I've had a problem since I've owned the car (2 years) with washer fluid leaking what seems like out of the headlight nozzles. I took off the front bumper yesterday and checked the lines all the way back past an inline connector with no visible problems. I thought I had read that there is some check valve somewhere but I could not find it as all connectors are pass through. I took the nozzles off and cleaned them off and operated them and they seem fine. What exactly keeps the fluid from siphoning out of the tank? I didn't take the whole inner fender out to be able to remove the tank and inspect the pump but does it prevent fluid from going through the line when not operating? I don't see any issues with the jets not fully retracting but do they really keep the fluid from exiting? When I had the line disconnected, I wasn't losing more fluid but I didn't force the flow of fluid to see if it would start to siphon. I hope someone can tell me definitively what keeps fluid from exiting the headlight washers so I know for sure what my problem is. Next thing I'll check if it keeps happening will be to replace the pump as it is not very much money. The nozzles are about $85 each or more and not sure I really need my headlights washed that bad nor do I think it really is very effective because my housings get dirty anyway even though they are sprayed as designed. If it is for sure the nozzles, I'll just disconnect the headlight pump and close off the line.

 

Does anyone need headlight washers in first world countries? I could see the need if you drive on muddy roads all day long behind trucks, but otherwise they seem pretty useless to me, except for accidentally dirtying the front of your car when you turn them on unintentionally.

 

So I washed the window as I got home yesterday and of course the headlight washers sprayed. Pulled into garage and, yes, front of car was wet from the spray (I use orange Rain-x). Went inside, ate, went back out and a couple small puddles on the floor. I think I might be taking the wheel liner out and disconnecting the pump this weekend. I do live in a wintry state and roads get pretty dirty with gas well trucks and dept of highways putting down salt to treat the roads. What would be nice would be a way for me to specifically wash the headlights if I wanted to. They don't need sprayed every time I wash windshield when lights are on after initial startup and then every so many cycles after. It is a nice thought but in reality a flawed implementation. What if I was driving, got windshield and headlights dirty, it didn't spray headlights, I parked and it sat overnight and dried on headlights and next day washed windshield again? Not like spraying dried dirt on headlights is going to clean them off.