Auto Wipers turning on during a sunny day?

[dan1101]

Anybody else have this problem? My auto wipers will turn themselves on for a swipe or two on a perfectly dry sunny day. Seems to be triggered mostly on a sunny day by patches of shadow from trees or whatnot.

Had the dealer look at it this morning but all that came back on the ticket was "could not duplicate." It took them 2 hours for that and an oil change, I was late for work and couldn't press the issue.

 

[njaremka]

while not a speed3, i had the auto-wipers go off on our mazda5 when i passed a cop shooting radar. (perfectly sunny day, NO clouds or shadows)

 

[kvndoom]

I've had it happen on very rare occasions, but I don't use auto that much. Usually it's a reminder for me to turn them off, when it does happen.

 

[oaklandopen]

makes sense because the auto wiper thingies are not actually sensing rain, they are sensing variances of light.

the special lens at the top of the windshield is made up of multible light sensors that talk back and forth to each other via computer to see which is sensing more light than the other. when rain is hitting it refracts the light in one spot while the other gets direct light, these variances in light make the computer think there are rain drops on the windshield and thus tell the wipers to wipe

so, if you have them on when the sun is out and you get a tiny little shadow effect they will probably wipe for you

im totally drunk and trying to sound more scientific than really am, but most of that is factual

and on a side note, i cant' stand my gt rain sensing wipers as they never work how i want them to. i'd rather have intermittent wipers i can set the speed on my own

 

[MikeHTally]

Mine go off every so often for no apparent reason. I suspect it occurs when the car in front of me spritzes the windshield, or tosses up some water.

 

[SBSPEED3]

im totally drunk

X2

and on a side note, i cant' stand my gt rain sensing wipers as they never work how i want them to. i'd rather have intermittent wipers i can set the speed on my own

X eleventybillion!!

i absolutely HATE the auto wipers!!! they have about 50 different settings, but only 2 real speeds; fast and panic fast. i wish there was a way to just make them intermittent...

 

[dan1101]

I like the auto wipers in general, especially with light or misty rain. But I do wish they also had a manual intermittent setting.

 

[khoney]

I've been pretty pleased with the auto wipers in general. The auto headlights, however, are a different story. You'd think the system could turn on the auto headlights when the wipers are on lots of times during daytime rainstorms I have to turn on the headlights manually. Yeah, I know, what's so hard about that? That's not the point, though, is it?

 

[oaklandopen]

im willing to accept maybe the auto lights would come in handy in some situations like having to drive though multiple tunnels during your commute, or if you start out early in the moring when it's still dark but don't end up at your destination until the sun is up so you might want them to go off at some point during your drive

but really having the lights on isn't going to hurt anything. and you're certainly not making uuber savings in bulbs by only having them on as long as they need to be

i do like some vehicles (bimmer i know for sure) that have headlights that sense oncoming vehicles so they switch the hi-beams off. had a cop swing a quick u turn on me once when i forgot i still had mine on

another thing that would help is having a sensor that receives signals from designated areas like road construction zones, and turns your headlights on automatically (i know for a fact that it's a law in PA to turn on your headlights when in a construction zone). a little futuristic but it would definitly help

 

[Sport6]

Try cleaning the rain sensor area as best as you can. I think if there is any sort of residue on the windshield, it will reflect the light funny. Like an automatic car wash that has a wax, sprays it all over the windshield and you can see that some of the light reflects differently.

 

[MikeHTally]

The automatic wipers on my C work better than the Speed's, but I still like 'em. Wish the car also had automatic locking.

 

[dan1101]

I don't like the auto lights because if I just want to turn the ignition on and raise/lower my windows or whatever, it turns the headlights on. Really auto headlights is not something I've ever found myself wanting in a vehicle.

As for the wipers, I'll try cleaning the sensor area. Is it that little round thing near the center of the dash, IIRC?

 

[njaremka]

I don't like the auto lights because if I just want to turn the ignition on and raise/lower my windows or whatever, it turns the headlights on. Really auto headlights is not something I've ever found myself wanting in a vehicle.

you can still turn them off via the headlight stalk. you dont lose complete control over the headlights.

 

[dan1101]

I don't like the auto lights because if I just want to turn the ignition on and raise/lower my windows or whatever, it turns the headlights on. Really auto headlights is not something I've ever found myself wanting in a vehicle.

you can still turn them off via the headlight stalk. you dont lose complete control over the headlights.

Yes, but you have to mess with the stalk to turn them off, which sort of defeats the purpose of auto headlights. And ironically as you turn the knob you have to turn them on for a moment before moving to the Off position. Is it bad for HIDs to turn on and off quickly?

 

[Hank3]

Is it bad for HIDs to turn on and off quickly?

If done a lot, yes, it's bad for the ballasts. I used to not flash anyone due to this. Did the flash-to-pass mod and I now can flash the high beams without the HIDs coming on.

 

[njaremka]

Yes, but you have to mess with the stalk to turn them off, which sort of defeats the purpose of auto headlights. And ironically as you turn the knob you have to turn them on for a moment before moving to the Off position. Is it bad for HIDs to turn on and off quickly?

my point was, if you wanted to turn the car on breifly, without the headlights coming on, you could still turn them off. on our 5, i dont think i touch the stalk except when its raining and i want the lights on for safety. they are not that sensitive to light changes that they constantly turn on and off.

 

[dan1101]

It's still silly that to turn them off you have to go past the On position. It should be "Off, Park lights, Auto, On." Or "Off, Auto, Park lights, On."


I didn't know the HIDs came on when you flashed, that sucks. I thought the high beams were regular bulbs and only they came on when you flashed.

 

[njaremka]

It's still silly that to turn them off you have to go past the On position. It should be "Off, Park lights, Auto, On." Or "Off, Auto, Park lights, On."


I didn't know the HIDs came on when you flashed, that sucks. I thought the high beams were regular bulbs and only they came on when you flashed.

really? they turn off when the car turns off. how is that silly? if your biggest argument against them is that they turn on if you want to roll the windows up, its a pretty weak one.

 

[Hank3]

I didn't know the HIDs came on when you flashed, that sucks. I thought the high beams were regular bulbs and only they came on when you flashed.

The high beams are halogen bulbs, but in order for them to come on, the low beams have too also. Unless you do the mod.