Headlight washer-pump AND fluid-level indicator not working?

[Axa]

The headlight-washers are not working at all.
Could it be that they get disconnected/not activated if the washer-fluid level are indicated as low? to preserve the remaining fluid for the windscreen..
I will pour some citrus-acid in the washer-tank to see if can clean the level-indicator. But i need to find out whats wrong as soon as possible, so any help is much appreciated!

[VertVega]

I would start by checking if the headlight pump fuse is OK.
It is located in engine room fuse box F4 (20 A, Yellow color).

[Axa]

Fuse(s) are ok.
Manual says F4, Haynes says F7. Is it a good idea to try to run the pump by bridging a wire from the battery + to the fuse? To see if the fault is in the relay?

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[Stempy]

Headlamp washer pumps are known to fail and the low liquid level only shows when you operate the squirter, although you may already be aware of that and the fact that the headlamp washer only works when the headlamps are on dip. On the Xantia the headlamp washer timer relay would fail but could be repaired by resoldering. The C5 may be quite different being controlled by the BSI and could quite conceivably shut off the washer pump if the level gets low.

The 12v supply to the pump exits from pin 6 of the 16 pin green plug on the engine fuse box and the relay will be hidden beneath somewhere. You could check here that a voltage is supplied when the pump should be activated. If the voltage is present the it's probably the pump. You could confirm this by unplugging it and feeding pin 6 if the loose plug with 12v.

The level sensor is fed with 12v from pin 12 of the same plug and the sensor in turn feeds pin 22 of the 40 pin black connector of the BSI. Fuse 4 is for the washer circuit.

Hope this helps.

[MJM]

The washer fluid level sensor was faulty when I bought the C5. The central display was telling me that the fluid level was low (It wasn't). The headlamp and windscreen washers were still working ok. On the Xantia, and I assume that the C5 is the same, the headlamp washer fluid take off is higher than the windscreen washer one so the headlamp washers fail before the windscreen washers. That seems to be a logical way to run it.

[VertVega]

Is it a good idea to try to run the pump by bridging a wire from the battery + to the fuse?
To see if the fault is in the relay?

I would try to check the headlight washer pump by feeding 12V but for this
the pump plug must be reachable. Which means bumper removal or at least
the right corner of the bumper free enough for the pump access.

There are three 12 V connectors/plugs coming to the washer bottle.
Starting from the most rear (closest to the front wheel) first comes the level sensor,
then next comes the windshield/tailgate pump with two outlet pipes,
finally the headlight washer pump with one thick outlet pipe.

Edit: Just to make clear, mine is Estate and same pump with two outlets is for windshield and tailgate.
I don't know about non Estate models

[Axa]

Ahhh, I wish I could find out what pin/connector on the fusebox feeds the pump?
As I understan the fuse is before the relay, so putting 12v to the fuse won't do anything.
Do anyone know if there is any scheme or picture on the web showing the fusebox connectors?

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[tco_tm]

Headlights are not wiped/washed when fluid level is low. The other condition is as described by Stempy - lights have to be turned on or it has to be dark if a day time running lights option is enabled.

[Stempy]

Ahhh, I wish I could find out what pin/connector on the fusebox feeds the pump?
As I understan the fuse is before the relay, so putting 12v to the fuse won't do anything.
Do anyone know if there is any scheme or picture on the web showing the fusebox connectors?

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That information is all in my last post

[VertVega]

I hope this pic can be used as a reference to locate the pins of the connector .



The headlight washer pump fuse is number 4 as I mentioned above which you have already checked.

[Axa]

Thanx allot. I can't find any Green 16pin plug. There is 3 black/Brown 28pin plugs. Marked (from left to right in the photo above) NOIR PM. MARRON RF and GRIS PP2.
They have 9, 18 and 17 pins in use.
The one with 17 cables connected have 2 of the cables twisted. Could that be the 16pin plug?

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[Axa]

Just discovered the "base" of the 28pin plugs are also colored Left to right --> Black, Brown, Grey .

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[wheeler]

Maybe stempy is referring to a mk1 C5 ? The under bonnet fuse box is totally different, the one shown in the pic above is from a mk2 C5 (with full CAN multiplexing). The mk1 does have a 16 pin green connector on the under bonnet fuse box.

[VertVega]

...plugs are also colored Left to right --> Black, Brown, Grey

These basic french words became familiar to me from my Xantia days I had to read color codes from electric diagrams and of course they were/are all french words or letter codes.

Noir - NR - Black
Marron - MR - Brown (Chestnut)
Gris - GR - Grey
Blanc - BA - White
Blue - BE -Bleu
Vert - VE - Green
Rouge - RG - Red

I hope you'll find the solution and write us the results.

PS: Just read wheeler's post, C5 mk1 (C5 I) is fuse box is different.
This one is valid for mine and also should be same as axa's C5 II.

[Stempy]

Maybe stempy is referring to a mk1 C5 ? The under bonnet fuse box is totally different, the one shown in the pic above is from a mk2 C5 (with full CAN multiplexing). The mk1 does have a 16 pin green connector on the under bonnet fuse box.

Yes, that picture does look different but the diagram on SEDRE look the same for phase 1 & 2. The RPO number would confirm I guess.