Headlight Washers Not Functional... Advice?

[cornercarver]

I noticed there's no spray coming off the headlights when I hit the windshield washer, which I assume is a malfunction.

Is the function electrical or pressure-activated?

Any advice for things to check? Bad hose? Stuck nozzles?

TIA

[danewilson77]

Don't fogs need to be on as well?

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[nextelbuddy]

Headlight washers only activate when the headlights are on and you are activating the washer system by lever the first time after the car is started.

example...

start car---> turn headlights on--->pull back on windshield washer stalk----> headlight washers should activate and spray 3 times. they will not activate again until you turn the ignition off and back on.

if you do the above process and you HEAR the main loud pump for the headlight washers but nothing is coming out then you most likely have a bad pump or a leak somewhere. it is purely pressure from the pump that forces them to pup out.

[cornercarver]

I had no idea...

So you can't activate them while driving? It has to be right after startup? That's useless. The times when they need to be washed are usually after driving for a while where road grime/salt/crap accumulates. When I start it up in my garage, they are clean!

Ok. Will check that... I don't think I've ever hit the windshield washer right after startup.

Thanks.

[JPMo]

I thought they will activate as long as the headlights are on and pull the windshield washer stalk 3 times

[BMWCurves]

I will add to the potential misinformation and thought that the headlight washers only deploy on every 5th wiper stalk pull.

[cornercarver]

I will add to the potential misinformation and thought that the headlight washers only deploy on every 5th wiper stalk pull.

An ‘E46 friend’ of mine said the same thing; every fifth pull.

I tried all variations of the above and saw no headlight wash action, so I need to dig into it a bit more. And after seeing that new pumps are $91 I think I’m going to procrastinate a bit on this one.

[az3579]

I will add to the potential misinformation and thought that the headlight washers only deploy on every 5th wiper stalk pull.

This is correct. At least this is what mine did before I disabled the system with malice.

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[JPMo]

An ‘E46 friend’ of mine said the same thing; every fifth pull.

I tried all variations of the above and saw no headlight wash action, so I need to dig into it a bit more. And after seeing that new pumps are $91 I think I’m going to procrastinate a bit on this one.

$91!?!? was that from the dealership? I just bought one from FCP Euro for $16 + new filter for $10. It was Febi brand, an OEM supplier

[cornercarver]

$91 was from Bav auto; OEM BMW pump. There are definitely alternative options... I just don’t know which would be of comparable quality.