hay there hows it going? i was just after a bit of advice really, ive only just bought my car and was wondering how/when do the headlight washers work? im not really sure if mine are working correctly i have had the lights on and used the washers but no water coming out of the light washers thay are also not lifting off the bumper. is this a common fault?
Headlight washers
- Thread starter phil-s3-8l
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for them to work you have to have your washer stalk held on for a few seconds, as the headlight washers as powered by water presure and they'll only work if your head lights are on too.
auroan
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Not sure on the A3 but on the A4 there is a seperate pump from the washer bottle to the headlight washers. If its the same on the A3 then I'd check around that area. (fuses, connections etc)
yep they use the same bottle but it is a seperate pump for the headlight washers.
check in your owners manual or on the fusebox cover for the headlight washer fuse. There is a fairly common fault with these that the headlight washer pump will go knackered and lift the fuse if you try and use it.
I have covered this before with part numbers for the replacement pump and connectors etc if you need them.
as mentioned above you need your headlights on and hold the windscreen stalk in for about 3 - 5 seconds. if they have not worked for a while you may need to do this quite a few times to prime the headlight washer hoses/lifters.
check in your owners manual or on the fusebox cover for the headlight washer fuse. There is a fairly common fault with these that the headlight washer pump will go knackered and lift the fuse if you try and use it.
I have covered this before with part numbers for the replacement pump and connectors etc if you need them.
as mentioned above you need your headlights on and hold the windscreen stalk in for about 3 - 5 seconds. if they have not worked for a while you may need to do this quite a few times to prime the headlight washer hoses/lifters.
do all a3/s3's have headlight washers?
i thought they were just blanking plates, as one of mine has come loose and was wondering how to get at it secure it again
i thought they were just blanking plates, as one of mine has come loose and was wondering how to get at it secure it again
all the ones with factory fitted xenons will have headlight washers and automatic levelling, i believe it is a requirement either legally or MOT or something.
yer, i discovered them earlier, went out to the car and was having barrels of fun squirting my headlights with water (how sad am i?) lol
in the thread you linked in that last post a guy said one of his covers had come loose, i have the same problem, it doesnt sit proud but is just loose, can i just pull it up to look see whats broke or will i damage it further?
in the thread you linked in that last post a guy said one of his covers had come loose, i have the same problem, it doesnt sit proud but is just loose, can i just pull it up to look see whats broke or will i damage it further?
thanks guys lot of usefull answers i will have a look at the weekend and see what i can find, hopefully just a simple fix.
I done the same, I even took a video lol.
Regarding the loose covers, before I knew I had washer jets my covers were loose as well so when I was eventually brave enough to lift the covers up to see if I had washers or not. When I put the cover back down and clipped it into place, it sat flush with the bumper and wasn't loose anymore. I haven't done it with the other side yet as I'm still scared I'm going to break it even though I know it won't lol.
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haha mint mate, you should of seen me on my driveway the other day, hitting the wash/wipe then trying to run round the front of the car in time to see them spraying, needless to say i never saw them, was kinda like trying to look at the back of your head in the mirror, you always just miss it!!!
i pulled the loose one up to have a look i think the three securing prongs have opened up slightly causing it to become loose, will have another look soon to see if i can clamp these prongs back together, they are hard to pull up though, even harder to hold them up for any period of time!!
i pulled the loose one up to have a look i think the three securing prongs have opened up slightly causing it to become loose, will have another look soon to see if i can clamp these prongs back together, they are hard to pull up though, even harder to hold them up for any period of time!!
Haha, I bet your neighbours must of thought you were a complete loony. Would of been quite funny to watch though, did you think about getting someone else to do it for you lol.
Hold them up?
Are you lifting the cover up with the washer jets, because mine just clip on n off with the washer jets still recessed in the bumper.
Hold them up?
Are you lifting the cover up with the washer jets, because mine just clip on n off with the washer jets still recessed in the bumper.
they all think that anyway, just adding fuel to fire really 
yer because mine is loose i could (just about) get my fingers under there to lift it up, sounds like i was lucky not to snap it off then!!
i cant even see why its come loose, it was fine one day and not the next, no obvious damage etc
yer because mine is loose i could (just about) get my fingers under there to lift it up, sounds like i was lucky not to snap it off then!!
i cant even see why its come loose, it was fine one day and not the next, no obvious damage etc
i had a quick look at mine the other day before it got too dark, i just lifted them up holding onto the covers to check if they came up alright which they did and to see if they were blocked etc, i will check the fuse and see if thats the problem, but think it may be blocked as the rear washer doesnt have any water coming out either, job for a warm day.
Phil, there is a pump on the front of the washer bottle that is for the headlights wash. it does ONLY the headlights so the rear washer is a seperate issue mucker.
Yeah that's what I was thinking just maybe gotten. Blocked up with crud as I can hear the pump going but nothing coming out will take hoses off at the weekend and have a good look, one of those anoying little jobs that you want resolved but are time consuming lol. Cheers. So the small pump at the front of the washer bottle is for the front lights?
well I am a 2000 APY and don;t know if others are the same but on mine you take off the cover at the left hand side of the engine bay to reveal the washer reservoir, on the front side of that there is a pump sits in a kind of moulded recess in the reservoir with the electrical connector at the top. down near where the pump meets the reservoir there is a connection to a hose that looks very like translucent garden hose roughly 3/4" diameter going off towards the offside front corner down by the first stage intercooler.
To split it all I had front bumper off and there is a connector at that side white plastic with a black plastic clip on it. you remove the clip and the connector can then come apart.
To split it all I had front bumper off and there is a connector at that side white plastic with a black plastic clip on it. you remove the clip and the connector can then come apart.
i have got the headlight washers to work now was just a blown fuse and they were blocked with crud where hadnt been used for ages, thanks
yeah me too wasnt too keen on taking bumper off or anything drastic just to sort out headlight washers
Finally got round to looking into mine as the MOT is approaching and they've not worked since I've had the car. Found a broken jet and that the pump has continuity between the terminals - can't be good.
Getting 12v to the pump at the right time and compressed air opens the nozzles so ordering a new pump on Monday. The jets aren't cheap - you have to buy the whole unit, ouch.
Getting 12v to the pump at the right time and compressed air opens the nozzles so ordering a new pump on Monday. The jets aren't cheap - you have to buy the whole unit, ouch.
Can anyone please confirm whether the front bumper has to be removed to replace headlight washer pump? Also, is a FEBI pump a suitable replacement?
Thanks.
I binned all my headlight washer system ages ago and it recently passed an mot fine. From what i gather if the system isnt there they wont test it and i think many moters dont even know how to operate it lol
My mot place is really strict too also less weight to the already lardy s3 lol
My mot place is really strict too also less weight to the already lardy s3 lol
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The pump is located in the base of the washer bottle. Accessible from the engine bay. It's a fiddle, but just twists 90 degrees and pulls out from memory.
Here is a generic google pic:
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Bumper off job bud, it's much easier to do when you have space and can see everything. The casing on my original motor cracked, so the motor itself popped upwards causing a leak. I've actually repaired it to keep as a spare somewhere. Lol
It was tight but I managed to replace the pump without taking the bumper off.
In case it helps anyone this was how I did it:
Remove left hand engine cover.
Remove electrical connector on pump.
Removed the headlight cover - that made some room.
Twist pump anti-clockwise so hose pipe is clear of the water bottle.
Once clear，gently lift pump and pipe together.
Remove pipe and rubber washer from old pump.
Refit washer to bottle.
Fit pipe to new pump and reinstall in reverse，pushing pump down into rubber washer in washer bottle.
Refil washer fluid and squirt away!
Not much of a guide， but hopefully it helps someone.
In case it helps anyone this was how I did it:
Remove left hand engine cover.
Remove electrical connector on pump.
Removed the headlight cover - that made some room.
Twist pump anti-clockwise so hose pipe is clear of the water bottle.
Once clear，gently lift pump and pipe together.
Remove pipe and rubber washer from old pump.
Refit washer to bottle.
Fit pipe to new pump and reinstall in reverse，pushing pump down into rubber washer in washer bottle.
Refil washer fluid and squirt away!
Not much of a guide， but hopefully it helps someone.
I seem to have a different problem now...
The headlight washers are raising up and I can hear the pump running, but no fluid is coming out either side.
Any suggestions?
The headlight washers are raising up and I can hear the pump running, but no fluid is coming out either side.
Any suggestions?
I think a link is unlikely as they have been working since the new pump was fitted approximately 2 years ago.
I'm thinking blockage, but how can I keep the washers up to check nozzles?
I'm thinking blockage, but how can I keep the washers up to check nozzles?
