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Rain Sensing Wipers

8K views 32 replies 20 participants last post by  copernicium112 
#1 ·
Hey all, quick question for those with the rain sensing wipers. When you leave the wipers in "auto" mode do your wipers dry wipe the windshield every time you start the car? I can't check this at the dealership since that option isn't available anymore with the 2013 Focus Thanks for the help!
 
#2 ·
I had this issue with my auto wipers back this summer. Dealer had to replace the interior rain sensing module mounted on the inside of the windshield. The problem was first, intermittent and then as time passed it became a dry swipe each time the engine was started. Since the replacement of the rain sensing module, I had no other occurence of this ''dry swipe'' thing. It looked pretty silly when I started the car on a bright and sunny afternoon with not a cloud in view.
 
#7 ·
Do you have a copy of the work order? My car has the same problem.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2
 
#3 ·
No, it should not wipe automatically at every car start.

However, it will trigger a wipe of the sensor detects moisture on the windshield when starting up the car, and if you happen to back-up at the same time, the rear wiper will do a courtesy wipe even if the rear wiper is turned off.
 
#4 ·
Thanks guys! That's what I thought but my dealership is telling me it's normal. They honestly haven't a clue and aren't even trying to research a problem, instead every issue I bring up about my Focus is met with "That's how it's supposed to operate".
 
#5 ·
Hey there,

Definitely bring this up the next time you talk to your CSM; they can always consult with a technical subject matter expert to get a definitive answer in the hands of your dealer.

I had this issue with my auto wipers back this summer. Dealer had to replace the interior rain sensing module mounted on the inside of the windshield. The problem was first, intermittent and then as time passed it became a dry swipe each time the engine was started. Since the replacement of the rain sensing module, I had no other occurence of this ''dry swipe'' thing. It looked pretty silly when I started the car on a bright and sunny afternoon with not a cloud in view.
No, it should not wipe automatically at every car start.

However, it will trigger a wipe of the sensor detects moisture on the windshield when starting up the car, and if you happen to back-up at the same time, the rear wiper will do a courtesy wipe even if the rear wiper is turned off.
Thanks for sharing your experiences, Kaaru and ricomtl!

Have a great day,
Crystal
 
#13 ·
Hey there,

Definitely bring this up the next time you talk to your CSM; they can always consult with a technical subject matter expert to get a definitive answer in the hands of your dealer.


Have a great day,
Crystal
Crystal, that may be how it's supposed to work, but my CSM told me she cannot tell a dealership how to fix a problem. So she had me drive forty miles further to the next dealership to see if they will fix the problem. To add to my frustration, there has been no action taken with the dealer considering they lied to my face about this issue and how they got in a new Focus and it did the same thing... Funny considering rain sensing wipers arent offered on any 2013 Focus... Maybe the typical customer would never have checked into the issue further, but now that I caught them in a lie I cant help but wonder - what else have they lied about?
 
#6 ·
WOW, guess I need to take mine in for that same thing. I just thought that was normal with the wipers in auto mode. It happens every time i start my car and has since the day i bought it. Im taking it in friday to get the left rear window molding replaced, so i guess ill bring this up as well.
 
#9 ·
Again, no, it should not happen. Mine has done it maybe three or four times but it is out of the ordinary. I'm sorry to hear the option is not a available as I love it. Today I didn't even realize it was sprinkling until the wipers came on and cleared the windscreen. I only wish the lights would come on when they activated so that I could be in compliance with CA law - it's hard to not think about turning on the wipers and having to think about turning on the lights.
 
#11 ·
Rain lamps works automatically in the standard low or high speed setting of the regular variable intermittent wipers to turn on the headlamps, in fact it doesn't seem to work in the intermittent speed setting, but that is by design I think.

My car turns on the headlamps automatically in the rain with the wipers on low or high for as long as the wipers are running + a minute or two after turning the wipers either off or to the intermittent setting if its not dark enough to also trigger the auto lamps to kick on.

So I'm not sure why you say it does not work with the standard wiper settings on the 2012+ and more specifically the SEL like mine and yours.
 
#16 ·
Well Plaza Lincoln, after five days, finally fixed the wiper issued. The updated and reprogrammed every module in the car, replaced the rain sensor itself and finally the switch on the steering wheel column. Apparently the later had a faulty connection. Oh they also replaced my battery as they ran it down due to leaving the car "on" without actually starting the vehicle. Hopefully this fixes my issue.
 
#19 ·
#20 ·
I'll be honest, I've had periods where my rain sensing wipers don't do the dry swipe, but they'll still do it about 30% of the time.

I know it shouldn't come to this but, this is how I get my rain wipers to NOT do the dry swipe 70% of the time when the stalk is in the rain sensing position, when coming to my locked car in the morning...

1) Hit the lock key, and let the car flash once.
2) Hit unlock after the lights turn off.
3) Turn on the car.

If the swipe was normal, this procedure SHOULDN'T lead to no dry swipe. But it does work pretty well. Don't know if this would work on anyone else's car.
 
#23 ·
I've noticed that it seems to happen when there are bug spots or other stuff on the windshield or if the ambient light is at a certain angle. It makes a bit of sense because I don't think the wipers detect moisture but reduced return of IR light from the windshield. Here's a link to a TRW unit's "how it works". http://static.ddmcdn.com/pdf/rain-sensor.pdf
 
#24 ·
My car has always done the dry wipe. I thought it was an unfortunate design flaw because I'd prefer to just always leave it in rain sensing mode. You know, "set and forget." I guess I'll have to add this to the litany of issues I bring up at my next dealership visit.
 
#25 ·
I have a 13 and get an occasional "dry wipe"... I thought there were no auto-wipers on 13's? Mystifying...
 
#28 ·
Hi everyone,

A great first step is bringing your Focus to the dealership so that they can inspect. If you don't want to make a special trip, just combine it with an upcoming oil change or other scheduled maintenance appointment.

Crystal
 
#29 ·
How about someone just tells us whether or not the "dry wipe" (wipers wipe the windshield on startup if left in sensing mode, whether or not anything is on the windshield) is supposed to happen every time for calibration... or can be changed so it doesnt happen?

It would be very helpful. I don't think that Quicklane will check on rain sensing wiper problems.
 
#30 ·
I have rain sensing wipers and they DO NOT DRY WIPE when the car is first started. I remember early on when the car was new, in the first month it may have done the dry wipe 2 or 3 times total, but it hasn't done it since.
 
#31 ·
And you didn't have anything done, any TSB applied? Mine did it upon every startup when I got the car and it was so annoying that I just gave up and haven't used the feature since. No desire to have dry dust/dirt rubbing across my windshield.

How about someone just tells us whether or not the "dry wipe" (wipers wipe the windshield on startup if left in sensing mode, whether or not anything is on the windshield) is supposed to happen every time for calibration... or can be changed so it doesnt happen?

It would be very helpful.
Agreed. I would find it helpful as well Crystal. I have to go in soon since for the past 3 months my headlights, when set to auto, suddenly just refuse to turn on anymore when the wipers are on. If possible, I would like to address this as well during the same visit to save myself a trip.

I don't think that Quicklane will check on rain sensing wiper problems.
Oh, you have one of those also? My dealership opened their Quicklane about a year or so ago and so far it hasn't been impressive for me. I had them throw on my winters during my last oil change and discovered on the drive home that they never bothered to check the pressure after they put them on, never bothered to recalibrate for the fact that I went from 18s to 17s, and never bothered to reset the oil life sensor (which I discovered about 2 weeks ago). Didn't have any of these issues before they opened Quicklane. The only time my Quicklane visit was flawless was when all I needed was an inspection. The other two times - not so flawless. Hopefully they were just working the bugs out since it was new to them.
 
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