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Thread: Rain Sensor Malfunction

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Denver, CO
    Posts
    122
    My Cars
    1998 M3 Coupe

    Rain Sensor Malfunction

    This post is about a 2001 X5, but since the rain sensor comes on many different models I figured it'd be better to post here.

    Before I say anything else, yes, my windshield was replaced at some point, but it was done right. The sensor worked just fine up until a few months ago. Can anyone give suggestions on what to test? I did pull the fuse for the rain sensor, and the only thing it changed was my power window operation

    Current behavior in the rain:

    - Wipers swipe twice in a row
    - Neither speed nor frequency change with how hard it's raining
    - Rotary (interval) switch does nothing
    - Frequency DOES change with vehicle speed

    In the dry, you should be able to turn the switch to position 1 (rain sensing position), see the wipers swipe once, then stop. In other words, you should be able to leave it in that position. I can't do that. Mine acts as if the sensor is always sensing just a little bit of rain (consistently swipes once every 5-10 seconds).

    In addition, the wipers "park" in the wrong spot, about a quarter way up the windshield. I was told that's what happens when using the rain sensor, but I don't remember. Even when the rain sensor isn't engaged (ex. position 2, high speed), or when I turn the wipers completely off (position 0), it parks in the wrong spot. Where they get stuck:



    Pictures of the mirror and the sensor:







    Last edited by DillonInCO; 08-15-2014 at 12:52 PM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Denver, CO
    Posts
    122
    My Cars
    1998 M3 Coupe
    Bump...still haven't figured anything out. Seems like my next step should be to pull the cover off the sensor, and probe the wires with a volt meter, but I don't know what voltage to look for...

    Anyway, a slight update, I cleaned the windshield, then I washed the car and left the wipers on. With just a little bit of water on the windshield, the wipers did the same thing they do when it's not raining and when it rains lightly: swipe twice, every 5 seconds or so. When I sprayed the windshield with the power washer, they came on full blast. SO the sensor IS working, sort of. Makes me wonder if something else---maybe whatever is causing the wipers to "park" in the wrong spot---is the source of all this.
    Last edited by DillonInCO; 08-19-2014 at 06:29 PM.

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