duffer5

Curious why there are no headlights washer on the '18 S5 SB? Cost cutting measure or is there no need?

Thanks.

JohnEnglish

Not legally required in North America so it’s a cost cutting measure. They’re on European vehicles.

Glisse

Headlight washers are only provided with Matrix LED lights, and included in the upgrade price for that option. There is no requirement for headlight washers with standard LED lights.

duffer5

I have the upgraded headlights and they are still not included on my vehicle. Not sure what I think about it. Come to think of it, do I have the standard LED headlights? What comes with the S5?

scoopman

I had headlight washers on my S3, and I just remember every time they would go on when I needed to clean my windshield and the headlights happened to be on, it would just invariably make a big mess on my hood that I then needed to clean up. They were really useless.

Wiz33

No Matrix LED on S5 for U.S. You only get Full LED even with the prestige package.

Wiz33

But it was on the Show Car at the LA Auto Show 2016 (Headlight washer at least, Don't know about Matrix LED)

Glisse

There was a statutory requirement in the EU that mandated headlight washers needed to be used with xenon/HID headlights. That requirement went some time ago. Why Audi fit them to the Matrix headlights I don't know. Perhaps the system needs to be able to "read" relative beam strength - it uses the camera system to know which beams to blank, which to use in high power, low power, etc. so perhaps dirt affects this?

I keep my car very clean, and agree with Scoopman, the washers just make a mess (I have Matrix LED lights).

JohnEnglish

That was a EU spec car.

Neon01

I've had them in several different BMWs and Audis; I do not miss them one bit. Added complexity and point of failure for no appreciable value, imo. I'm glad they're gone.