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      10-24-2005, 12:39 PM   #1
wongmb
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Rain sensor wiper - manual adjustment ??

Is there a way to adjust the frequency the rain sensor wiper ? It seems like it always wipe much more frequent that I want it to and the "slider" on the stalk does not do anything at all ? i.e. no manual adjustment on intermittent since rain sensor takes over completely ?

I now actually prefer my old E46 325 that only offers manually adjusted intermittent but allow me to set it to wipe at a much more sensible speed when its only light rain.

Mine is a Canadian car, May built 325 SP, non i-drive.

Last edited by wongmb; 10-24-2005 at 02:45 PM..
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      10-24-2005, 12:41 PM   #2
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I would like to know more about this question as well. Thanks!
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      10-24-2005, 12:54 PM   #3
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Ya, I don't like the wiper options either. I used it on the few rainy days we have here in LA and it doesn't work well. The auto sensor's speed is not desirable, and the two other settings are just too quick for the drizzles we get. That adjustable knob doesn't work at all, I didn't sense any changes in speed. My eclipse's wiper worked well with a large range of speed and it's also speed sensative, so I can actually set it and forget it. Of course in LA, this is really a non-issue.
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      10-24-2005, 03:35 PM   #4
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My Passat has the rain sensor and does the exact same thing. I was hoping the sensors on the BMW would work better. I guess not. :mad:
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      10-24-2005, 03:42 PM   #5
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      10-24-2005, 06:03 PM   #6
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I drove my mother's E46 (330xi 2002) which has the rain sensor as well. They work much better than the ones we get on the E90. With light rain, the wipers do not wipe all the time like with the E90.

We also have a Mazda 3 sport with rain sensor as well and it too works a lot better. Much more like an intermittent wiper than an "always wipe" mode...
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      10-24-2005, 07:02 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wongmb
Is there a way to adjust the frequency the rain sensor wiper ? It seems like it always wipe much more frequent that I want it to and the "slider" on the stalk does not do anything at all ? i.e. no manual adjustment on intermittent since rain sensor takes over completely ?
Mine works just fine. The slider on the stalk does change the sensitivity, as described in the manual. I normally leave it at the lowest sensitivity, but today I found myself selecting one notch higher.
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      10-24-2005, 07:08 PM   #8
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Mine works fine IMO, used it for the first time today.
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      10-24-2005, 08:57 PM   #9
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Hey wongmb, I read your post a few days ago and we have had some rain with different intensities recently where I live. I was mindful of your query and tested out the sensitivity positions for the rain sensor. I have found a difference between the settings and in fact have needed to change the sensitivity which worked a treat.

Perhaps you may need your dealer to check whethere the adjustment settings on you car in fact make a difference. My old e46 had a rain sensor and I do not feel any difference between the two.

Hope you get you problem sorted.
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      10-24-2005, 10:02 PM   #10
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I think it really depends on the person too. You see some OCD people with just a mist and they leave their wiper on like top speed for no reason, so I think for those people the rain sensor on e90's works just fine. For those people that doesn't like to have the wiper on unless its actually distorting the clarity, then these sensors doesn't work too well.
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      10-24-2005, 10:20 PM   #11
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I find it too sensitive in a drizzle

It works okay in heaviear rain
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      10-24-2005, 11:05 PM   #12
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I was using the auto wipe today and thought it was too slow at times...if its too fast, then dont use it
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      10-24-2005, 11:38 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by poldim
I was using the auto wipe today and thought it was too slow at times...if its too fast, then dont use it
Ok, I won't use it, I'll bring a squeegy next time when it rains and rig it up with some strings or sumthn. The point is in a drizzle, the auto mode is too sensative, there are no slower setting on the wiper where you can just set and leave, and so the only option is to constantly click the wiper manually when it gets too heavy. The gripe here is the less "advanced" cars have slow intermitten setting that doesn't rely on sensors where it will wipe every so often, yet BMW left that option out and just figures the auto sensing could replace those situation, when it really can't.
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      10-25-2005, 05:49 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by timzerofive
Ok, I won't use it, I'll bring a squeegy next time when it rains and rig it up with some strings or sumthn. The point is in a drizzle, the auto mode is too sensative, there are no slower setting on the wiper where you can just set and leave, and so the only option is to constantly click the wiper manually when it gets too heavy. The gripe here is the less "advanced" cars have slow intermitten setting that doesn't rely on sensors where it will wipe every so often, yet BMW left that option out and just figures the auto sensing could replace those situation, when it really can't.
The sensitivity is adjustable. Myself and others find the lowest setting low enough. If yours doesn't adjust, it's a defect that needs to be corrected. If it adjusts but you find all settings to be too sensitive, then the only solution for you is not using it.
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      10-25-2005, 06:28 AM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by benoitch
I drove my mother's E46 (330xi 2002) which has the rain sensor as well. They work much better than the ones we get on the E90. With light rain, the wipers do not wipe all the time like with the E90.
I recall my former E46s having much better rainsensor/wiping systems too
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      10-25-2005, 11:09 AM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wac77
The sensitivity is adjustable. Myself and others find the lowest setting low enough. If yours doesn't adjust, it's a defect that needs to be corrected. If it adjusts but you find all settings to be too sensitive, then the only solution for you is not using it.
Unfortunately when you have a drizzle, the adjustable setting really doesn't make much of a difference. And yes, the only solution is not using it, unless BMW has a soft/firmware update that can correct this. That would be the more desirable solution. Can it happen? Maybe, if enough people complain about it. Will it happen if everyone just say "Oh, we'll just not use the wipers then...", not likely.
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      10-25-2005, 11:20 AM   #17
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I was driving on the highway yesterday with heavy rain. I played with the sensitivity settings and didn't notice any difference in wiper response. Is the difference in sensitivity noticable for other people?
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      10-25-2005, 12:28 PM   #18
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Yes, I noticed too that the sensitivity setting of the rain sensor just does not work (no difference noticable). I have experienced this actually from day one (June 16th). I called the dealer and they responded to have a look at it, whenever I come around.

On my former E46 it did work perfectly.
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      10-25-2005, 12:37 PM   #19
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The rain sensor has a problem if the screen is anything but ultraclean. Any smear on it and it way be oversensitive. With mine, if i go through a car wash and order the "spray on hot wax" that is sprayed over the whole car, the screen may seem clean while dry, but that wax will smear when the screen is wet ever so slightly but enough to irritate the rain sensor.

If you have trouble with the sensor sensitivity try the following two things:

1. clean your screen very thoroughly with glass cleaner Outside of course, but while you´re at it...

2. Turn on the rain sensor. If it´s too sensitive, turn the sensitivity wheel all up to the most sensitive setting and then back down to the least sensitive. That seems to help on mine.

Maybe there´s a software glitch where the rain sensor forgets which sensitivity it was set too and defaults to high or mid sensitivity. Since the the E90 column stalks give impulses instead of readings, readjusting the sensitivity wheel may reset it and allow it to read the desired setting.
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      10-25-2005, 01:46 PM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chrissal1
I was driving on the highway yesterday with heavy rain. I played with the sensitivity settings and didn't notice any difference in wiper response. Is the difference in sensitivity noticable for other people?
Of course in heavy rain the sensitivity settings do not make a difference. The sensitivity setting determines the minimum wiper speed. If the rain is very light it would do that speed, if the rain is heavier it would go faster. In my car, the lowest sensitivity is a true intermittent one, and works very well.
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      10-25-2005, 03:12 PM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tierfreund
The rain sensor has a problem if the screen is anything but ultraclean. Any smear on it and it way be oversensitive. With mine, if i go through a car wash and order the "spray on hot wax" that is sprayed over the whole car, the screen may seem clean while dry, but that wax will smear when the screen is wet ever so slightly but enough to irritate the rain sensor.

If you have trouble with the sensor sensitivity try the following two things:

1. clean your screen very thoroughly with glass cleaner Outside of course, but while you´re at it...

2. Turn on the rain sensor. If it´s too sensitive, turn the sensitivity wheel all up to the most sensitive setting and then back down to the least sensitive. That seems to help on mine.

Maybe there´s a software glitch where the rain sensor forgets which sensitivity it was set too and defaults to high or mid sensitivity. Since the the E90 column stalks give impulses instead of readings, readjusting the sensitivity wheel may reset it and allow it to read the desired setting.
IC, I'll try that, when it rains again, but its sunny here now.
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      10-25-2005, 03:17 PM   #22
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Also, I've noticed a small amelioration after putting a coat of rain-X. I guess it helps the sensor to ... sense
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