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Headlight Washer Blister?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by Blind Guy, Aug 27, 2009.

  1. Blind Guy

    Blind Guy New Member

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    For those with the Headlight Washers, what does the blister/Bubble on the sides of the bumper do?

    A friend said his Lexus GS Hybrid had those same blisters/bubbles, and they retracted when fluid for the Headlights was called for.

    Can someone elaborate on how the Headlight Washer blisters/bubbles actually function?

    David (aka Blind Guy)
     
    #1 Blind Guy, Aug 27, 2009
  2. 32kcolors

    32kcolors Senior Member

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    You sure you're not confusing it with the radar sensors for Intelligent Park Assist? The washers are more in the front, not sides of bumper.
     
    #2 32kcolors, Aug 27, 2009
  3. Paradox

    Paradox Prius Enthusiast / Moderator
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    Yeah, almost sounds like he's talking about the sonar sensors for the IPA...

    The headlight washers are rectangular body colored 'caps' below the headlights. The IPA sonar sensors are on the actual side of the front bumper and they're perfect circles.


    The headlight washers come on when you press the button for them mounted to the left of the steering wheel where the dimmer switch is. But they also come on if your headlights are on and you pull the windshield washer stalk towards you to spray the windshield with washer fluid...
     
    #3 Paradox, Aug 27, 2009
  4. Paradox

    Paradox Prius Enthusiast / Moderator
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    Here, the circle on the left of this photo is the IPA sensor...

    [​IMG]


    And if you look straight down from the middle of the two LED projector beams on this headlight pic you can see where the headlight washer thing is. I'm using 2 pics I had already loaded on PC so sorry that they are not showing exactly what you need to see clearly...

    [​IMG]




    Here, in this pic you can clearly see the headlight washer and the IPA sensors...



    [​IMG]
     
    #4 Paradox, Aug 27, 2009
  5. Blind Guy

    Blind Guy New Member

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    The Radar sensors are on the sides of the bumper and are round, like Paradox said, and flush with the bumper, the blisters/bubbles I'm speaking of, yeah I guess they ARE at the ends of the bumper, in line with the headlights, but I didn't think they felt rectangular, they just felt like a smooth rounded blister.

    But I didn't feel any place for the fluid to exit from, they are entirely smooth, do they retract to expose a nozzle for the sprayer?

    David (aka Blind Guy)
     
    #5 Blind Guy, Aug 27, 2009
  6. 32kcolors

    32kcolors Senior Member

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    Yes, they do.
     
    #6 32kcolors, Aug 27, 2009
  7. Jabber

    Jabber Chicagoland Prius Guy

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    I agree that you are feeling the headlight washer nozzles. They do not have any exterior openings that you can feel. You can pull them out with your fingernails though. When the headlights are turned on, they use the pressure from the water pump to open and spray water onto the headlights. Very similiar to how an in ground lawn watering system works. Hope this clears it up for you Blind Guy.
     
    #7 Jabber, Aug 27, 2009
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  8. eglmainz

    eglmainz New Member

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    David,

    What Jabber says is accurate. Having watched it spray from outside my vehicle as well as the inside, I will try to describe it for you.

    When inactive, you are correct, you cannot feel anything but a rounded rectangular 'bubble', as a spring is holding it flush to the car' bumper.

    You activate the headlight washer, by either pressing the headlight washer button, on the lower left hand side panels of the front dash board, or using the windshield washer stalk to spray the windshield, it will trigger the headlight washer, if the LED headlights are on.

    When activated, as Jabber stated, the washer fluid pump will start to pump the fluid into the line, and as that pressure builds, it causes the 'bubble' covers to move outwards about 1.5 inches, and will expose two nozzles, which are spraying high velocity fluid at the headlight lens cover. After the fluid pressure dissipates, about 1 second later, the 'bubble' covers retract on a spring, but some sort of spring must make is close slowly, as they retract slower than they were pushed out.

    I have noticed, and others here have complained that when you use this when stopped, a decent amount of fluid ends up on your hood and windshield. However, I have also noticed that if used when at speed, I get virtually no fluid anywhere else. I assume that the windflow over the vehicle must help aim that fluid exactly where it belongs.

    I am not sure if the design is a Toyota original, or they borrowed the concept from elsewhere, but this one seems to work perfectly.
     
    #8 eglmainz, Aug 27, 2009
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