Rain Sensor Sensitivity

[smrtypants44]

So last week when the dealer was servicing my car they ended up shattering the windshield and replacing it. It rained really hard yesterday and the wipers worked, but they always seemed to be one speed slower than what I would use if I picked it manually, whereas before the windshield change they worked perfectly. It got to the point where I was having a hard time seeing in heavy rain. I even tried fiddling with the sensitivity settings on the stalk to no effect.

Is there a coding option to adjust the rain sensor sensitivity?

[MightyMouseTech]

Originally Posted by smrtypants44

So last week when the dealer was servicing my car they ended up shattering the windshield and replacing it. It rained really hard yesterday and the wipers worked, but they always seemed to be one speed slower than what I would use if I picked it manually, whereas before the windshield change they worked perfectly. It got to the point where I was having a hard time seeing in heavy rain. I even tried fiddling with the sensitivity settings on the stalk to no effect.

Is there a coding option to adjust the rain sensor sensitivity?

Did they use OE or aftermarket glass? Our body shop won't use aftermarket glass exactly for this reason.

[Duesentrieb]

The sensor needs to be calibrated after replacing the windshield.
If this won't help, the sensor sensitivity can also be coded.

[Dackelone]

Yeah... the rain sensor needs to be reset. Sometimes a shop will try to reuse the rain sensor... maybe tell them you want a new one. The sensor is not cheap - that's why most insurance companies try to glue the old one back on. It usually doesn't work.

On my old e39... the intermittent function didn't change when I rotated the interval switch. It just always wiped every six seconds. My dealer reset the sensor with a scan tool... and it has worked ever since!!

Dackel

[Duesentrieb]

I've checked the repair manuals: You don't need to install a new rain/light-sensor at the 1 series. But it need to be - as I mentioned before - calibrated and coded. Otherwise the parameters will not fit.

[smrtypants44]

Thanks all. It is an OEM windshield. I know they replaced the light sensor because they left the old one in the car, but I'm not sure whether they replaced the rain sensor.

It's odd because I've had the glass replaced before by a third party installer (did it in my garage, used OEM glass) and the wipers worked fine after that. Leave it to the dealer to screw it up. I made an appointment for tomorrow for them to mess with it.

[gjm120]

Anyone know how to recalibrate it? Mine wipes too often on the lowest setting for light rain.

[ianc]

Hey Daniel,

Thanks for chipping in about coding/calibrating the rain sensor. Can you give a bit more info about that? I have the sensitivity set all the way up on the stalk, but with light rain I'm often annoyed that the wipers don't turn on sooner - often I have to switch them on manually when I can't see anymore. Car has the original windshield and sensor.

How can I increase the sensitivity?

Thanks again!

ianc

[Duesentrieb]

Originally Posted by gjm120

Anyone know how to recalibrate it? Mine wipes too often on the lowest setting for light rain.

You need a diagnostic interface and the original BMW workshop software. There's a routine for calibrating it.

Originally Posted by ianc

Hey Daniel,

Thanks for chipping in about coding/calibrating the rain sensor. Can you give a bit more info about that? I have the sensitivity set all the way up on the stalk, but with light rain I'm often annoyed that the wipers don't turn on sooner - often I have to switch them on manually when I can't see anymore. Car has the original windshield and sensor.

How can I increase the sensitivity?

Thanks again!

ianc

Hi ianc,

first I have a question: Do you have the CIC sat nav?

Greetings Daniel

[ianc]

Hi Daniel,

The car is a US spec 2010 with no nav. Thanks for the reply!

ianc

[ianc]

Bump for Daniel?

ianc