Failed MOT on headlight washers ??

[firstmercedes]

My trusty steed, 11 plate C class just failed MOT as headlight washers not working.
Okay, have to admit that although owning the car for a few years, didn't even realise I had headlight washers as I need to clean them every few weeks.
The mechanic who made the fail was genuinely apologetic and showed me the panels on the front that apparently open and squirt water onto the headlights when the windscreen wash is pressed. He suggested an electrical fail which will need to be checked.
Does this sound right?

 

[markjay]

I would check the relevant fuse, or relay....

 

[markjay]

That said, on some models the headlight washers do not work all the time.

On some, they only work every x number of wiper operations. On others, they only work when the headlamps are switchrd on. Etc. Check the manual to see under what conditions the headlight washer should work.

 

[Sam87]

Make sure screen wash is topped up to the max. Tun the headlights on and on some mercedes they only pop out after the 10th time of spraying the windscreen

 

[Smiley]

Mine operate every 5 times that the screen wash is operated with the headlights switched on.

 

[cbmsys]

If they don't exist, they can't fail the test. Remove the button and the mechanism from under the bumper. Fix the flaps in place so they don't move.

 

[Doodle]

I'm presuming your C-class has Xenons or LEDs, otherwise it's classified as only a minor fault and therefore not grounds for a fail.

 

[stevenicks]

I was of the opinion that if they are fitted they have to work to pass the Mot. Alternatively they must be removed. I think I'm right.

 

[baxlin]

I was of the opinion that if they are fitted they have to work to pass the Mot. Alternatively they must be removed. I think I'm right.

You probably are, but I believe with some headlight types, as Doodle inferred in post #7, they are obligatory, so shouldn’t/can’t be removed.

 

[Martyn_n]

I understand that they are only tested if you have HD / Xenon lights and it's a fail if they don't work due to the risk of dazzle, same goes for self leveling of the headlights. Even if they are fitted to Halogen lights they don't need to work.

 

[Germgh0st]

I understand that they are only tested if you have HD / Xenon lights and it's a fail if they don't work due to the risk of dazzle, same goes for self leveling of the headlights. Even if they are fitted to Halogen lights they don't need to work.

I believe this is the case too. If you have ordinary halogen headlamps then washers and levelling systems aren't required and I'm not sure it's actually a requirement that they work for that type of headlamp If you have xenons or LED lights though they are a requirement and need to work.

 

[markjay]

ECE compliance, MOT requirements, and passing an MOT are three different things.

Re compliance, for example having ABS or ESP or DPF is only compulsory on cars from a certain year onwards, however a car will fail MOT if these were originally fitted but now malfunction (or removed). So a car fail an MOT due to failure of a component that is fitted even if it isn't mandatory to have it under ECE compliance (or wasn't mandatory at the time the car was first registered).

Re MOT requirements, the car needs to meet these requirements, obviously.

Re MOT pass, the fact that the car passed an MOT is not necessarily proof that it is roadworthy. A modification that can't be detected during a MOT test, but would have failed the MOT if it was detected, still renders the car 'unroadworthy'. In short, the fact that a modification or a fault can't be detected in an MOT test, is not proof that it is legal or that the car is roadworthy - we often get here people who claim that the modification they have made is legal because 'the car passed its MOT' - a good example is Video-in-Motion, or LED conversion with the correct beam and light spread - these won't fail the car at an MOT test, but the car will still be illegal and unroadworthy respectively.

Just an academic discussion....

More to the point, I suspect that an MOT tester will test the headlamp washers if fitted, regardless of whether they were mandatory for the model at the time of first registration. Would it be a fail or an advisory, is a different question.

 

[keith of kent]

My 2010 S212 had Zenons and headlamp washers. My 2015 S212 has Intelligent LED's and no headlight washers.
If the reason that Zenon equiped cars need washers is that their bright headlamps might dazzle if dirty, how do my LED ones not need washers?
Can anyone explain that?
(Car is as it came from the factory, not modified)

 

[Bert_W164]

Make sure screen wash is topped up to the max. Tun the headlights on and on some mercedes they only pop out after the 10th time of spraying the windscreen

Good shout, mine only operate if the washer fluid is healthy, before the top up light comes on, the headlight sprays stop activating when pressed.

Hopefully it's as simple as this for you.

 

[bob6600]

I would definitely make sure they are present. Post your VIN (or reg), one of us can check if it has washers present.

 

[renault12ts]

Mine have never been tested on any car...even with Xenon.

 

[alzieboy]

Last year my 2013 E Coupe failed MOT with washers, I had to explain to him that they only work on the 5th pull on the stork with headlight on.
Proceeded to show him that it was how they indeed worked,
He then stated “ I don’t know everything “ then gave me a pass .

 

[markjay]

As far as I know ECE regulations stipulate that cars with headlamps brighter than 2,000 Lumens require washers.

My 2016 Suzuki has LED headlamps and no washers.

 

[markjay]

Good explanation here:

International Homepage of OSRAM | Light is OSRAM

Osram offers innovative and sustainable lighting solutions. The product portfolio of Osram ranges from modules, LED lamps and luminaires to light management systems.

www.carlightblog.com

 

[Doodle]

As far as I know EU regulations stipulate that cars with headlamps brighter than 3,000 Lumen require washers.

My 2016 Suzuki has LED headlamps and no washers.

Neither does my Leon. I believe they claim that each LED element is separate, so individually none of them are over the regulated value.