So, I used the window washers on Monday for the first time on my new to me '04 545. Scared the crap out of me! I have never seen so much water shooting all over the place. When I got home I had my wife sit in the car and hit the washers while I watched to see why my entire hood was flooded with soapy fluid and saw the headlight washers pop up. Holy cows those things put out some serious volume!

Honestly, I can't imagine a time when I will need my headlights washed between car washings here in the Central Valley of California. Is there a way to activate the window washers without the headlight washers doing there thing?

 

Haha.. yah I am too scared to turn them on during traffic stops

I think the trick is pull the Level all the way up and hold it, so only window washer fluid comes out... but u always miss it

 

This topic has been discussed several times in this forum. If I remember well some members decided to pull the fuse in the summer and put it back in the winter.

 

Yeah, did a search, but honestly I haven't seen a thread that had a solid concensus. Some people say the switch is a two stage switch and others say the whole process is based on time while others say it is based on number of switch pulls. Honestly, I never want them to activate. I didn't really need the cold weather package, but it came with the best car for the price (one problem with purchasing a CPO).

 

The headlamps are washed every 10th time the windshield is washed -- as long as the headlights are on.

If you want to avoid washing headlights, you could try switching them while you wash the windshield...

 

Do you know if they activate when the switch is in auto mode, but the lights are not on due to daylight conditions?

 

Ya Thats what I thought... the headlight washers only activate after ever 3 pumps or somthing and only when the headlights are turned on. So either use only 2 pumps or turn off your headlights. That or dont use the washers period like me.

 

I turn off the headlights when I use the window washer, to avoid the hood getting wet

 

Hello,

In fact, I don't know much about US configuration, but at least in EU, I'm sure that headlight washers won't work if lights are currently off (switch off or auto but daylight prevent the headlights to be turned on).
For cars equiped with BMW night vision system, the camera will be sprayed if previous conditions are met.

 

I allways turn off the lights when washing the window. They only work when the lights are switched on.