Headlamp washers not working.
Thread Starter
7th Gear
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
Headlamp washers not working.
I have a 2005 997 Carrera S and am based in the UK. The headlamp washers have stopped working. The fuse is intact. The dedicated headlight washer pump functions when tested by connecting it directly to a power source. I swapped the relay with a known good relay and also tested the operating switch on the wiper control stalk. I have also established that the headlight washers do not work with every tenth windscreen wash. So other than an unlikely wire break it is looking increasingly like a software issue.
Despite extensive internet searching I have only found one reference to a similar problem and that was on this forum where a helpful owner had responded to a poster with '....I had non-fuctioning headlamp washers and heated seats at the same time. The solution was a handover(sic) reset on PIWIS.'
I am not sure whether that poster meant a 'hard reset on PIWIS' if he/she didn't then what is a 'handover reset'?
I do not have heated seats.
I have an iCarsoft i960 OBD reader and having spent some time trawling through all the options it offers and it shows me things like the values for the intermittent wiper delay values and other values for various of the car systems but nowhere can I find anything related to the headlight washer system.
So my thoughts are that the relevant electronics in the car have 'forgotten' the car has headlight washers fitted.
Anybody any suggestions or am I going to have to employ the services of someone with the correct piece of kit to re-program the car as required?
Despite extensive internet searching I have only found one reference to a similar problem and that was on this forum where a helpful owner had responded to a poster with '....I had non-fuctioning headlamp washers and heated seats at the same time. The solution was a handover(sic) reset on PIWIS.'
I am not sure whether that poster meant a 'hard reset on PIWIS' if he/she didn't then what is a 'handover reset'?
I do not have heated seats.
I have an iCarsoft i960 OBD reader and having spent some time trawling through all the options it offers and it shows me things like the values for the intermittent wiper delay values and other values for various of the car systems but nowhere can I find anything related to the headlight washer system.
So my thoughts are that the relevant electronics in the car have 'forgotten' the car has headlight washers fitted.
Anybody any suggestions or am I going to have to employ the services of someone with the correct piece of kit to re-program the car as required?
Rennlist Member
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 3,163
Likes: 537
From: PNW
Do you have the Sports Chrono Package? If so, theres an option to turn it on / off. If not, someone else may have had the dealer turn it off.
I have mine off. All it does is spray washer fluid all across your hood.
I have mine off. All it does is spray washer fluid all across your hood.
Thread Starter
7th Gear
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
Move to north Texas where it never rains and you won't miss the headlight cleaners. Just make sure your a/c works as it was 42c today.
Do you have the Sports Chrono Package? If so, theres an option to turn it on / off. If not, someone else may have had the dealer turn it off. I have mine off. All it does is spray washer fluid all across your hood.
I will post an update when I have solved the issue.
Track Day
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 23
Likes: 0
From: Dublin
I know this might sound like a totally daft suggestion, but is your reservoir filled to the top?
I ask as my last Audi had a feature whereby when the levels got to a certain point in the reservoir, they stopped spraying the lights and reverted to windscreen only..
Could this be a feature in the 911?
I ask as my last Audi had a feature whereby when the levels got to a certain point in the reservoir, they stopped spraying the lights and reverted to windscreen only..
Could this be a feature in the 911?
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Thread Starter
7th Gear
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
An update for anybody interested.
I visited a friend's workshop and borrowed his Snap-On Solus Ultra diagnostic box. It has the ability to test various systems including the headlamp washers. The diagnostic box activated the headlight washers and also confirmed the steering column switch function. This confirmed that the car software needed addressing.
After a few fruitless telephone calls I found an independent who was very helpful on the telephone and I took the car over to them this morning. Great set up on a small industrial complex, friendly and attentive staff and 15 minutes later they had reset the software to tell the car it had headlamp washers! What was especially pleasing was that with an hourly rate of £70 per hour they just charged me for 20 minutes labour which I was a very pleasant surprise. They have just gained a future customer!
For anybody in the UK looking for a good independent in the south of England they are Autofarm
Thanks for the suggestions made when trying to solve this problem.
I visited a friend's workshop and borrowed his Snap-On Solus Ultra diagnostic box. It has the ability to test various systems including the headlamp washers. The diagnostic box activated the headlight washers and also confirmed the steering column switch function. This confirmed that the car software needed addressing.
After a few fruitless telephone calls I found an independent who was very helpful on the telephone and I took the car over to them this morning. Great set up on a small industrial complex, friendly and attentive staff and 15 minutes later they had reset the software to tell the car it had headlamp washers! What was especially pleasing was that with an hourly rate of £70 per hour they just charged me for 20 minutes labour which I was a very pleasant surprise. They have just gained a future customer!
For anybody in the UK looking for a good independent in the south of England they are Autofarm
Thanks for the suggestions made when trying to solve this problem.
Pro
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 544
Likes: 3
An update for anybody interested.
I visited a friend's workshop and borrowed his Snap-On Solus Ultra diagnostic box. It has the ability to test various systems including the headlamp washers. The diagnostic box activated the headlight washers and also confirmed the steering column switch function. This confirmed that the car software needed addressing.
After a few fruitless telephone calls I found an independent who was very helpful on the telephone and I took the car over to them this morning. Great set up on a small industrial complex, friendly and attentive staff and 15 minutes later they had reset the software to tell the car it had headlamp washers! What was especially pleasing was that with an hourly rate of £70 per hour they just charged me for 20 minutes labour which I was a very pleasant surprise. They have just gained a future customer!
For anybody in the UK looking for a good independent in the south of England they are Autofarm
Thanks for the suggestions made when trying to solve this problem.
I visited a friend's workshop and borrowed his Snap-On Solus Ultra diagnostic box. It has the ability to test various systems including the headlamp washers. The diagnostic box activated the headlight washers and also confirmed the steering column switch function. This confirmed that the car software needed addressing.
After a few fruitless telephone calls I found an independent who was very helpful on the telephone and I took the car over to them this morning. Great set up on a small industrial complex, friendly and attentive staff and 15 minutes later they had reset the software to tell the car it had headlamp washers! What was especially pleasing was that with an hourly rate of £70 per hour they just charged me for 20 minutes labour which I was a very pleasant surprise. They have just gained a future customer!
For anybody in the UK looking for a good independent in the south of England they are Autofarm
Thanks for the suggestions made when trying to solve this problem.
1st Gear
Joined: Feb 2020
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Change your fuse!
Hi,
You might try to change the fuse no. 18 in your fuse box which is a 20amp fuse. Located at the side of your front passenger seat near the airbag section. It should work.
You might try to change the fuse no. 18 in your fuse box which is a 20amp fuse. Located at the side of your front passenger seat near the airbag section. It should work.
I have a 2005 997 Carrera S and am based in the UK. The headlamp washers have stopped working. The fuse is intact. The dedicated headlight washer pump functions when tested by connecting it directly to a power source. I swapped the relay with a known good relay and also tested the operating switch on the wiper control stalk. I have also established that the headlight washers do not work with every tenth windscreen wash. So other than an unlikely wire break it is looking increasingly like a software issue.
Despite extensive internet searching I have only found one reference to a similar problem and that was on this forum where a helpful owner had responded to a poster with '....I had non-fuctioning headlamp washers and heated seats at the same time. The solution was a handover(sic) reset on PIWIS.'
I am not sure whether that poster meant a 'hard reset on PIWIS' if he/she didn't then what is a 'handover reset'?
I do not have heated seats.
I have an iCarsoft i960 OBD reader and having spent some time trawling through all the options it offers and it shows me things like the values for the intermittent wiper delay values and other values for various of the car systems but nowhere can I find anything related to the headlight washer system.
So my thoughts are that the relevant electronics in the car have 'forgotten' the car has headlight washers fitted.
Anybody any suggestions or am I going to have to employ the services of someone with the correct piece of kit to re-program the car as required?
Despite extensive internet searching I have only found one reference to a similar problem and that was on this forum where a helpful owner had responded to a poster with '....I had non-fuctioning headlamp washers and heated seats at the same time. The solution was a handover(sic) reset on PIWIS.'
I am not sure whether that poster meant a 'hard reset on PIWIS' if he/she didn't then what is a 'handover reset'?
I do not have heated seats.
I have an iCarsoft i960 OBD reader and having spent some time trawling through all the options it offers and it shows me things like the values for the intermittent wiper delay values and other values for various of the car systems but nowhere can I find anything related to the headlight washer system.
So my thoughts are that the relevant electronics in the car have 'forgotten' the car has headlight washers fitted.
Anybody any suggestions or am I going to have to employ the services of someone with the correct piece of kit to re-program the car as required?
RL Community Team
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 7,605
Likes: 2,574
From: Atlanta
2009 C2S 152K miles
Are you sure it is not working? The operation is quirky. First, the washer only sprays when low or high beam lights are ON. ... or... with wipers on, fire your windshield washer.. the headlamp washer will fie every 10 times you wash the windshield.
Peace
Bruce in Philly
Are you sure it is not working? The operation is quirky. First, the washer only sprays when low or high beam lights are ON. ... or... with wipers on, fire your windshield washer.. the headlamp washer will fie every 10 times you wash the windshield.
Peace
Bruce in Philly