C4 B78 Picasso - Dribbling Headlamp Wash jet

[onthecut]

Having recently noticed a damp patch at the front coener of the car, I find that my LH headlamp wash jet is dribbling a small but continuous amount of fluid, apparently from the nozzles.

Am I right in thinking the jet assembly must have an internally sprung valve to prevent this ? If so, then when they start to dribble does that mean they've had it, or is it possible to restore correct sealing ?

Mike.

[GiveMeABreak]

From what I can see, these vehicles have a different system to some older vehicles that had the washer rams for the headlamp washer jets. This model seems to have none of that, only the jets and the tubing to the pump. There are no washer rams for this model showing.

[onthecut]

Hi Marc. Two things have formed my thinking. First -- it's only dribbling on one side. Given the reservoir is higher then the jets, there clearly has to be something to stop the fluid just escaping by gravity. Were it the pump - and that had failed -- then I would have expected a dribble either on both sides, or just on the RH side, being closest to the reservoir. That's what makes me suspect the jet assembly itself may contain some valve arrangement. The other thing --- I see there is a genuine new one on that well known auction site, for over £70. If that is loosely based on the dealer price, then it must have slightly more to it than just a coupleof inanimate nozzles.
I see that the nozzle assembly is just a push / clip fit into the bumper, but Sod's Law will dictate there won't be enough slack feed pipe to do the job entirely from above.

Mike.

[GiveMeABreak]

My X7 has 2 of these - and as you can see they're like water cannons!

Yours shows none of these - just the pipes from the reservoir to the bumper. This may be why you are getting a dribble, whereas the C5 ones needed the 'muscles from Brussels' to even attempt to release these manually.

[GiveMeABreak]

Ok, so confirmed - a completely different system, probably on account of lack of space for the other system.

This is what you have below. So probably has a powerful pump, but little else to stop the dribbles.