Windscreen washer delay...

[perazzi]

I flick for water, just a splash, and wait till the pump summons fluid from the reservoir. A second passes and water arrives in a bloosh! Between flicking and water arriving I've now learned to modulate the amount of intermediary mini-flicks to summon just a splash. Then the frigging headlamp skooshers activate!

Rinse and repeat... What's wrong with fitting a simple (as the 8P had) non return valve in the line somewhere - that way there'd be water on demand when you flick, without all the finger ballet?!!


Or is it just mine?

 

[veeeight]

There is more of a delay if you're stationary, compared with if you're on the move.

 

[HawkeyeS3]

Nope, mine does it as well. Very annoying. And of course with the lights on, it washes the lights twice. Why?

 

[RichardT]

Mmm... mine don't have a delay - seem to work fine.

 

[Wondering Soul]

Delay here to! Have to press it quickly a few times to draw the fluid out without activating the damn headlamp washers!

 

[DJAlix]

If you have access to VCDS the Headlight washer interval can be adjusted. From factory the Headlight washers are set to function every 8 stalk pulls. The delay time of the operation can be adjusted also, factory setting being 1000ms. It would seem the reason they spray twice is because there are also settings controlling this. There are a number of Windshield Wiper adaptations but none relating to delay times that I can make out.

I think it's been setup this way as if you have Auto Wipers you have to leave the stalk un the first position and therefore you have to pull the stalk in order to do a single "manual" wipe as opposed to non Auto where you tap down.

 

[Simon L]

Nope, no such problems here. Half a second pull on the stick, perfect amount of windscreen goody-juice, a few flicks from the wipers and it's a perfect non-streak finish every time

.........I swear some of guys make this stuff up!! lol

 

[veeeight]

Try doing it when you're sat at the traffic lights, with your headlights on.

And timing the squirts to squirt in between wipes.

Then come back and tell us we're making things up

 

[Simon L]

Try doing it when you're sat at the traffic lights, with your headlights on.

And timing the squirts to squirt in between wipes.

Then come back and tell us we're making things up

.....some of us clean our cars occasionally V8 !!

 

[veeeight]

Hmmm. I think I last washed mine in Jul 2015

 

[Simon L]

Hmmm. I think I last washed mine in Jul 2015

.......and all those cross-country pizza deliveries yer doing, the poor old wipers don't stand a bleedin chance!!

 

[veeeight]

It gets washed once a year, whether it needs it or not

 

[Blackwhite]

It gets washed once a year, whether it needs it or not

The birds are painting a masterpiece on it!
(It must be glacier white by now)

 

[Boydie]

Experiencing this as well now that i am doing more miles for work in my 2014 S3

At any speed, I pull the tab for jets, I hear the pump activate, wipers wipe 2 times then eventually water comes. If i repeat this process immediately after letting go, water instantly.

So my theory is that the water in the line is returning to tank once the pump turns off, is there a non return valve in the pump or line that could be broken?

 

[The_Ironist]

Mine work really well. A single flick forward of the stalk, about a second later jets fire for a suitable amount of time then probably 3 passes of the wipers, all automated, usually clears what’s there. Can’t fault it really.

Obviously big bugs can take a bit more work/holding the stalk forward.

If this isn’t your experience you’ve probably got a blockage or you’re flicking it too much

 

[Ron240]

Its funny how threads that you never knew existed get highlighted by being resurrected.
My washers work great.
I flick the stalk forward and release it very quickly....then a second or two later(have never actually timed it) the washers activate for a set duration just before the wipers sweep 3 times(I'm sure its 3 and not 2). If I am travelling at speed there will be a further single wipe after a few seconds. This does not happen if I am at town speed.
I usually do not want my headlight washers to activate, so what I do is very quickly flick off my lights before pulling the stalk then have them back on again before the washers have even activated(my front and read DRL are always on so this is not a problem). I am working on the assumption that the headlight washers will only ever activate if the headlights are on, and not purely on a set number of activation cycle.
I think this is my first car to have 6 individual washer jets, and only the second to have them hidden below the bonnet.

 

[RichardT]

I think my final wipe (after a slight delay) activates at all speeds.

 

[Ron240]

I think my final wipe (after a slight delay) activates at all speeds.

Maybe its not speed related then, but linked to how long you hold the stalk before releasing it.
I usually only give a very quick flick of the stalk, but maybe when at motorway speeds I am inadvertently holding it longer, because this is definitely the only time I get the single delayed wipe after the initial 3.

 

[AlS3BE]

Experiencing this as well now that i am doing more miles for work in my 2014 S3

At any speed, I pull the tab for jets, I hear the pump activate, wipers wipe 2 times then eventually water comes. If i repeat this process immediately after letting go, water instantly.

So my theory is that the water in the line is returning to tank once the pump turns off, is there a non return valve in the pump or line that could be broken?

The screenwash is just evaporating in the lines. Can’t really stop it. It’s warm under the bonnet and the line on one end supplies screenwash and the other end is just a hole where the jets are so it can escape.
Other thing is the water jets are heated so the delay could be car letting heater warm up before water starts squirting.

 

[JohnM100]

I think my final wipe (after a slight delay) activates at all speeds.

My FL doesn’t do a front teardrop wipe but my PFL did. Might have to have a look with VCDS.

I was regularly setting off the headlight washers on my FL as I am sure the delay before water comes out is longer then PFL (which also had headlight washers). Now I just flick the stalk towards me and release instantly (and before the screenwash pump has even started).

 

[josul]

This is the way I understand it from owning both;

PFL cars hold washer stalk forward for water. Cleans headlights when lights are on after x number of windscreen washes, I think this was 7 but could be wrong although I am sure it can be changed with VCDS.

FL cars flick stalk forward and a set amount of water will hit the windscreen along with 3 wipes followed by a teardrop wipe. To wash the lights hold the stalk forward with lights on.

The rear on the sport back works in a similar way, no need to hold for water.

FL method saves a load of filling.

 

[Ron240]

I was curious about the extra single wipe so tried it this morning on my way to work.
Cruising ar 70mph it gives the usual 3 wipes then the delayed single wipe.
Shortly after I was in town at 30mph and it gives the 3 wipes but no extra single wipe.
Both times I made sure sure to only give my normal quick flick of the stalk.

 

[AJB]

At any speed, I pull the tab for jets, I hear the pump activate, wipers wipe 2 times then eventually water comes. If i repeat this process immediately after letting go, water instantly.

So my theory is that the water in the line is returning to tank once the pump turns off, is there a non return valve in the pump or line that could be broken?

Mine is exactly the same (2013 sportback), but it's been like that since new. I've always assumed there's deliberately no non-return valve rather than it being broken, but I've never been certain! My only theory was that they deliberately let it drain back so there's no chance of it freezing in the pipes...

At first I found it really annoying, but I'm completely used to it now and don't really notice any more.

 

[Boydie]

I have had the car for nearly 3 years and only started noticing it since my daily commute is now 60 miles compared to 16 town miles

 

[Sparks43]

Its funny how threads that you never knew existed get highlighted by being resurrected.
My washers work great.
I flick the stalk forward and release it very quickly....then a second or two later(have never actually timed it) the washers activate for a set duration just before the wipers sweep 3 times(I'm sure its 3 and not 2). If I am travelling at speed there will be a further single wipe after a few seconds. This does not happen if I am at town speed.
I usually do not want my headlight washers to activate, so what I do is very quickly flick off my lights before pulling the stalk then have them back on again before the washers have even activated(my front and read DRL are always on so this is not a problem). I am working on the assumption that the headlight washers will only ever activate if the headlights are on, and not purely on a set number of activation cycle.
I think this is my first car to have 6 individual washer jets, and only the second to have them hidden below the bonnet.

If you do a quick flick the same as flashing your headlights the headlight washers don't go but if you hold the stalk on a little longer they do - That way you don't have to keep turning your headlights off