ok, the headlight washers can make a mess, but are they useful?

[Magna]

Trying to figure out if the headlight washers are gimmicky, nice to have, or a necessity.

Any stories/experiences when after using the headlight washers you could see significantly better than before? I recall reading somewhere that the washers benefit xenon lights more than halogen. Halogens are better able to penetrate through a film of dirt versus xenons, thus the washers are needed more if you have xenons.

Thanks for any feedback!!

[FireFly]

Trying to figure out if the headlight washers are gimmicky, nice to have, or a necessity.

Any stories/experiences when after using the headlight washers you could see significantly better than before? I recall reading somewhere that the washers benefit xenon lights more than halogen. Halogens are better able to penetrate through a film of dirt versus xenons, thus the washers are needed more if you have xenons.

Thanks for any feedback!!

I have Xenons with HL washers and live in NH and have never, ever needed the washers. In fact, the only time I have ever needed washers was when it was snowing so damn hard it was crusting up around my headlights on my SUV. This was during the day so I did not need the lights on and if it were at night, I would not have been on the road due to limited/no visibility.

There is an easy way to disconnect the washers- they are a real PITA and make a mess when left hooked up. It is easy for me to re-connect them in the event I absolutely must use them.

[LmtdSlip]

FWIW...I have never had headlight washers on any car I have owned.

But I have never been in a situation where I wished I had them either...
So in my estimation they are gimmacky and not worth any upcharge for having them.

[Desertnate]

I don't know about the ones used by BMW, but I had them on my '93 Accord wagon when I lived in the UK.

I found them to be totaly worthless. There, they salt the roads to prevent frost accumulating on the smooth asphalt and in the rural areas there are no shoulders on the roads, so large trucks suck the mud and gravel up off the edges and scatter it all over the roads in a fine layer. What you end up with is a nasy beige yuck that accumulates all over the front of the car. I went through washer fluid like it was water. In the drive to and from work I could accumulate a large ammount of this nasty material and would have to use the wind screen washers frequently if I was in traffic. I would use the headlight washers as well, but they only seemed to make a big mess all over the lights grill and hood, but never had the ablility to get any of the stoff off of the lights.

The only way I see them being any good is if you combine them with small wipers like the older Volvo's and Mercedes used to (or still do on the Merc M-Class right?).

[Alex Baumann]

BTW, headlight washers are obligatory according to the German Transportation Law, if the vehicles are equipped with Xenon headlights.

[rwg]

The only time I found them useful was with xenons - sometimes they had the ability to keep the ice off the headlights. B/c xenons don't get as hot as halogens or conventional bulbs, they don't burn ice and snow off as well.

I wouldn't order them as a seperate option. Especially living in so cal.

[Magna]

BTW, headlight washers are obligatory according to the German Transportation Law, if the vehicles are equipped with Xenon headlights.

Hi Alex, what's the reason for HL washers for xenons but not halogens, according to German Transportation Law?

[Freaky_Monkey]

what's the reason for HL washers for xenons but not halogens, according to German Transportation Law?
It's a European rule, to reduce glare. If your Xenon's get encrusted in a fine layer of dirt, the light tends to bounce off the dirt in the wrong direction, resulting in increased glare for oncoming traffic

[BlackChrome]

I will never get a CWP again as I only use the heated seats (didn't have a choice because it's a CPO car). Headlight washers are pretty much useless for me.

[swindonhost]

I don't know about the ones used by BMW, but I had them on my '93 Accord wagon when I lived in the UK.

I found them to be totaly worthless. There, they salt the roads to prevent frost accumulating on the smooth asphalt and in the rural areas there are no shoulders on the roads, so large trucks suck the mud and gravel up off the edges and scatter it all over the roads in a fine layer. What you end up with is a nasy beige yuck that accumulates all over the front of the car. I went through washer fluid like it was water. In the drive to and from work I could accumulate a large ammount of this nasty material and would have to use the wind screen washers frequently if I was in traffic. I would use the headlight washers as well, but they only seemed to make a big mess all over the lights grill and hood, but never had the ablility to get any of the stoff off of the lights.

The only way I see them being any good is if you combine them with small wipers like the older Volvo's and Mercedes used to (or still do on the Merc M-Class right?).


I tend to agree, i'm in the uk and I found the old E30 with blades to be considerably better at wiping dirt than the high pressure jets on either my 330 or X5, on the down side they were not too reliable and in the 215,000 miles it covered I put 3 motors per side.
My X5 lights never look clean unless I hit them with a sponge

[Salvator]

I'll stand up for headlight washers! Yes, they make a mess, but in the winter weather we have been having lately (and thus the required application of nasty chemicals) they seem to do a good job of cleaning my lights... I definitely notice an increase in the quality of the light in front of the car... That being said, I have Xenons, so maybe they are of less benefit with halogens. In addition, they are excellent for getting tail-gaters off of your rear-end, for those that have that problem... ;)

[BlackChrome]

...In addition, they are excellent for getting tail-gaters off of your rear-end, for those that have that problem... ;)
Oh, please tell me more! :D

[FireFly]

Oh, please tell me more! :D

They work great for this application :)
But now mine are disconnected so I'd have to connect them each tiem I thought I'd need them.

[Desertnate]

They work great for this application :)
But now mine are disconnected so I'd have to connect them each tiem I thought I'd need them.

Do they cause more overspray than your windshield jets? :dunno:

On my Honda the overspay would alway hit about mid-windshield and would never reach a tailgater.

[Andy]

There is an easy way to disconnect the washers- they are a real PITA and make a mess when left hooked up. It is easy for me to re-connect them in the event I absolutely must use them.

FireFly,

Please explain how you disconnected them. I would like to do the same.

Thanks,
Andy

[FireFly]

Yes- they spray to the sides so anyone near you gets a good soaking.

Andy- It actually works and does not impact your regular spray jets:

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=29374&highlight=headlight+washer

After I disconnected, I applied electrical tape so dirt/moisture would not get on either end.

[Andy]

Yes- they spray to the sides so anyone near you gets a good soaking.

Andy- It actually works and does not impact your regular spray jets:

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=29374&highlight=headlight+washer

After I disconnected, I applied electrical tape so dirt/moisture would not get on either end.


Wow, that is easy!! :D Thanks!!

[FireFly]

Wow, that is easy!! :D Thanks!!

I doubted it at first but it works. I'll re-connect for my next snowboarding trip.

[jw]

FWIW, I always thought they were a gimmick until this year. We've had tons of road salt and a few ice storms. Recently, I was noticing poor visibility while on a back road. I hit the washers and boom... bright light! Worked like a champ. I was impressed.

[Salvator]

Oh, please tell me more! :D

Others have already responded, but the point is the same... When driving at a reasonable clip, the spray goes up, out and around, and tends to inundate the vehicle behind you... and since they fire twice, the offending driver tends to back off at the onset of the second blast. And, at least from a guilty pleasure standpoint, there is no "road rage" involved as you are only cleaning your headlights... if they weren't following you so closely, it wouldn't be an issue... ;)

[Salvator]

Yes- they spray to the sides so anyone near you gets a good soaking.

Andy- It actually works and does not impact your regular spray jets:

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=29374&highlight=headlight+washer

After I disconnected, I applied electrical tape so dirt/moisture would not get on either end.

Seems like it would be easy to hide a switch under you dash which would interrupt the circuit you have disconnected (instead of disconnecting it). Switch up, tail-gater-sprayer armed... Switch down, sprayer disabled... :D