Rain sensing wipers didn't work today in the rain.

[The_Chemist]

I originally posted this in general discussions, but got zero response. Please forgive me for double posting and using extra server space. I didn't know if I was able to move the thread.


I parked my truck out from underneath my carport last evening so the rain would wash the dust off.

I went out and started the truck early this morning on my way to Sunday Mass. It was still raining, but the rain sensing wipers would not come on. The switch was 3 clicks into the intermittent position and the system was switched on in the Uconnect settings.

I do not use any type of wax or windshield coating that would affect refraction of the infrared detection beam on the windshield glass.

Finally I went into the Uconnect settings, disabled the rain sensing wipers, then re-enabled them. That fixed the probkem, they started to work again.

Did anyone else ever experience this?

 

[dutchman187]

I originally posted this in general discussions, but got zero response. Please forgive me for double posting and using extra server space. I didn't know if I was able to move the thread.


I parked my truck out from underneath my carport last evening so the rain would wash the dust off.

I went out and started the truck early this morning on my way to Sunday Mass. It was still raining, but the rain sensing wipers would not come on. The switch was 3 clicks into the intermittent position and the system was switched on in the Uconnect settings.

I do not use any type of wax or windshield coating that would affect refraction of the infrared detection beam on the windshield glass.

Finally I went into the Uconnect settings, disabled the rain sensing wipers, then re-enabled them. That fixed the probkem, they started to work again.

Did anyone else ever experience this?

Mine have not worked well for the past couple months. I often have to switch to low to have them come on. Now I do have a spray on window coating on the windshield; however, the auto sensing worked seamlessly with that coating for the first three months with zero issues. Not sure why the last two months the sensitivity seems off.

 

[The_Chemist]

Mine have not worked well for the past couple months. I often have to switch to low to have them come on. Now I do have a spray on window coating on the windshield; however, the auto sensing worked seamlessly with that coating for the first three months with zero issues. Not sure why the last two months the sensitivity seems off.

Thanks for a reply.

As I stated, I have no sort of coating on my windshield glass. My system, like yours worked well for the first three months. Now, I experienced this glitch, where I had to power cycle the system.

I guess I'll find out if it continues the next time it rains. The truck isn't my daily driver. I mainly use it on weekends. I guess I could also spray the windshield with a garden hose while it is running to see if the issue persists. It's so cold here in central PA now though...

 

[dutchman187]

Thanks for a reply.

As I stated, I have no sort of coating on my windshield glass. My system, like yours worked well for the first three months. Now, I experienced this glitch, where I had to power cycle the system.

I guess I'll find out if it continues the next time it rains. The truck isn't my daily driver. I mainly use it on weekends. I guess I could also spray the windshield with a garden hose while it is running to see if the issue persists. It's so cold here in central PA now though...

Just speculating here, but the timing of my poor sensing corresponds pretty closely with the cold weather.

 

[The_Chemist]

Just speculating here, but the timing of my poor sensing corresponds pretty closely with the cold weather.

Interesting thought.... Mine started acting up as the cold set in as well.

 

[Capt Joe]

Try turning the wipers off then on again. I think if you leave the switch on when you turn the car off it doesn't necessarily activate the system when you turn on. The car again. Pretty sure my Challenger behaves the same way. I have to check that out.

 

[Maple]

I just hit the mist button on the stalk and that wakes up the rain sensors.

 

[The_Chemist]

Try turning the wipers off then on again. I think if you leave the switch on when you turn the car off it doesn't necessarily activate the system when you turn on. The car again. Pretty sure my Challenger behaves the same way. I have to check that out.

When I power cycled the rain sensing system from the Uconnect, they started working again. At least for that time.

 

[The_Chemist]

I just hit the mist button on the stalk and that wakes up the rain sensors.

I did that. It worked for a few wipes, then stopped working again until I power cycled.

 

[HeliPilot]

I did that. It worked for a few wipes, then stopped working again until I power cycled.

If I'm not mistaken, they are speed dependent as well. If you were sitting in park, maybe they didn't sense the need to wipe. I'm pretty sure I read that somewhere, maybe the owners manual

 

[HeliPilot]

I've witnessed mine essentially stop while sitting at a stop light, then resume once I accelerated

 

[The_Chemist]

If I'm not mistaken, they are speed dependent as well. If you were sitting in park, maybe they didn't sense the need to wipe. I'm pretty sure I read that somewhere, maybe the owners manual

Thanks. I was driving waiting for them to come on....

 

[The_Chemist]

Alright, these rain sensing wipers are about worthless. From what I have found, if you leave them on all the time, they will not start on their own if your truck is started with a wet windshield.

Many times my truck has been parked out in the rain. When I get in the truck, start it, with the rain sensing wipers already switched on, from the last time it was raining, they will not start wiping until you turn them off, then on again.

If they are left on and you start the truck with a dry windshield, then it starts raining, they will start wiping.

I don’t get it! What’s the point? Why wouldn’t the system be designed to just leave them on all the time and when it starts raining, they start wiping?

When you first start the truck, does the system scan the windshield to set a baseline? If it’s already wet, it messes up the baseline?

I just don’t get it. I may as well turn the rain sensing system off in Uconnect and manually operate the wipers if I have to turn them off, then back on again if my windshield already has rain drops on it!

 

[Jus Cruisin]

Mine will turn on more often than not when starting the truck with a wet windshield. When it doesn't, i just tap the button for the washer and they wipe once. They turn on when it rains, adjust the speed to match the rain rate and work as designed as far as I'm concerned.

 

[The_Chemist]

Mine will turn on more often than not when starting the truck with a wet windshield. When it doesn't, i just tap the button for the washer and they wipe once. They turn on when it rains, adjust the speed to match the rain rate and work as designed as far as I'm concerned.

Mine will turn on when it rains as long as they start with a dry windshield. If the truck is started with a wet windshield and the rain sensing wipers are already on, they do not wipe until I turn them off, then back on again. I have not tried pressing the washer button to get them to start.

I find it annoying to have to babysit an automated system.

Perhaps the programming logic has a bug in the code.

I'd like to find out how many other owners experience this issue. Possibly my system is just defective.

 

[gr8ridn]

I think the wipers should not start automatically on each start up with rain detected. The auto start on moisture detection would activate in car washes that would start the wipers and mess up the wipers and possibly the wiper motor when the big rollers of the car wash roll over the vehicle. This is just one example. Seems simple enough to start the auto wipers when you actually encounter rain. They are still useful in setting the best wiper speed and turning off during periods of intermittent rain. BMW always had their wipers set this way and most cars the same.

 

[dutchman187]

Mine will turn on when it rains as long as they start with a dry windshield. If the truck is started with a wet windshield and the rain sensing wipers are already on, they do not wipe until I turn them off, then back on again. I have not tried pressing the washer button to get them to start.

I find it annoying to have to babysit an automated system.

Perhaps the programming logic has a bug in the code.

I'd like to find out how many other owners experience this issue. Possibly my system is just defective.

Mine worked great when I first bought it. They are hit or miss now. I just turned it off and went back to doing it manually as I got annoyed waiting for the wipers to kick in during rains.

 

[The_Chemist]

Mine worked great when I first bought it. They are hit or miss now. I just turned it off and went back to doing it manually as I got annoyed waiting for the wipers to kick in during rains.

I've got the same exact issue. The system worked well the first few months of ownership, then just stopped responding.

I did just read in the manual that the system will not automatically start if it is set to 1 or 4. Possibly that could be the issue.

 

[The_Chemist]

It was operater error!

After reading the manual, it states that the wipers will not automatically actuate when the rotary control switch is set to position 1 or 4.

I set mine to 3 and low and behold, the wipers started automatically when the truck was started with a wet windshield after sitting out in the rain.

I repeated this at least 6 times on Sunday when running errands.

It was me, not the Ram!

 

[AmostheDog]

I've had my 2020 Rebel for 3 weeks and the rain sensing wipers aren't working. Not sure if they ever worked. I haven't had time to put anything on the windshield in the 3 weeks of ownership. #$50KRAMmistake.