Headlight Washers on W212

[mbenz76]

Have any 212 owners actually seen their headlight washers working?

Just not sure if mine are. I know they only spray once for every 10 sprays of the windscreen (or something similar) but I imagine it would be the first spray rather than one at random.

On my old car I used to see a mist blast from the lights and hear it but nothig on this car. I am also not convinced my lights have been sprayed as they look as dirty as the rest of the front

So do other 212 owners see/hear the lights being sprayed? I don't know if activating while stood outside would help as not sure if they only activate when moving or not.

Just been to MB the other day so could have mentioned it if I'd thought on, but only really thought about it today.

Thanks.

 

[splang]

Just turn the engine on and keep doing very small bursts of front windscreen washers and lo - about 12 sprays in the front headlights get a double spray - you can see the spray and hear the motor if you are not moving....

make sure you are inside and the doors are closed or it might not do it to avoid you getting wet!

S

 

[Diesel Benz]

A stupid question: do you have headlight washers? Option code 600 in the data card.

 

[mbenz76]

Just turn the engine on and keep doing very small bursts of front windscreen washers and lo - about 12 sprays in the front headlights get a double spray - you can see the spray and hear the motor if you are not moving....

make sure you are inside and the doors are closed or it might not do it to avoid you getting wet!

S

The 12th try! That seems a lot and is probably why I have never seen them. i will do some testing later. Thanks.

 

[mbenz76]

A stupid question: do you have headlight washers? Option code 600 in the data card.

Standard on all Xenon-lighted cars by law I think.

 

[C240Sport97]

don't you have a separate button to press to activate the headlight wash?

 

[steve_w]

They operate once in every ten activations of the windscreen washers provided the lights are on.
The counter is reset to 0 when the ignition is switched off.
I think I've only seen mine work once in normal operation.

 

[mbenz76]

So it is randomly once every 10 sprays? That would explain why I neer notice it - rarely spray more than a couple of times per journey even when lots of spray. Normally just hold back or position myself to avoid the worst.

Going to have a play on the way home and see if I can activate them

 

[camerafodder]

My view on headlamp washers is that they're like your own ar$eh0le, you never get to see them in action yourself!

 

[mbenz76]

Just tried it. It did it on the 10th spray! Seemed like two seperate blasts. At least I know it works - seems odd not to do it on spray 1 though and then wait until 11 before doing it again.

 

[st4]

I had a 212 on loan and could here the headlight wash system work on it. Its a shame its automatic. The 211 system where you had a separate button for headlight wash was ideal as every 12 washes of the screen is excessive. In 15k miles I have never used it and the lights are fine. The 212 will guzzle washer fluid in comparison.

 

[Pappilo]

Mine does it on the first press. I hate it though becuase the liquid goes everywhere and leaves the car very dirty. When I need to clean my windscreen and because you cant switch of the headlight, I just switch it to parking light when it is safe to do so before I press to avoid the headlight washer activating.

 

[mbenz76]

Agree about it going everywhere. I used to get that in my last car where the washers activated every spray of the windscreen!

 

[Diesel Benz]

Standard on all Xenon-lighted cars by law I think.

True. But the law does not mandate people to mention they have Xenon lights when they ask things at the forum.

 

[Diesel Benz]

don't you have a separate button to press to activate the headlight wash?

A shame MB abandoned the separate control button. Personally I feel it is not only convenience but also a safety issue. One would not want to block visibility when headlight washers blind lights momentarily, just when one is struggling with windscreen visibility.