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Auto Wipers are awful
- Thread starter DanAndTheBeard
- Start date
goRt
Active Member
Yachtsman
Member
I recently replaced my wiper blades, and I found that, after cleaning the screen, the M3 was switching on the fast speed wipers in more appropriate conditions. However, it was far from perfect and too slow to switch back to the slower speed.
I found I had to switch off Auto to stop it beating the crap out of the blades on the slower continuous wipe when intermittent would have done.
The most annoying thing is that it doesn't seem to do intermittent wiping when the car is at rest like almost every other car I've ever had does.
I find it mind-boggling that a car so advanced in many ways can't even do wipers properly after all these years.
I found I had to switch off Auto to stop it beating the crap out of the blades on the slower continuous wipe when intermittent would have done.
The most annoying thing is that it doesn't seem to do intermittent wiping when the car is at rest like almost every other car I've ever had does.
I find it mind-boggling that a car so advanced in many ways can't even do wipers properly after all these years.
Blame Tesla's stubbornness over not wanting to pay Bosch what must be something like $10 a pop at the scale they'd be purchasing them, instead trying to approximate what this very refined and proven system does with AI and cameras, and failing miserably.
The car uses ultrasonic sensors for parking (although I've heard they might be removed at some point - God help us), so it's not like they are averse to using third-party stuff where its more cost effective, and it works.
The only way it makes sense in my head is if someone challenged Elon on Twitter, telling him that it would not be possible to replicate what a rain sensor does, and he decided it had to be done sensor-less no matter the cost, and here we are - with a system that uses however many CPU cycles and man hours in programming time to work about 40% as well as a $10 part does.
The car uses ultrasonic sensors for parking (although I've heard they might be removed at some point - God help us), so it's not like they are averse to using third-party stuff where its more cost effective, and it works.
The only way it makes sense in my head is if someone challenged Elon on Twitter, telling him that it would not be possible to replicate what a rain sensor does, and he decided it had to be done sensor-less no matter the cost, and here we are - with a system that uses however many CPU cycles and man hours in programming time to work about 40% as well as a $10 part does.
sparkymark75
Member
While I've only had my car for around 6 weeks, I never really had an issue with the auto wipers, until yesterday! Driving in heavy rain on the motorway, they just didn't come on frequent enough to keep good visibility. I had to set them to II/III and only switched them back to Auto when the rain receded.
Wrong kind of rain. Wrong kind of snow. Leaves on the line... Sounds familiar
Doudeau
Member
Can I ask those with recent feedback whether it happened in the dark for them. Since I posted a long way back in this thread, I still find them good during the day irrespective of rain intensity but once it’s dark I need to take over too often for both too little or too much wiping. Just interested to see if they’re consistent across the fleet.
I found my 2010 BMW 5GT pretty much perfect for auto wipers but my 2016 model definitely not so good - without any hope it’ll ever be resolved.
I found my 2010 BMW 5GT pretty much perfect for auto wipers but my 2016 model definitely not so good - without any hope it’ll ever be resolved.
sparkymark75
Member
My feedback above was during the day. Maybe it’s the angle of the screen meaning the sensor doesn’t get covered in as much rain as the rest of the windscreen.
Mine were ok until I put rainex on the screen. Now need to get rid of it.
Mine work great. I have ceramic coating on my my exterior glass.
Cardo
Active Member
Same here. I’ve had no real issues with the auto wipers. Certainly no worse than other cars with auto wipers. I honestly can’t fathom how some people have such broken wipers with the same vehicle?
i was driving my SO’s vignale smax yesterday. it really demonstrates how crap the model 3 is at this time of year (dark evenings and drizzle). i get that this doesnt happen in texas or california but we have to commute in this stuff for months. probably am going to go mustang-e next (18months to go) because at least the lights/wipers will work. the kids all prefer the fords we had as they have “proper sized door pockets” for all their shite as well. on;y fear wit that as a change would be the absence of the s/c network which is the sole differentiator in my view.
MrBadger
Badger out
It’s very much dependent on driving conditions. Just as I can predict most circumstances where TACC or AP can misbehave, I can do the same for auto wipers.
We live in an area with lots of trees and many of the roads around here either have large shadows from trees or are totally tree lined with next to no view of the sky. Those conditions, along with no rain but heavy spray from the road (but that is improving) are the absolute nemesis of Tesla auto wipers and I sometimes I can be constantly flick wiping. Likewise in dusk or very dull conditions. It’s been a while since I drove in the rain in the dark so cannot comment on that as significant changes made to wipers in 2021.18.x
Having had several cars before with auto wipers that cope or can be adjusted for user preference in these conditions, imho the biggest issue with the current implementation is that Tesla offer no user sensitivity preference. One persons view of a clear screen may be very different from another persons. On our previous car, my preference for windscreen sensitivity sometimes needed a simple one click on the stalk adjustment from when my wife had driven.
We live in an area with lots of trees and many of the roads around here either have large shadows from trees or are totally tree lined with next to no view of the sky. Those conditions, along with no rain but heavy spray from the road (but that is improving) are the absolute nemesis of Tesla auto wipers and I sometimes I can be constantly flick wiping. Likewise in dusk or very dull conditions. It’s been a while since I drove in the rain in the dark so cannot comment on that as significant changes made to wipers in 2021.18.x
Having had several cars before with auto wipers that cope or can be adjusted for user preference in these conditions, imho the biggest issue with the current implementation is that Tesla offer no user sensitivity preference. One persons view of a clear screen may be very different from another persons. On our previous car, my preference for windscreen sensitivity sometimes needed a simple one click on the stalk adjustment from when my wife had driven.
My worst experience was coming back from Tebay in the dark... throwing it down with rain but because the motorway there has no lights and the surrounding area is dark (and even full beams won't make much difference if there's only the road for the light to hit), the cameras completely failed to function - the wipers wouldn't come on.. they couldn't see anything, because they need light to see.
I've seen less extreme versions of this many times.. darkness seems to really kill the camera.
I've seen less extreme versions of this many times.. darkness seems to really kill the camera.
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