TMC is an independent, primarily volunteer organization that relies on ad revenue to cover its operating costs. Please consider whitelisting TMC on your ad blocker and becoming a Supporting Member. For more info: Support TMC
  1. TMC is currently READ ONLY.
    Click here for more info.

MASTER THREAD: Auto Wiper functionality, complaints, praise, etc.

Discussion in 'Model 3: Interior & Exterior' started by RC2785, Nov 15, 2019.

  1. XLR82XS

    XLR82XS D M C

    Joined:
    Jul 26, 2019
    Messages:
    3,069
    Location:
    SWFL | Vegas
    New or used? If the windshield is covered in debris and or over-spray of foreign material - then wiper blades will skip/chatter.

    This may help: How to Properly Clean your Windshield | AMMO AUTO CARE INC.
     
  2. Kevy Baby

    Kevy Baby Dis-Member

    Joined:
    Aug 11, 2019
    Messages:
    1,723
    Location:
    Brea, CA
    My auto wipers frequently trigger at the same spot on my drive home within about the same 50-yard range on the freeway. Even on perfectly clear days. There are no over passes or anything at that spot. So strange.
     
  3. Gasaraki

    Gasaraki Active Member

    Joined:
    Oct 21, 2019
    Messages:
    1,352
    Location:
    Syracuse, NY
    wipes too fast. not enough speed settings. I leave it on manual.
     
  4. cypho

    cypho Member

    Joined:
    Dec 20, 2018
    Messages:
    755
    Location:
    USA
    Next someone will use that decision to flat out outlaw electric vehicles because guess what is also true?

    The Tesla vehicle is an electronic device.
     
  5. New_Old_Stock

    New_Old_Stock Member

    Joined:
    Feb 15, 2020
    Messages:
    158
    Location:
    Dongtan, South Korea
    It's important to remember that the driver in that case actually crashed his 3 while adjusting the wipers. But it is a wild case. Imagine crashing your car and then getting a fine and license suspension on top of it. Not a fun day.
     
  6. Twochewy

    Twochewy Member

    Joined:
    Dec 3, 2019
    Messages:
    40
    Location:
    Seattle
    Actually, not too surprising a driver crashed his car adjusting manually. I think Tesla made a mistake removing the wiper stalk. Unfortunately, I drive in the rain a lot. Auto wipers are OK most of the time and it's possible to use voice commands, but for edge cases (when it's most dangerous to have eyes off the road) nothing beats the wiper stalk. Huge mistake Tesla, sorry but it's true.
     
    • Like x 3
  7. Kevy Baby

    Kevy Baby Dis-Member

    Joined:
    Aug 11, 2019
    Messages:
    1,723
    Location:
    Brea, CA
    Except you HAVE a way to trigger the wipers on a stalk: push the end button on the left stalk. That fills the gap when the auto wipers are not triggering soon enough/often enough.
     
  8. Twochewy

    Twochewy Member

    Joined:
    Dec 3, 2019
    Messages:
    40
    Location:
    Seattle
    I see you're in CA...

    My wipers auto run on mountain roads in filtered sunshine (Hwy101, Hwy410). Sunny day, no rain, but forest filtering the sunlight. They just spread squashed windshield bugs. Wipers in manual.

    Raining at night, especially when lacking street lights. Wipers in manual.

    Driving through snow and slush on Mount Baker Highway in winter? Not a chance.

    It's dangerous taking eyes off the road in all 3 of those conditions.

    Around town in typical daytime rainy conditions they work great. Yes, I think we all know about pushing the left stalk button.
     
    • Like x 1
  9. Kevy Baby

    Kevy Baby Dis-Member

    Joined:
    Aug 11, 2019
    Messages:
    1,723
    Location:
    Brea, CA
    So what's the issue here? It's not raining (it is sunny outside), so you have your wipers off. Why would you need them on?

    Presumably, when you got in your car, you knew it was raining (or about to rain). That would be a good time to engage the auto feature (or normal "on" - non-automatic) before you start to drive.

    Again: when you get into your car, you know it is snowing (or could snow). Another great time to turn on the auto wipers (or non-automatic on)

    Surprisingly not
    _____________________________________________

    I am not saying the Auto Wipers are the best. I have issues with phantom wiping when it is clear - I have one spot on the freeway that I pass every day and I would say about 60% of the time, the auto wipers trigger within about 50 yards (something must be triggering them, but I don't know what). So I leave my auto wipers off.
     
  10. Twochewy

    Twochewy Member

    Joined:
    Dec 3, 2019
    Messages:
    40
    Location:
    Seattle
    Those are real examples of auto wipers not working properly. Wiping when they shouldn't, or not wiping when they should. They must be operated in manual which requires the touch panel. With any other car you can do this without taking your eyes off the road. This car requires you to hit tiny little buttons on the lower left corner of the panel. Completely ridiculous on a curvy mountain road in inclement weather!
     
    • Like x 2
  11. pdx_m3s

    pdx_m3s Active Member

    Joined:
    May 18, 2019
    Messages:
    1,224
    Location:
    Portland, OR
    It would be great if Tesla came up with some gesture combinations to manually activate the wipers. For example, push the wiper button on the left stalk, and then temporarily the left steering wheel scroll wheel would allows to adjust for wiper speed, and it would stay there.
     
    • Like x 1
  12. Gratulin

    Gratulin Member

    Joined:
    Jul 20, 2020
    Messages:
    19
    Location:
    Sydney
    In my last car I never really got comfortable with the washer stork controls. There were too many mini dials and clicky things to manage both front and rear wipers. Basically just left it in auto mode but even that was very unclear as to whether or not it was actually in auto mode!

    But the key thing was that in a torrential downpour, on a dark twisty bit of back road I could ALWAYS just push the wiper stork fully up and immediately get maximum emergency wiper speed. I never had to think about it! It has been the same in every car I owned.
     
    • Like x 3
  13. RaezoR

    RaezoR Member

    Joined:
    Sep 16, 2020
    Messages:
    6
    Location:
    Trondheim, Norway
    Well, I live in Trondheim, Norway and the wipers are a bit of a p.i.t.a. When it's cold and damp (all the winter) the wipers operate for up to 5 minutes before the stop. When it's snowing, just a little bit, the wipers go at full speed. Ever since I bought the car I have called it my Californian car, because it appears that MANY of the problems I encounter could be down to the engineers at Tesla not knowing what it's like to own a car anywhere except California. I would love a pressure spray on the rear camera, although the side cameras get blocked by snow and ice too.
     
    • Like x 2
  14. Anfieldgaz

    Anfieldgaz Member

    Joined:
    Dec 5, 2020
    Messages:
    153
    Location:
    Uk
    Can you adjust the sensitivity of the wipers when in auto mode?
     
  15. DopeGhoti

    DopeGhoti Active Member

    Joined:
    Aug 28, 2019
    Messages:
    1,210
    Location:
    Phoenix, AZ
    Only in that you can adjust the sensitivity to either "on" or "off".
     
    • Funny x 2
  16. chinney

    chinney Member

    Joined:
    Nov 7, 2020
    Messages:
    102
    Location:
    Ottawa ON
    The operation of the Model 3 wipers in auto mode definitely could use improvement, for reasons well documented in this thread. That said, I do not agree that starting the wipers with the button is anymore issue that with the stalk. The button is very prominently displayed and easy to click. In previous cars, I have often had problems with operating wipers with a stalk, especially with the increasing complexity of the controls and having multiple stalks coming from the wheel. That has led to some uncomfortable situations. Also, I find that the Tesla voice control for the wipers works well in most situations (though admittedly not all - it seems to require connectivity, which occasionally can be a problem for me).

    So I would definitely like Tesla to fix the auto wiper function, and also make the voice controls not dependant on connectivity. But having a wiper stalk? From my personal perspective, I hope not.
     
  17. chinney

    chinney Member

    Joined:
    Nov 7, 2020
    Messages:
    102
    Location:
    Ottawa ON
    I just noticed that the latest Tesla software update has slightly reduced the prominence of the wiper button on the Model 3 display. It is now just another button on the lower part of the display panel. It is not a big change, but I would no longer say that the button is "prominent" as I indicated above. So this is not a good thing in my view. The change does not have a huge impact on me, since i mostly use voice control for the wipers, but still not great.

    I would assume for the sake of argument that no amount of software improvement is going to make the auto function on the wipers better at this point. I think that it will take a better physical hardware in the form of new sensors, which is unlikely to benefit those of us who already own a Model 3. If that is true, I still think that the wiper function could at least be made better by programming in an 'adjustable intermittent' wiping function. Until my previous vehicle (a Ford) which also had auto wipers and which also did not work that well (although better than on the Tesla), all my cars just had the usual old-fashioned adjustable intermittent wiping functionality. I preferred that, and I would continue to prefer that until auto wipers get better. I see no reason why a Tesla software update could not at least provide adjustable intermittent wiping as an option.
     
  18. Knightshade

    Knightshade Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 31, 2017
    Messages:
    11,085
    Location:
    NC
    Why would you assume that?

    The system is vision based.

    You might not have heard, but Tesla is devoting considerable resources to improving their vision software for additional reasons beyond wipers.

    It's already a lot better than it was a couple years ago. I expect it'll continue to get better over time.
     
  19. Kevy Baby

    Kevy Baby Dis-Member

    Joined:
    Aug 11, 2019
    Messages:
    1,723
    Location:
    Brea, CA
    I think "better" is a little generous. "Less bad" perhaps
     
    • Like x 2

Share This Page

  • About Us

    Formed in 2006, Tesla Motors Club (TMC) was the first independent online Tesla community. Today it remains the largest and most dynamic community of Tesla enthusiasts. Learn more.
  • Do you value your experience at TMC? Consider becoming a Supporting Member of Tesla Motors Club. As a thank you for your contribution, you'll get nearly no ads in the Community and Groups sections. Additional perks are available depending on the level of contribution. Please visit the Account Upgrades page for more details.


    SUPPORT TMC