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Export-model headlamp washers?

casm

casm

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Oklahoma
Just out of curiosity: some countries require headlamp washers and/or wipers on vehicles manufactured after a certain date - Sweden in particular sticks in my mind for this, but I may be wrong.

Can anyone confirm that there were export-model XJs built with headlamp washers? I'm not finding much in the way of solid reference to them, and given that all of the squeegees at the local gas stations are currently frozen into solid blocks of ice would be interested in hearing if this is something that may or may not have been available.
 
I doubt it. What about wranglers, I dont think it is even possible to put wipers on those. I think all jeeps are grouped together, so they get the same exceptions to the rule.

but if this was available, I am very interested as well!
 
Yeah, pretty sure they are required in some countries (or were early 70s--no telling what joining EU might have changed).

Some actually had the wiper motor built into the lamp assembly--BMW seems to ring a bell for that one.

I believe it was considered a driving safety thing to keep the headlamps uncovered especially in their heavy wet snows.

I did see them on some cars in France, but they weren't required as my Fiat 850, RHD Mini-Cooper van and ex-embassy Dodge 330 didn't have them. I did see them on lots of cars in Germany, but I don't remember about Denmark and Belgium, or England.
 
this would be kick ass. i hate how the splash back gets lights all nasty and dulled down....
 
joe_peters said:
Yeah, pretty sure they are required in some countries (or were early 70s--no telling what joining EU might have changed).
Click to expand...

EU regs are standard across member states, but member states have some leeway to set requirements of their own - for example, Ireland and the UK cannot be compelled to switch to LHD, but they also cannot compel someone bringing a car in from a LHD country to convert it to RHD. They can require things like lights that dip to the left, however, if a LHD vehicle is registered in those countries.

Some actually had the wiper motor built into the lamp assembly--BMW seems to ring a bell for that one.
Click to expand...

Ditto also Mercedes, Saab, and Volvo. My UK-spec Saab 96 had everything in place to accept headlamp wash/wipe; the mechanisms just weren't installed.

I did see them on some cars in France, but they weren't required as my Fiat 850, RHD Mini-Cooper van and ex-embassy Dodge 330 didn't have them. I did see them on lots of cars in Germany, but I don't remember about Denmark and Belgium, or England.
Click to expand...

I can say for certain that they have never been a requirement in Ireland or the UK, but have been optionally-available there on certain models - and my recollection is still that it was mainly on Swedish/German stuff, though I know I've seen them on others.

Anyway, the FSM's not helping. I'm hoping someone in one of the Scandinavian countries will chime in.
 
Last edited:
MT Mike said:
Rain-X. Works like a charm.
Click to expand...
do it every year. doesnt help with the grime and crap thats tossed up. keeps snow and watter running off. but the JUNK from the road that is tossed up leaves a nice filmy residue. :dunno:
 
in4aride said:
do it every year. doesnt help with the grime and crap thats tossed up. keeps snow and watter running off. but the JUNK from the road that is tossed up leaves a nice filmy residue. :dunno:
Click to expand...

It's even more fun in dusty climates. Does a great job of acting as flypaper for gnats, too.
 
in4aride said:
do it every year. doesnt help with the grime and crap thats tossed up. keeps snow and watter running off. but the JUNK from the road that is tossed up leaves a nice filmy residue. :dunno:
Click to expand...

Try putting it on every two weeks. Works well for me. Even with road grime. :dunno:
 
maybe thats my problem. i only put it on a couple time thro the winter...
there is never much snow here in town. when in deep snow the lights clean off well. but when the road is just wet seems like i have adhesive on the lights, and windshield.
i think that new chemical crap they put on the roads now isnt helping any either....
 
in4aride said:
maybe thats my problem. i only put it on a couple time thro the winter...
there is never much snow here in town. when in deep snow the lights clean off well. but when the road is just wet seems like i have adhesive on the lights, and windshield.
i think that new chemical crap they put on the roads now isnt helping any either....
Click to expand...

I don't know about the snow/ice melt chemicals, Montana uses nothing but sand and occasionally some finally crushed gravel (mainly at intersections).
 
CDOT uses mag chloride and recycled waste (read: sand, rocks, nails, anythying small enough to sift thro the grate.....)
 
joe_peters said:
I did see them on some cars in France, but they weren't required as my Fiat 850, RHD Mini-Cooper van and ex-embassy Dodge 330 didn't have them. I did see them on lots of cars in Germany, but I don't remember about Denmark and Belgium, or England.
Click to expand...


I live in France and I don't have them on my '01. Never see them here ;)
 
I would assume with all the cars with them, that you could rig something up. Seems like lots of volvos and benz have flat headlights
 
Never seen em in the parts catalog or FSM. If they ever existed, it is news to me.
 
kastein said:
Never seen em in the parts catalog or FSM. If they ever existed, it is news to me.
Click to expand...

Yep, this is exactly what got me wondering about them; they were notable by their absence. My gut feeling is that if they did get them, they were a retrofit item at POE - the local importer ordered them from a non-Mopar parts source and fitted them for compliance, so there won't be part numbers or FSM entries concerning them.

It seems like it would be a relatively simple thing to fit - add a T-fitting to the line from the washer bottle, run one side of that to washer jets mounted on the headlamp bezels, and you're done. Mounting the jets to the bezels would probably be the worst part of the whole operation.
 
I think if I lived in a heavy snow area I would wax my headlamps. Don't know if it would do any good, but might be worth a try.
 
I've never seen them on an xj in th UK. My 1999 Orvis has pretty much every bit of equipment that was an option on an xj and it doesn't have them. In the UK plenty of cars have them but they're only mandatory when HIDs are fitted. I think in Scandinavia they're mandatory on all cars.
 
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