subaruturbo_18

The headlight spray on their impreza, or any car with this feature for this matter.


Just had a thought that i have never actually needed it, Apart from to get the girlfriend wet upon walking to the car or other such like activities.


Who finds a use from it?

ScoobyWon't

I always thought you were supposed to aim them to the left and spray them at pedestrians walking by...

corradoboy

If you're gonna do that, remember to use 'natural' water to refill the bottle

DYK

maybe you could get someone to sit in car to activate the headlight wash,and then you could use it as a Bidet

Jer

They do work well in winter when the roads are covered is salt and it's wet and dark.

BOB.T

Dirty girl!

D4VEW557

if the car has xenon lamps (which i dont know if yors does) they have to be fitted by law.

TonyBurns

iTrader: (3)

Found this to be their best use also better than getting out and wiping them down

Tony

JonnyFresh

Mine pump needed unsiezing when I bought my car. I use it at least once a month now just to run the pump. lol.

subaruturbo_18

I can honestly say that i have never thought "oh my lightings a bit dim, better spray the headlamps"

I can also honestly say that i'm amazed with my spelling on the OP, i was battered last night

DYK

HMMM didn't know that.So what about these xenon conversion kits you can get..I take it that poeple who have got rid of the standard lights have not fitted a headlight wash...

TonyBurns

iTrader: (3)

I found this (well cut n pasted )

From the DfT:

December 2006

Aftermarket HID headlamps

In the Department's view it is not legal to sell or use after market HID lighting kits, for converting conventional Halogen headlamps to HID Xenon. If a customer wants to convert his vehicle to Xenon HID he must purchase completely new Xenon HID headlamps. The reason for this is that the existing lens and reflector are designed around a Halogen filament bulb, working to very precise tolerances. If one places a HID "burner" (bulb) in the headlamp, the beam pattern will not be correct, there will be glare in some places and not enough light in other places within the beam pattern.

The following is the legal rationale:

The Road Vehicle Lighting Regulations 1989 regulate the situation in the UK.
Under these Regulations, HID/Gas Discharge/Xenon headlamps are not mentioned and therefore they are not permitted according to the strict letter of the law.

However new vehicles have HID headlamps. This is because they comply to European type approval Regulations. The UK cannot refuse to register a vehicle with a European type approval. These are to ECE Regulation 98 (for the HID headlamps which are tested on a rig in a laboratory) and ECE Regulation 48 (Lighting Installation on the vehicle).

For the after market, a used vehicle cannot obtain type approval because it is only applicable for new vehicles. However we feel that saying "HID is banned in the after market" would not be reasonable. Instead we should make analogies with new vehicles. It would be reasonable to require HID in the after market to meet the same safety standards as on new vehicles. The same level of safety should apply.

Therefore a HID headlamp unit sold in the after market should:

1. be type approved to ECE Regulation 98 as a component.

2. when fitted to the vehicle should enable ECE Regulation 48 to be complied with (although no government inspection will take place).

3. Comply with RVLR as far as "use" is concerned.
In practice this means:

1. The headlamp unit (outer lens, reflector, bulb) shall be type approved to ECE 98 and be "e-marked" to demonstrate this. That can only be done by the headlamp supplier - Hella, Valeo etc. who must test the headlamp in an independent laboratory.

2. Once fitted to the vehicle it must have headlamp cleaning and self-levelling (which can be for the headlamp or can be in the vehicle suspension - some expensive estate cars have "self-levelling suspension" and that is adequate). Also the dipped beam must stay on with the main beam.

3. The headlamp must be maintained in good working order, kept clean, and aligned/adjusted correctly like any other headlamp.

Under the Road Traffic Act 1988 it is an offence to supply, fit or use vehicle parts which are not legal.

In summary it is not permitted to convert an existing halogen headlamp unit for use with HID bulbs. The entire headlamp unit must be replaced with one designed and approved for use with HID bulbs and it must be installed in accordance with the rules stated above.


If you require any further information regarding the regulations covered by this fact sheet, please contact the DfT at the address below:

Transport Technology and Standards 6
Department for Transport
Zone 2/04
Great Minster House
76 Marsham Street Telephone: 020 7944 2078
London Fax: 020 7944 2196
SW1P 4DR Email: TTS.enquiries@dft.gsi.gov.uk


Tony

D4VEW557

its a good question and one i dont know the answer to. i would think that they should fit them.

i can't remember why they have to have them but they do with the exception of one car and i think it was the clio v6 but to be fair my memory is a bit crap and it was a few year ago i did the trainning on xenon lamps


that was a very informative answer mr burns

DYK

Interesting bit of info that,as alot of people i take it are buying these xenon converter kits for modding/upgrading ..

f1_fan

iTrader: (9)

I use them for 'cleaning' cyclists

Joke btw for the hard of thinking

boomer

Sadly my current car doesn't have headlight washers, but there were very useful on my old MY00!

When some brain-dead moron is tailgating you and you have nowhere to go, a quick squirt of the washers (even when correctly aligned) sends a stream of water droplets down the side of your car, into the rear turbulent air, and straight into the windscreen of the impatient following car.

Because your windscreen is not affected, they haven't got a clue where it came from and will typically drop back and wash/wipe their own windscreen.

Keep repeating until said moron gets the message (or your water bottle is empty )

mb

scud8

iTrader: (1)

The legal requirement is in ECE Reg 48 which says that any headlight that generates more than 2000 lumens must have a washer. I'm not sure why this is, but I guessing it is to stop water beading or dirt on the lense scattering too much light and dazzling other road users. Any car that doesn't meet this requirement is not type approved to run on UK roads and could result in a hefty fine.

poo2y

iTrader: (2)

What about my JDM blobeye ? That has HID lights as std but no washers or self levelling , how do I prove they are std fitment and correct for the car, does the sva cover this or am I in line for a big fine if pulled or an MOT fail ?

Timwinner

iTrader: (3)

The main thing I use them for is to annoy tailgaters. The spray tends to go around and up onto cars behind if they are traveling to close.
I have never used them for cleaning my lights but I might give it a shot when the gritters come out this year.

will_wrx

I like telling people there is something wrong with my headlights and getting them to have a look while I turn them on, which actually means get them wet!

I have HID's on my 2005 WRX for the past 2 years now and had no problems with MOT or police.

scud8

iTrader: (1)

I honestly don't know, but I would have expected them to pick this up on the SVA. I suspect you will be okay as most of the people that get pulled have obviously fitted aftermarket kits that are not matched to their lens so are throwing light all over the place. Just make sure you set the headlight levels appropriately for the load you are carrying.

SwissTony

iTrader: (19)

I found a use for them. I routed some piping from the washer bottle and so it fed the normal ones but it also fed these





FMIC water sprays

GlesgaKiss

Does the spray not make it go faster? Something to do with spraying hot water on the intercooler? Why would that be mounted in front of the headlights?

Henrik

iTrader: (5)

Getting back on topic for a sec, if I may

They're probably not hugely useful in the UK for the most part, but if you're driving in winter in e.g. scandinavia, you get *lots* of brown/gray grime on your car - it's so bad it can almost block your head lights.

I can tell you from experience that it's not nice to get out of the car to clean the headlights when it's 0 degrees, windy and raining/snowing, so most people don't bother. Ergo you get lots of cars driving around with rubbish lights.

So how does this affect the UK then? Well, it's the EU innit - one rule everywhere

Well, the above is my theory anyway.

D4VEW557

surely that problem applys to all head lamps though not just xenon

Henrik

iTrader: (5)

Sure, but as conventional headlights have been around far longer, it might be harder to introduce new legislation around their use and requirements.

I don't know when the first HID cars were sold, but maybe the EU type approval thingy predates the first HID cars, in which case there wouldn't be any confusion about what standards a light has to meet, as there's only one.

I'm just guessing btw