Can I turn off washer jets for the headlights?

[smillion]

At this time of year I find myself cleaning the windscreen of flies etc. After the pre-requisite number of windscreen cleans the jets activate on the headlights covering the front of my lovely black SL350 with the fluid, which then dries to leave watermarks etc.

Does anyone know whether I can turn this off? I've researched and can't find any answer.

Marc

 

[E53AMG]

At this time of year I find myself cleaning the windscreen of flies etc. After the pre-requisite number of windscreen cleans the jets activate on the headlights covering the front of my lovely black SL350 with the fluid, which then dries to leave watermarks etc.

Does anyone know whether I can turn this off? I've researched and can't find any answer.

Marc

I thought by default they only operate when the lights are on?

Mercedes SL500 R231

 

[Petrol Pete]

I thought by default they only operate when the lights are on?

Mercedes SL500 R231

Me too .

 

[smillion]

I thought by default they only operate when the lights are on?

Mercedes SL500 R231

Thats a start. Thank you

 

[SCRL]

Is there a fuse you can just pull? I did this in a previous car because I hated how quickly the headlight washers exhausted the fluid reservoir. Garage reported them as non-functional the first service after, but after I explained they never did again and I ran the car for 10 years that way.

 

[MercedesDriver]

According to DM (yes,I know) if you switch off or if headlight washers don’t work it’s MOT fail. This applies only if SL is registered after 1/9/2009

 

[Petrol Pete]

According to DM (yes,I know) if you switch off or if headlight washers don’t work it’s MOT fail. This applies only if SL is registered after 1/9/2009

And isn't it because all (Bi) Xenon headlamps have to have washers by law ??

 

[markjay]

And isn't it because all (Bi) Xenon headlamps have to have washers by law ??

EU regulations say that headlamp washers are required if the light output is above a certain threshold (from memory 3000 Lumens).

Xenon HIDs fall in this category.

 

[MercedesDriver]

And isn't it because all (Bi) Xenon headlamps have to have washers by law ??

No, it’s because DM says so, so it must be true.

 

[Petrol Pete]

Is there a fuse you can just pull? I did this in a previous car because I hated how quickly the headlight washers exhausted the fluid reservoir. Garage reported them as non-functional the first service after, but after I explained they never did again and I ran the car for 10 years that way.

Yup . Had this with Vauxhall Omega Elite back in the day, apparently the washer bottle was the same on all models so no provision was made for extra capacity for dual nozzle headlamp jets that sprayed every time you sprayed the windshield (lights on, not intelligent counting system) In the wrong conditions the tank would be empty in a few hours of driving. I took to momentarily switching my headlamps off when spraying crud from windshield to save fluid Desperate times

 

[MercedesDriver]

EU regulations say that headlamp washers are required if the light output is above a certain threshold (from memory 3000 Lumens).

Xenon HIDs fall in this category.

I’ll get my coat.

 

[Wolfie1]

I know on range rover, jags if the bottle is below a certain amount it stops the h lamp washers working, do mercs have a similair design

 

[stephenmercedes]

I love my vintage W203, the headlamp washers only work when I press the headlamp washer button - it never gets pressed! (apart for MOT because of xenon headlamps)

 

[Petrol Pete]

I love my vintage W203, the headlamp washers only work when I press the headlamp washer button - it never gets pressed! (apart for MOT because of xenon headlamps)

What year is your W203 C class ? mine is a 2006 and also has the button on the dash. Others who have posted on here in the past do not have the button and their cars spray the lights X amount of times per windshield wash. I thought mine (ours) were the same and the button was for when you needed an extra blast ???

 

[stephenmercedes]

What year is your W203 C class ? mine is a 2006 and also has the button on the dash. Others who have posted on here in the past do not have the button and their cars spray the lights X amount of times per windshield wash. I thought mine (ours) were the same and the button was for when you needed an extra blast ???

It's an old 2001 model, separate button. I hate cars that think they are smarter than you! LOL

 

[Petrol Pete]

Mine is exactly the same. Yours is an 01 C240 and mine an 06 C55 AMG which was £50K when new so there would have been a massive price difference between them back then but they share the same useful feature that appears to be missing from many MB cars in-between ? What I don't like is the fact that this switch cluster does not illuminate, Almost every car I have had the light switch cluster illuminates.

 

[Uky]

Previous car: C207 M/Y 2010 with H7 headlights also had this automatic annoying feature.
Seems that it is not limited to Xenon versions.

 

[Codger49]

Think you will find W203 and W209s automatically wash headlights every 15 presses of the windscreen wash button. As the counter resets each time ignition is switched off, its likely you will not see this on many journeys.

Around 2007, MB changed this to be every 7 (or so) windscreen washes.