Auto windshield wipers

[Joetnr1]

Rarely rains in L.A. but had a chance to try out the auto wipers today. They stink. Unless it's just me. I seem to remember an upgrade in the last update as well? I think they need more work.

 

[FequalsMA]

can you be a bit more descriptive?

when i first took delivery, the blades were extremely loud (being dragged across the surface of the windshield, even with rain water on the surface).
Turns out they just needed a bit of wearing in and now they're all good.

 

[neroden]

The auto wiper functionality does not work -- the sensor is mislocated or misdesigned or something. Just turn three notches to "on".

 

[BertL]

Folks, several other threads on this subject.

Net IMHO is Tesla has elected to use a stock Daimler stalk in MS that has only 2 intermittent wiper positions -- VS what other mfgrs (e.g. Lexus) does with a stalk that has an additional physical dial on the wiper stalk. That dial allows user adjustment of the intermittent setting in addition to the logic the mfgr has provided supporting the windshield water sensor and resulting sweep speed.

I don't believe there is an issue with MS sensor location, as other mfgrs place it on the front windshield in a similar place. Perhaps there is some amount of issue with the MS blades not removing water over that sensor as well as it could be in certain wind directions (see other threads where Tesla has acknowledged a wiper blade chatter problem requiring a possible future engineering change -- but that I believe is more for the even longer driver side blade than it is for the passenger side that sweeps the wiper sensor behind the rearview mirror.) Tesla improved logic associated with intermittent wipers in a past firmware drop since I took delivery in October (I forget which one) -- that was highlighted in the release notes at the time. See other threads, but some owners said it was no better or worse, while I personally saw it as a general improvement in the drizzle we have here along the coast from time-to-time. Is it perfect or as good as my former Lexus? No -- because two stalk positions will never provide as many variations to make different owners happy and deal with varying weather as the physical Japanese refinement.

 

[Joetnr1]

Yes my BMW had a sort of "fine tuning" scroll wheel for the auto wipers that worked well.

 

[Lex]

My solution has been to apply Aquapel which is a long-lasting hydrophobic coating every 6 months and to just tap for 1-cycle as needed. Yep I'm on manual but in most rain and driving scenarios the Aquapel works better than wipers. This has also worked to protect the windshield from permanent damage.

Perhaps not worth the bother for some for less rainy areas, but as a bonus it also makes the windshield easier to wash, just like paint coatings.

 

[BertL]

My solution has been to apply Aquapel which is a long-lasting hydrophobic coating every 6 months and to just tap for 1-cycle as needed. Yep I'm on manual but in most rain and driving scenarios the Aquapel works better than wipers. This has also worked to protect the windshield from permanent damage.

Perhaps not worth the bother for some for less rainy areas, but as a bonus it also makes the windshield easier to wash, just like paint coatings.

Agree. I've done the same for years on all my vehicles.

 

[Lightmatrix]

We got some heavy duty rain over the weekend here in Las Vegas and I tell you, the highest wiper speed still wasn't adequate enough to enhance visibility. One higher level of wipe speed would have been nice.