headlight washer working due to a blown fuse and nobody at the dealer picked it up then or at a service until I got VCDS and found out myself.

2 hours ago, HarleQuinn said:

 

I didn't realise this could be an issue. At the minute cheap stuff but I have purchased some Autoglym ultimate screenwash but it is yet to go in, so what causes the cheaper variety to overspray the car?

 

In a hard water area, I found the over-spray dried on leaving deposits. I don't why the better screen wash doesn't do it but perhaps it contains a surfactant to stop it sticking to the paint and glass.

21 hours ago, amwphotos said:

Switch the headlights off when you wash the windscreen and the headlight washer won't activate! Maybe not in the dark though!

 

Either me or the missus will forget often so it'll still get everywhere

 

20 hours ago, Anddenton said:

My car ha even gone through MOT at a Skoda dealer without headlight washer working due to a blown fuse and nobody at the dealer picked it up then or at a service until I got VCDS and found out myself.

 

I have heard some go through and some don't, depends on the garage/tester.

 

19 hours ago, pikpilot said:

 

In a hard water area, I found the over-spray dried on leaving deposits. I don't why the better screen wash doesn't do it but perhaps it contains a surfactant to stop it sticking to the paint and glass.

 

Interesting, I will only put better wash in there going forward, I guess cheap stuff is cheap for a reason!

 It has to be powerful spraying as if not then the "winter's" dirt from front heading mainly vehicles is too often and difficult to remove from headlights thus affecting the proper lightining in front of the vehicle and preventing the  dazzling in the oncoming drivers.

 In order for xenon headlights to light properly, they have to be cleaned enough.

The purpose of the design is correct and I believe they are intended to be used when meet weather and so our vision out is reduced - a way of enhancement and safety for the other drivers too ..

3 hours ago, AkisVH said:

 It has to be powerful spraying as if not then the "winter's" dirt from front heading mainly vehicles is too often and difficult to remove from headlights thus affecting the proper lightining in front of the vehicle and preventing the  dazzling in the oncoming drivers.

 In order for xenon headlights to light properly, they have to be cleaned enough.

The purpose of the design is correct and I believe they are intended to be used when meet weather and so our vision out is reduced - a way of enhancement and safety for the other drivers too ..

 

I understand the legality of it, however I am OCD about keeping the clar clean and wipe down my glass and lights every few days,

 

I know most people don't but me personally does not need the constant spray and dirtiness the headlight washers leave.

On 01/05/2018 at 05:46, HarleQuinn said:

Hi all,

 

So headlight washers, really winding me up. The spray is far too powerful and it leaves horrible spray stains up my bonnet, front wings, front side windows etc. Everytime it comes on I have to wipe down the panels and glass, otherwise it water stains the whole front of the car in an ugly manner.

 

I keep the car clean and shiny often but this washer operation is a really messy function. I know they need to be working to pass MOT as I have self levelling Xenon's. Don't really want to pull the fuse as no doubt I'll forget to put it back in before an MOT. Are there any VCDS options to reduce the power or range of the spray?

It's only H.I.D headlight's that need the washers working, the MK2 L&K and VRS have normal Xenon headlights not H.I.D so will/should pass the MOT with out the washers working, we don't even need the self leveling system to work. I had a DVSA inspector in the other day to pass up a trainee MOT tester and used my car (brave i know) and confirmed what i have just said here.

 

I hate the way the headlight washers spray as well and my car being black it look's much much worse..

Edited 3 May, 20188 yr by Ju1ian1001

6 hours ago, Ju1ian1001 said:

It's only H.I.D headlight's that need the washers working, the MK2 L&K and VRS have normal Xenon headlights not H.I.D so will/should pass the MOT with out the washers working, we don't even need the self leveling system to work.

 

In automotive lighting both xenon and HID typically refer to the same thing...

 

I think you're confusing halogen bulbs marketed as using xenon gas (which are no brighter than standard halogen bulbs) and proper HID xenon systems which are almost twice as bright.

 

When factory xenon's are fitted to the MK2 FL Octavia, a D1S light source is used which most certainly is HID and does require both auto levelling and headlight washers.

 

Xenon's are standard on the L&K and optional on the vRS, Scout, 4x4 and Elegance.

On 01/05/2018 at 05:46, HarleQuinn said:

Hi all,

 

So headlight washers, really winding me up. The spray is far too powerful and it leaves horrible spray stains up my bonnet, front wings, front side windows etc. Everytime it comes on I have to wipe down the panels and glass, otherwise it water stains the whole front of the car in an ugly manner.

 

Try limiting yourself to only washing the front window when on the move, roughly over 35mph ish.  The airflow will put more of the water on the lights then and down the very front of the wing.

 

On Audis you can change how long you have to pull the stalk for, don't know if that's the same for Skoda.

 

I actually changed the frequency of my oct 3 down from every 10th pull to every 4th as my daily cross country journey sees the car get very dirty quite quickly.

Edited 3 May, 20188 yr by ScoutCJB