Before going back to dealer.....Headlight washers

[Speedbird1300]

When I bought this car unless i'm mistaken the salesman said that all cars with LEDs had to have headlight washers. Is that right? is it a legal thing?

I was not convinced mine were working so checked that the bumpers had the required square shape thing that the washers should appear through.

Started the car put headlights on (not automatic) and operated screen wash arm........nothing from headlight area, not even movement of square cut out thingy.

Found what fuse it was, where the fuse box is located, checked the fuse and all is good.

Any further ideas before I now go back with this issue to the dealer.

It's a 65 plate so will be done on warranty but the list of minor niggles continues.

No further on with with Myaudi and MMI problem by the way, but to add to the list, it's now started stalling / cutting out when slowing and turning off the main road into the slower side street, e.g. 4th or 5th down into 2nd to drive the corner.

Any views

Mike

[M1tchy]

I believe the rules have changed and it's now down to power output of the lights. I don't think the standard LEDs require washers but matrix ones do.

I may be wrong but fairly sure I read that somewhere.

I wouldn't worry about them anyway, in my experience they are as much use as indicators on a spaceship and just cover your car in washer fluid while rapidly drawing the tank.


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[belly buster]

The headlight washers don't squirt every time you operate the windscreen washers. Not sure if there's a "rule" - always seems a bit random to me.

[M1tchy]

They always go first time the lights are on and you wash the window though. After that, you're right it's random


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[Speedbird1300]

[QUOTE=M1tchy;1049803]They always go first time the lights are on and you wash the window though. After that, you're right it's random


Does Vorsprung Durch Technik really translate to "Nothing is straight forward on an Audi?' :zx11:

[mrmarc]

Mine are a bit random too

[Speedbird1300]

Mine are a bit random too

Random I can live with, non existent are mine it seems.

[mrmarc]

:-) I do believe it has something to do with how many times the wash wipe lever has been pulled though.

[A6ian]

When I bought this car unless i'm mistaken the salesman said that all cars with LEDs had to have headlight washers. Is that right? is it a legal thing?

I was not convinced mine were working so checked that the bumpers had the required square shape thing that the washers should appear through.

Started the car put headlights on (not automatic) and operated screen wash arm........nothing from headlight area, not even movement of square cut out thingy.


Found what fuse it was, where the fuse box is located, checked the fuse and all is good.

Any further ideas before I now go back with this issue to the dealer.

It's a 65 plate so will be done on warranty but the list of minor niggles continues.

No further on with with Myaudi and MMI problem by the way, but to add to the list, it's now started stalling / cutting out when slowing and turning off the main road into the slower side street, e.g. 4th or 5th down into 2nd to drive the corner.

Any views

Mike

The S Line models have LED's with washers that wash every 5th pull of the lever with the lights on. The SE has Bi Xenons as standard which doesn't have washers. If the SE is spec'd with LED's, the washers come with them.

[GDA6]

Is the washer fluid bottle topped up? When the level is low the headlight washers de-activate so that the remaining fluid is only used for the windscreen.

[AT.]

The SE has Bi Xenons as standard which doesn't have washers.

Are you sure?

Maybe it's just a hungarian rule, but as far as I know, it's is a mandatory here to have a washer for all the Xenon lights, as the dirt can distrub the light projection. Mostly, that's the reason why it's impossible to replace the regular lights with Xenon, as in these cases there will be no washers for the main beam unit.

[A6ian]

Are you sure?



Yes i am, has been since FL. Pre FL Xenons had washers.


32628

[johnsimcox]

I
Yes i am, has been since FL. Pre FL Xenons had washers.


32628Confirmed. I have a FL SE and no washers. Apparently the Lumen output of the FL Xenons is below the EU threshold for requiring HL washers, whilst the pre-FL ones required them. Made all the more confusing as all C7s from launch (here in the UK at least), including the original SEs with halogens, had the cut outs in the bumper for the washers, whether they were fitted or not.

[AT.]

Yes i am, has been since FL. Pre FL Xenons had washers.32628

You were right, I made a google "re"search, and it seems, the rules changed.

While VW still says it's a mandatory thing:

Headlight Washer System < Technical Glossary < Innovation & Technology < Volkswagen International (http://en.volkswagen.com/en/innovation-and-technology/technical-glossary/scheinwerferreinigungsanlage.html)

but it seems, for the low light emission Xenon bulbs, the main beam unit does not need the washer anymore:

https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/292489-xenons-etc-dont-need-headlight-washers-anymore/

However, there is a strange figure in there, as 2000 ANSI Lumen seems very low quality for me. By this, I made another search, and I found this thread:

Swapping Xenon light bulbs - AudiWorld Forums (http://www.audiworld.com/forums/a6-c7-platform-discussion-194/swapping-xenon-light-bulbs-2870598/)

Where the A6/C7 Xenon bulbs are described as these have 3200(!) ANSI Lumens.

I don't know whether these values are correct, or not, however if the FL has an almost half as good Xenon as the nonFL had, then it could be an annoying trial to improve the selling of the LED main beams.

Never heard about this thing, and it really surprise me.