wiper issue

[jgbigguy]

ok 2004 LS. When i try to use my windsheild wipers here is what happens. In off mode of course they are off. When i select auto mode, they cycle once and do nothing...hence my last post about replacing my rain sensor. But then as i go to select ANY of the intermittent settings i get nothing...or on the very random occasion i get always on LOW for a few seconds. If i select Always on LOW or HIGH, those both work. So basically i would like to have intermittent controll of the wipers. Would replacing my rain sensor fix that as well even though it isn't an auto setting, or is it my muti-function switch that needs to be replaced? or even as simple as a wiper delay relay (not sure if the system is set up to run off of a relay, but ive seen it before)

 

[gcwimmer]

Make sure you don't have Rain-X or wax on the windshield over the sensor.

If you unplug the rain sensor you should have speed sensitive, intermittent, variable speed wipers and low or high always on.

 

[jgbigguy]

Make sure you don't have Rain-X or wax on the windshield over the sensor.

If you unplug the rain sensor you should have speed sensitive, intermittent, variable speed wipers and low or high always on.

thank you, ill try that.

 

[joegr]

Also check that the rain sensor is correctly attached to the windshield and that you have the correct windshield (if it's been replaced before).

 

[jdmans101]

I have the same issue with my gen 1, the auto mode is not working. How do you get that dam sensor cover off, I tried but quit because I thought I was going to break it.

 

[regiment1]

If your window is heavily pitted, that will mess with the rain sensor. Mine started working again after my windshield was replaced.

 

[vinnmann11]

Make sure you don't have Rain-X or wax on the windshield over the sensor.

If you unplug the rain sensor you should have speed sensitive, intermittent, variable speed wipers and low or high always on.

Why would rain-x cause an issue with the rain sensor?

 

[joegr]

Why would rain-x cause an issue with the rain sensor?

The rain sensor works by bouncing IR off of the glass on the inside and seeing how much comes back. When a water droplet gets on the outside of the glass where the sensor is, it causes more of the IR to shoot out the front of the windshield instead of back in to the sensor. In this way, rain is detected.
If you put Rain-X over where the sensor is, it prevents a water droplet from staying at the sensor long enough to be detected.

 

[vinnmann11]

Thanks for the explanation. However, I keep my windshield heavily Rain-X'ed and the irritating thing about my wipers is that even with them on intermittent, a minor sprinkle send the wipers into hypersonic mode.

 

[joegr]

Thanks for the explanation. However, I keep my windshield heavily Rain-X'ed and the irritating thing about my wipers is that even with them on intermittent, a minor sprinkle send the wipers into hypersonic mode.

Just unplug the sensor then. You'll have normal intermittent wiper settings.