Ls400 Headlight Washer Surprise !

[jigmaster flash]

the headlight washers on my 98 LS400 have never worked since i bought the car a year ago.

I presumed the motor was kaput, which didn't bother me so forgot about it.

imagine my surprise when driving through town today the headlight washers suddenly kicked on, and stayed on!

screenwash covered the whole front of the car! the motor just ran and ran until the reservoir was empty and then kept running....

somehow made it home without the motor burning out or blowing the fuse.

Got under the car and disconnected the pump, cleaned the connector with wd40 and re-assembled thinking great, might work properly now.

nope, back to not working at all!

either way for 9 months it never worked, today it comes on of its own accord and jams on, and after disconnecting+cleaning the pump connector its back to not working !

can anyone give me an idea of what could be wrong? and how it SHOULD work?

my belief was the headlight washer should only come on (and pump 2 times only) when the button is pressed in the car, but a friend thinks it may also come on automatically under certain conditions... ?

[ManicMark]

Could it be a sticking switch, they do not come on automatically. I think they only work with the lights on though.

[jigmaster flash]

thats weird mark, as it came on today with headlights off !??

and after coming on (and staying on) i didn't touch the switch, just disconnected,cleaned and reconnected the pump connector - which seems to have disabled the power to the pump again!

If they do only operate with the lights on I wonder if the problem lies in the lights/indicator stalk ?

(can someone confirm if lights are definitely linked to headlight washer operation?)

[bigjap]

they definately are, mine won't operate until the lights are on

[black400]

Check the switch in the car is not sticking, plus did you have the lights on auto.

[The-Acre]

Did any aliens land in your area at the same time!

[black400]

It could have been low rainfall, bumper height

[jigmaster flash]

yes, I've left the lights on auto since i bought the car.

i'm haven't looked at the switch, as disconnecting the washer pump feed then re-connecting cured the always on status (albeit back to not working at all!) so my limited common sense says surely the fault lies at that end?

i'll take the console apart and look at the switch tomorrow unless someone has a different suggestion.

[Parrot of Doom]

Could be a spilled sugary drink on the interior switch, otherwise I'd suspect corrosion somewhere at the front of the car.

[Cotswold Pete]

well you keep learning, I never knew that lights needed to be on for the washers to work, I am going to try mine tonight.