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Model specific boards => Golf mk7 => Topic started by: Blades72 on 03 December 2013, 13:13

Title: Headlight Washers
Post by: Blades72 on 03 December 2013, 13:13
I've had my GTI for nearly 2 months now, and I only noticed last night that when I used the jet washer it seemed that the headlights flickered. When I checked it out, I noticed that it was the headlight washers activating (which made it look like the lights flickered). Now I'm either being thick, but I thought you only got these with the winter pack (which I don't have) or are they as standard?
Title: Re: Headlight Washers
Post by: stuart.cameron on 03 December 2013, 13:20
Standard with xenons! Think it's the law that they have to have washers.

Also if it's the same with my polo they will activate every 5th time you wash the windows.
Title: Re: Headlight Washers
Post by: Booth11 on 03 December 2013, 13:28
Standard with xenons! Think it's the law that they have to have washers.

Also if it's the same with my polo they will activate every 5th time you wash the windows.

^^^

If it's same as mk6, think they activate on the 6th window wash.  Pain in the neck if you've just washed your car, as they make a right mess!
Title: Re: Headlight Washers
Post by: dubber36 on 03 December 2013, 13:29
Standard with xenons! Think it's the law that they have to have washers.

Also if it's the same with my polo they will activate every 5th time you wash the windows.

^^^

If it's same as mk6, think they activate on the 6th window wash.  Pain in the neck if you've just washed your car, as they make a right mess!

Surely there is a fuse for them?
Title: Re: Headlight Washers
Post by: watson on 03 December 2013, 13:32
You can reduce the frequency of headlight wash from the normal five using VCDS.
Title: Re: Headlight Washers
Post by: Blades72 on 03 December 2013, 13:38
You can reduce the frequency of headlight wash from the normal five using VCDS.
Standard with xenons! Think it's the law that they have to have washers.

Also if it's the same with my polo they will activate every 5th time you wash the windows.

^^^

If it's same as mk6, think they activate on the 6th window wash.  Pain in the neck if you've just washed your car, as they make a right mess!

Thanks Guys
Title: Re: Headlight Washers
Post by: mcmaddy on 03 December 2013, 14:21
They dont wash if you have the lights off. Only washes when you have lights on and clean your screen.
Title: Re: Headlight Washers
Post by: Booth11 on 03 December 2013, 14:37
Standard with xenons! Think it's the law that they have to have washers.

Also if it's the same with my polo they will activate every 5th time you wash the windows.

^^^

If it's same as mk6, think they activate on the 6th window wash.  Pain in the neck if you've just washed your car, as they make a right mess!

Surely there is a fuse for them?

Many disable them via VCDS (which I haven't got) but I suspect your right.  Just haven't got around to checking.

Got caught out with them this week, day after cleaning car.  Screen wash all over front wings  :angry:
Title: Re: Headlight Washers
Post by: Mark V GTD on 03 December 2013, 14:51
I thought you only got these with the winter pack (which I don't have) or are they as standard?
As said - they are standard with xenon lights to comply with UK law. However, VW also give you a larger 6 litre washer resevoir and the low fluid level warning, the latter also being part of the Winter Pack.  If you spec leather seats you also get seat heaters thrown in... however VW 'generously' still allow you to purchase the winter pack if you have xenons and leather - so for £250 you get heated washer jets  :whistle:
Title: Re: Headlight Washers
Post by: kevinm on 03 December 2013, 16:44
I disabled the headlight washers in my mk5 with vcds during the summer. The car was never dirty enough to need them!  :laugh:
Title: Re: Headlight Washers
Post by: anilberke on 03 December 2013, 19:27
You can change the delay of the headlight washers in mk7 via vcds.

There two options to adjust, one of them is interval of the washing operAtion like every 3rd time or every 4th time, second one is for delay, when you hit the washers you need to pull it for xx seconds to activate headlight washers for the first time.
Title: Re: Headlight Washers
Post by: stuart.cameron on 05 December 2013, 10:18
I thought you only got these with the winter pack (which I don't have) or are they as standard?
As said - they are standard with xenon lights to comply with UK law. However, VW also give you a larger 6 litre washer resevoir and the low fluid level warning, the latter also being part of the Winter Pack.  If you spec leather seats you also get seat heaters thrown in... however VW 'generously' still allow you to purchase the winter pack if you have xenons and leather - so for £250 you get heated washer jets  :whistle:

Heated washers are good, but not good enough for £250!
Title: Re: Headlight Washers
Post by: p3asa on 05 December 2013, 11:21
If you put the lights down to sidelights, the headlight washers won't activate.

Not sure its law to have washers with Xenons as a few Audis have Xenons without them but have a nano coated light instead!


Title: Re: Headlight Washers
Post by: dubber36 on 05 December 2013, 14:50
Not sure its law to have washers with Xenons as a few Audis have Xenons without them but have a nano coated light instead!

Xenon or LED headlights?
Title: Re: Headlight Washers
Post by: p3asa on 05 December 2013, 16:10
Xenon
Title: Re: Headlight Washers
Post by: corgi on 06 December 2013, 10:15
If you put the lights down to sidelights, the headlight washers won't activate.

Not sure its law to have washers with Xenons as a few Audis have Xenons without them but have a nano coated light instead!

It is a requirement for cars fitted with Xenons to have a mechanism for washing the headlamps and to have an automatic levelling adjustment - It is part of the construction and use regulations.

The suggestion about putting the lights down to sidelights... Don't do it, the general consensus from Advanced Drivers is that sidelights should only be used as parking lights when parked. If it is dark enough or visibility is poor enough to warrant lights, then use headlights..

The washers are there for a reason. Would you not use your windscreen washers because their use might streak the paintwork on the roof?

I think you guys need to reset your priorities... they're cars, they will get dirty and will need to be cleaned... especially at this time of the year  :smiley:
Title: Re: Headlight Washers
Post by: JoeGTI on 06 December 2013, 10:27
I've no problem with using them and they don't really leave streaks on white paint anyway, but I'd have big doubts about their actual effectiveness! I mean, if I squirted the windscreen with the washers and the wipers didn't immediately wipe, then the windscreen would still be dirty. It's the wipers with the help of the washer fluid that do the cleaning. I don't think the squirting of washer fluid onto the headlamps is all that effective...



If you put the lights down to sidelights, the headlight washers won't activate.

Not sure its law to have washers with Xenons as a few Audis have Xenons without them but have a nano coated light instead!

It is a requirement for cars fitted with Xenons to have a mechanism for washing the headlamps and to have an automatic levelling adjustment - It is part of the construction and use regulations.

The suggestion about putting the lights down to sidelights... Don't do it, the general consensus from Advanced Drivers is that sidelights should only be used as parking lights when parked. If it is dark enough or visibility is poor enough to warrant lights, then use headlights..

The washers are there for a reason. Would you not use your windscreen washers because their use might streak the paintwork on the roof?

I think you guys need to reset your priorities... they're cars, they will get dirty and will need to be cleaned... especially at this time of the year  :smiley:
Title: Re: Headlight Washers
Post by: Mark V GTD on 06 December 2013, 10:32
Joe I agree with you 100% - Corgi's points are sensible and well argued but I would say the reason the washers are there is to comply with regulations! They do not provide any significant cleaning action in day to day use. I guess if you went through a rally stage to the extent the lights were covered in mud and completely blocked they might have some use but day to day, no.
Title: Re: Headlight Washers
Post by: dubber36 on 06 December 2013, 10:59
I agree with the points that Corgi made, but on the other hand, can't abide headlight washers either.

The necessity to wash the windscreen/headlights can also depend on how you drive. I did around 300 miles in my Passat last week and the sides and rear were absolutely filthy. So much so that you couldn't read the rear number plate. The front however, was virtually spotless. My wife took it out, did 12 miles and the front was almost as bad as the rest of the car. She says she doesn't follow cars to closely, I beg to differ.
Title: Re: Headlight Washers
Post by: corgi on 06 December 2013, 11:00
Joe I agree with you 100% - Corgi's points are sensible and well argued but I would say the reason the washers are there is to comply with regulations! They do not provide any significant cleaning action in day to day use. I guess if you went through a rally stage to the extent the lights were covered in mud and completely blocked they might have some use but day to day, no.

When the roads were caked in salt last night as I had to work my way south avoiding the devastation that was the M6 near Stoke by using A-roads, the washers on the 911 certainly clear off the worst of the salt that gets deposited on the light when following other traffic.

I agree though they are of limited effectiveness in most situations and are there for the regs
Title: Re: Headlight Washers
Post by: JoeGTI on 06 December 2013, 11:00
Joe I agree with you 100% - Corgi's points are sensible and well argued but I would say the reason the washers are there is to comply with regulations! They do not provide any significant cleaning action in day to day use. I guess if you went through a rally stage to the extent the lights were covered in mud and completely blocked they might have some use but day to day, no.

Exactly! For a layer of wet mud, then I can imagine that they'd be some use.. but for day to day road crap (including baked on dead flies, etc), they are useless.
Also, they do make the lamps dim for a couple of seconds when in operation, which is a little scary!
Title: Re: Headlight Washers
Post by: dubber36 on 06 December 2013, 11:06

Also, they do make the lamps dim for a couple of seconds when in operation, which is a little scary!

On the Phaeton, they wash one light at a time, so you only have one light obscured by screen wash during the wash cycle.
Title: Re: Headlight Washers
Post by: Booth11 on 06 December 2013, 13:06

On the Phaeton, they wash one light at a time, so you only have one light obscured by screen wash during the wash cycle.

Comes at a price though!

I also doubt their effectiveness in day to day use.

Of course cars get dirty, that doesn't bother me, but on a black car the greasy streaks look awful and it's annoying if it's just been washed.  I'm not sad enough to keep track of when they will next activate though in order to avoid it : :laugh:
Title: Re: Headlight Washers
Post by: dubber36 on 06 December 2013, 13:19

On the Phaeton, they wash one light at a time, so you only have one light obscured by screen wash during the wash cycle.

Comes at a price though!


The first Pharton which must be 10 years old by now had them. I'm surprised it hasn't filtered down to us mere mortals by now
Title: Re: Headlight Washers
Post by: Booth11 on 06 December 2013, 13:27

The first Pharton which must be 10 years old by now had them. I'm surprised it hasn't filtered down to us mere mortals by now

Is your misspelling intentional  :laugh:
Title: Re: Headlight Washers
Post by: dubber36 on 06 December 2013, 13:56
ooops  :embarrassed:  :grin:
Title: Re: Headlight Washers
Post by: Mark V GTD on 07 December 2013, 00:05
I am hoping to figure out how to completely disarm them with VCDS before my car arrives!
Title: Re: Headlight Washers
Post by: Mark V GTD on 15 April 2014, 14:28
Well - had the car two weeks and completley failed to get the washers reduced to every ten washer squirts with VCDS - the only solution now seems to be to disable them completly. Anyone any idea which fuse they are on?
Title: Re: Headlight Washers
Post by: Talk-torque on 15 April 2014, 18:10
Well - had the car two weeks and completley failed to get the washers reduced to every ten washer squirts with VCDS - the only solution now seems to be to disable them completly. Anyone any idea which fuse they are on?

This is 1 question which will not get a RTFM response, as the answer is not there! Can't understand why. The only way to check which fuse it is would be a messy one. Take out each likely fuse and try the washers. It will be a 20 amp or bigger fuse, but more than that, I don't know.

Anyone???
Title: Re: Headlight Washers
Post by: Mark V GTD on 15 April 2014, 18:12
Checked the fues lists in the manal and no mention of headlight washers!
Title: Re: Headlight Washers
Post by: mcmaddy on 15 April 2014, 19:27
This can be deactivated with vcds according to a German vcds site I've seen.
Title: Re: Headlight Washers
Post by: Mark V GTD on 16 April 2014, 02:24
Yes but how exacly?

I can see whre to change the frequency using the German version VCDS but cant gain security access to change it.. Ideally would like to disable them altogther either with VCDS or by pulling a fuse....
Title: Re: Headlight Washers
Post by: Jimi on 16 April 2014, 04:19
Try this

http://golf7vcds.moonfruit.com/driver-convenience/4581555424