Does anyone know how to keep the headlight washers from activating when I use the windshield washers? They come on if I wash my windshield while the headlights are on. It is anoying since it leaves spray all over the hood.

 

Just turn off the headlights, then they won't come on.

 

Not too smart as I am driving down the road in the dark.

I figure there has to be a way to make them only work when the headlight washer button is pressed and not when I activate the windshield washers.

 

Then the answer is no! You can always take out the fuse.

 

Had the same experience on my Audi A4.

I never was able to figure away around it. When it was real salty out in the winter I didn’t care if the headlamp washers came on when I washed the windows cuz the car was a mess anyway and you can never have your lights too clean in that weather.

On the rare occasion in the summer when the car was cleaned and detailed to the max if there was some reason I needed to clean the windows I would always find a safe place to pull over shut the lights off and clean.

Not perfect, but that's what I did

TripleL

 

That's crap. Oh well. I am going to ask the service department about it when I go in for my 5k service. Maybe they will have figured something out.
Thanks for the responses guys.

 

How often do you have to wash your windshield when the skies are clear outside? At night, I don't remember using it. Also, I don't yet have my car but in the MB or BMW the headlamp washers come on only after your third (or perhaps fourth) squeeze for the wash. If you do three and stop, the washers don't come on. Have you tried doing one or two squirts to see if the HW still comes on?

 

The headlamp washers on the IS activate the first time you wash your windshield after turning the lights on.
I guess there must be a relay somewhere that perhaps can be rewired/unplugged?

 

Mine don't come on with the wipers !

 

Are you sure your headlights are on?!? If the headlights aren't on, then the washers don't come on even when pressing the HW button.

 

The funny thing is, I don't think it was always this way. I head to work at 6 a.m. when it is dark out. Here in HI I live on the Windward side of Oahu which means it rains almost every evening. After it rains it leaves stuff on the windshield (dirt/dust) and I need to wash it off. I don't remember the headlight washers activating with the windshield washers until about a month and a half ago. I tried diferent button combinations (e.g. using the headlight washer button while the lights were on or off without the windshield washer, etc.) to see if maybe that would cycle to a different mode that kept the headlight washers off when washing the windshield but that didn't work.