[Larry92]

So it seems to be well established that the sensor/automatic wipers have a mind of their own....does anybody have any hints or ideas for making its behaviour a little less neurotic?

And, I hope im not being stupid here, but is there a way of setting an intermittent wipe which is automatic at all? I know it sounds old fashioned....failing that, is it something I could cure by removing a fuse or something somewhere....

thanks all

 

[Old Engineer]

This topic has been covered well. The automatic wiper function works provided the screen is clean. My car has exactly the same software and hardware and just works properly.

The sensor works by monitoring the distortion on the screen. So any diesel smearing will look like rain to the sensor. Diesel smearing will happen down a long motorway run because trucks (and Alfas with the DPF removed) throw out fumes that mix with water and coat the screen.

Also if you get a car wash where they use a silicone additive (to stop water staining) that will lay on the screen.

The key is to use a quality glass cream that cuts through the grime.

It is possible that you've had a new screen that might be distorted but I think that is fairly remote. As I said, if some cars work and they all have the same software and hardware it can only be the stuff on the screen.

 

[Larry92]

This topic has been covered well. The automatic wiper function works provided the screen is clean. My car has exactly the same software and hardware and just works properly.

The sensor works by monitoring the distortion on the screen. So any diesel smearing will look like rain to the sensor. Diesel smearing will happen down a long motorway run because trucks (and Alfas with the DPF removed) throw out fumes that mix with water and coat the screen.

Also if you get a car wash where they use a silicone additive (to stop water staining) that will lay on the screen.

The key is to use a quality glass cream that cuts through the grime.

It is possible that you've had a new screen that might be distorted but I think that is fairly remote. As I said, if some cars work and they all have the same software and hardware it can only be the stuff on the screen.

Thanks for the info - yeh it's not all the time, just sometimes - usually recovers if I 'kick' it a bit and override for a couple of wipes using a faster setting..

cheers

 

[epsonix]

happened on my former 2005 jtdm saloon, happens currently with 2010 tbi sw.

 

[Old Engineer]

Thanks for the info - yeh it's not all the time, just sometimes - usually recovers if I 'kick' it a bit and override for a couple of wipes using a faster setting..

cheers

Yes. When you 'kick it' you are giving some extra wipes to move the smearing. But, as you've found, the residue is still there so it doesn't last very long before the wipers bring it back and the system reacts to the 'distortion'.

 

[TheGrimJeeper]

There's a thread on how to disconnect the sensor and the system defaults
back to old-school intermittent somewhere, I think.

 

[Old Engineer]

There's a thread on how to disconnect the sensor and the system defaults
back to old-school intermittent somewhere, I think.

Seems extreme when you know that cars with a clean screen don't have the problem.