How many of you have had leaking/ missing headlamp washer balls on your 172s/182s

[Fletcher]

Earlier i put a post on about my leaking headlamp washer ball, and i got me wondering how common is this?

Cheers Fletcher.

 

[Neil G]

Don't know if it's common on 172s/182s but my passenger side headlamp washer ball was missing when I brought it.

 

[mintblue]

Took mine in today but they didn't have the part in stock. It's going back in next Thursday to be fixed, been told it's a bumper off job too

 

[Neil G]

Didn't take the bumper off to put the ball back in the washer on mine....was a ball-ache to do though.

 

[Nicksie]

apparantly they have a habit of falling out, especially if you use them on the motorway.

 

[thedoc]

quite common i would say by reading this forum.
I've had 1 fall out replaced under warranty, 1 leaked then stopped leaking, 1 had to get replaced not under warranty for exessive leakage.

 

[Rich]

Not risked using mine just incase!

 

[mintblue]

Not risked using mine just incase!

That aint a bad strategy. I'll remember that next time mine breaks.:approve:

 

[Fletcher]

Thanks alot for all of your feedback guys

I'm taking my Clio back next week to have the second faulty headlamp washer ball replaced

Fletcher.

 

[Lee]

As I posted in the other thread, I lost a ball on the 172 and they leaked on the 182.

 

[Mike@Rentech]

They are s**t, what gets me is reno must know they are bad and always leak but still sell the same bloody part unmodified.

 

[Fletcher]

What really annoys me Mike is that about a month ago i took it back to Martins Renault In Winchester and they replaced one of the headlamp washer balls because it had popped out, why didn't they also replace the other one at the same time?

 

[Chili Red]

My driver's side headlight washer is leaking badly at the moment, it's dripping off the bottom of the bumper and making a puddle . It was fine last week as well.

It's going into Renault on Saturday to have a rear shock replaced under warranty so hopefully they can sort out the washer as well. Grrr.

 

[Lee]

What really annoys me Mike is that about a month ago i took it back to Martins Renault In Winchester and they replaced one of the headlamp washer balls because it had popped out, why didn't they also replace the other one at the same time?

When mine went in they did both. The service guy said they figured they might as well do both while the bumper was off, he probably noticed how they had scratched one of my wings while doing it!!!

Rear shock RB....I had the same on the 182 just before I chopped it in. By the time the garage got it, it had leaked dry.

There's an 02 Monaco Blue 182 that parks near me at work, I laughed the other morning when I noticed one of it's headlamp washers leaking away happily.

 

[Chili Red]

Rear shock RB....I had the same on the 182 just before I chopped it in. By the time the garage got it, it had leaked dry.

Oops! God knows how long mine's been leaking, luckily Mike spotted it on Monday when it was serviced.

 

[Lee]

Oops! God knows how long mine's been leaking, luckily Mike spotted it on Monday when it was serviced.

I noticed mine dripping in the garage at first. The damper was soaked in oil. I remember it banging and bouncing when 4 of us were in it going to Oulton Park. By the time the garage got it there was no oil left.

I think we know why yours failed, it's all that bouncing around you do in the back.

 

[Chili Red]

I think we know why yours failed, it's all that bouncing around you do in the back.

 

[the1]

Both of mine are leaking at the moment, but I can't be arsed to take it to Renault because they will have it for weeks on end and I'll end up with more problems then it went in for....

 

[Craig]

mine passenger side has started leaking

 

[Elliot]

yup,
Had to replace the passenger side washer, and the driver side one is now leaking.
Fitted the passenger side one myself. Undid the bumper fastenings, wiggled my arm in, undid the old one, and plumbed the new one in.
Closest I've come to being a vet.

 

[Fletcher]

I don't think the cold wheather helps them, i lost one of them before xmas when it got below freezing, and last night was cold and now the other ones started leaking.

 

[id_doug]

Just noticed the other day my drivers side one is leaking and runing down the bumper.

Does anyone know how easy it is to take these off (including pumps etc) and replace with blanking plates as the cup's and whats involved

I have always hated these on my car, plus they are totaly useless!!!!!

 

[blacksheep]

What is the washer ball? The nozzle that sprays the water?

 

[cornburn]

How do these work? I've not even checked mine are doing anything tbh. Do they just spray the lights whhen you spray the windscreen washer?

 

[Fletcher]

id doug thats a good idea, those headlamp washers are useless, i would definatley be interested in getting rid of them too.

cornburn the headlamp washers only work when you have your lights on.

 

[id_doug]

Might try and have a look this weekend and see what would be involved i.e. removing the jets from the bumper and stopping the pumps working (that is of course if the are seperate pumps)?

Just think it would clean the front end up a bit. Think I will post a seperate thread and see if anyone has done this.

 

[Chili Red]

I wouldn't - you have to have headlight washers because of the Xenons and (iirc) they have to be working to pass an MOT.

 

[Mike@Rentech]

think i best start stocking a few sets.

 

[id_doug]

Been back to the dealers over the weekend, car is booked in to get the leaking headlamp washer fixed. They did noy even look at the car. After desrcibing the problem they knew straight away what it was (so must be common). If you car is still under warenty take it back and get it sorted.

 

[adammitchell69]

My passanger side headlight wash has just started leaking. Wondered what it was at first....but now i know. Also exlains why I kept running out of washer fluid so soon.!!!

Adam

 

[Ally]

IIRC the headlamp washers only spray if you spray the windscreen washer for more than a few seconds (think I must've read that in the manual - saddo!). I always wash the front window using short bursts of washer, i.e. don't hold the stalk back for ages which would produce a long continuous blast of water. And - touch wood - I ain't lost any balls in just short of 2 years of ownership. Might be worth trying.

 

[mintblue]

IIRC the headlamp washers only spray if you spray the windscreen washer for more than a few seconds (think I must've read that in the manual - saddo!). I always wash the front window using short bursts of washer, i.e. don't hold the stalk back for ages which would produce a long continuous blast of water. And - touch wood - I ain't lost any balls in just short of 2 years of ownership. Might be worth trying.

I must admit i've been doing that with mine since i found out mine was leaking. Does anybody else's leak for a day or so then stop but their is still water in the windscreen squirter?

 

[Guy]

my washer jet leaked from the back. new one under warranty. ball was still there

 

[Dave]

Ever since I found out about this problem (before I had a 182) I have since made sure that I dont use them by inly using short blasts of the washer jet. Every now and again I forget and hear the headlight washers kick in and spend the rest of the journey praying I havent lost a ball.

Might do it though and take it to Mr Renault and let them destroy my front bumper. Could do with a respray.