wolfepack88

I've had my E350 since August of 2009 and a one of many things I miss from the W211 is the fact that the on the W212 the headlamp washer is now not a separate button and when you clean your window you nice clean car is sprayed all over from the head lamp cleaners. I can tell you in 3 years with my W211 I never once used the head lamp cleaners. Now say you get a little North East spring pollen on your window you want to clean it off now you get your whole car sprayed from the headlamp cleaners.

Anyone know if you can deactivate the head lamp cleaners but obviously still keep the standard windshield cleaning capability. Oh BTW engineers are idiots the spray on the W211 was a perfect fan spray the coated the windshield perfectly and now it almost back to the prior generation where you two hard streams blasting your windshield with half of the cleaner not even coating the windshield. Why engineers feel the need to change something that works perfectly kills me.

sosh

The new headlight washers come on only after I believe 3 applications of the windshield cleaners. This has not yet bothered me. Its the same in my 2010 ML550. However I do agree with you about liking the seperate button much better

Diesel Benz

I thought it was more than three washer applications but I cannot remember if headlights are washed at the first application. I think headlights are only washed if lights are on. If one wants to avoid spraying water on a clean car when the windscreen needs to be washed, one might turn lights temporarily off. I also would prefer a separate button for headlight washers like it used to be.

konigstiger

Headlamp cleaning system activates when you have switched on the headlamps and the windshield wipers have wiped the windshield with washer fluid for the first time then cleaned every tenth time the windshield is washed with washer fluid - counter resets when you switch off ignition.

sosh

I was under the impression that it was every 3rd time the windshield washer is used with the lights on. Lights on can mean manually or on with the auto function.

Diesel Benz

Where did you get the figure 3? It is now several votes for "more than three" (I have one vote and konigstiger counts at least 10) against you (I consider you having more than one vote but less than 10 ).

ipp

BMW:s are washing the windshield every 3rd time.

sosh

I think I remember reading it perhaps in the manual. When I have the opportunity I will test it on both vehicles (ML and E) and let you know.

salamt

I would believe konigstiger over the car's manual although the car's manual says the same thing

tomi.omni

... and -- can it be deactivated?!

sosh

There may be a fuse for this system. Look for one and if you find it just pull it. Personally I think its a dumb thing to deactivate

kl07rph

Plus I think pulling the fuse might throw an error code as well...

sosh

It may do that but I am not certain. Still can't figure out why he wants to deactivate this.