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Headlight wash capped off?

Posted: Fri May 10, 2013 4:11 pm
by topgun35
Mine don't work. Checked the motor/pump, and relays. All fine. Washers don't work, and theirs is no fluid leaking anywhere. I understand a lot of people have them capped off to save fluid. Whats the usual procedure, as i want to reverse it if it's been done to mine?

Re: Headlight wash capped off?

Posted: Fri May 10, 2013 5:35 pm
by MikeFish
Never heard of them being capped off before, surely you just turn your lights off to save the fluid?
Besides, its an MOT failure if they don't work.

Re: Headlight wash capped off?

Posted: Fri May 10, 2013 7:27 pm
by topgun35
Precisely why i want to fix it! Local specialist is keen to charge for 4 hours labour to get the bumper off, so any help or tips would be appreciated.

Re: Headlight wash capped off?

Posted: Fri May 10, 2013 8:04 pm
by MikeFish
Sorry I've not played with them yet so can't really offer much help.
I assume you get fluid at the windscreen?
And you have the headlights on? And hold the stalk for long enough for them to activate?
Do they come out of the bumper at all i.e. could they just be seized into the bumper or do they pop out but no fluid?

Re: Headlight wash capped off?

Posted: Sat May 11, 2013 9:40 am
by 54Kab
- really?? That does sound bizarre... Especially if your screen wash is OK ?

Re: Headlight wash capped off?

Posted: Sat May 11, 2013 12:15 pm
by topgun35
Screen wash ok , stalk works, lights on. Nothing. I have levered them out, all there and moving freely. Can't work out whats going on!

Re: Headlight wash capped off?

Posted: Sat May 11, 2013 12:22 pm
by topgun35
I understand that they are powered out with water pressure. Mine don't pop out on command, so i am guessing the water is not getting to them, hence the assumption that they may have been capped off at some time?

Re: Headlight wash capped off?

Posted: Sat May 11, 2013 1:02 pm
by Surrey Sam
Sounds like they could be turned off in the control modul coding if everything else seems to be fine. I found the option when trying to deactivate the dribble wipe funtion which is very annoying when motorway driving in salty road conditions.

You'll need VCDS (Vagcom) software and cable to check for this though.

Go to
09 - Central Electrics
Adaption - 10
Channel 13 (Wiper Set Up) - Check the stored value here; try to work out what the stored value gives you against the pop up list. The original value is 115 and if headlight wash has been deactivated someone would have subtracted 32 from the original stored value. You can re-activate by adding 32 to the current value.

Some info here : http://wiki.ross-tech.com/wiki/index.ph ... iper_Setup

Re: Headlight wash capped off?

Posted: Sat May 11, 2013 1:36 pm
by topgun35
Fantastic, thanks, i'll get it checked out.