Windshield wipers are horrible, and arguably dangerous

[matto]

The auto wipers on my car are essentially useless. They don't turn on until the windshield is completely covered in rain to the point that you can't see anything. So just use the manual wipers, right? Well there's no control. You have to fish around on the touch screen to find the setting.

Crappy auto-mode + terrible ergonomics on manual mode = seriously unfortunate combination.

Has anyone tried working with service to get their auto-wiper functionality working better? Or do they tell you there's nothing that can be done?

I love the car, but the wipers are garbage, making it annoying driving this car in the rain.

 

[chronopc]

The auto wipers on my car are essentially useless. They don't turn on until the windshield is completely covered in rain to the point that you can't see anything. So just use the manual wipers, right? Well there's no control. You have to fish around on the touch screen to find the setting.

Crappy auto-mode + terrible ergonomics on manual mode = seriously unfortunate combination.

Has anyone tried working with service to get their auto-wiper functionality working better? Or do they tell you there's nothing that can be done?

I love the car, but the wipers are garbage, making it annoying driving this car in the rain.

If you push the button on the left stalk the wipers will swipe and the controls for the speed will appear. With one quick tap you can choose the manual speed you want.

My wipers work okay. They are not perfect, but not as bad as other people report.

 

[Big Earl]

Mine work fine in the daytime and under street lights. On dark roads, I have to use manual settings. Manual settings aren't too difficult to access; as mentioned above, pressing the mist button on the end of the stalk brings up the wiper controls.

 

[RayK]

Additional notes to what's already been mentioned: Half-press on the left stalk button will turn on the wipers for one sweep. It should also highlight the wiper controls on the screen so you can adjust/change speed setting. Full press on the left stalk button will activate the windshield washer. It might take a couple of times to figure out just how hard/much to push the button but then it's easily duplicated when needed.

I found that when going from software 2018.28.1 to 2018.50.6 the wipers got more sensitive to the amount of rain on the glass. If you are running old software that might explain it.

 

[apetergrant]

I agree with matto. Auto setting lacks sensiitivity and is dangerous so I never use it. Other car makers can do this so what's the problem?

Come on Tesla. You got so much right but the wipers could be much better.

 

[Snow Drift]

I found that when driving at faster speeds (highway) the wipers acted quicker than on local roads.

I also usually like Manual II the best for local roads.

Pressing the stalk is an easy fix too, but not multiple times. Then it’s a pain.

 

[Az_Rael]

I end up just pushing the button on the end of the stalk when its misty rain to supplement the auto, which seems to be when the wipers are worse. They are bad at night too.

I wish we had gotten the extra stalk controls that the S has. So you could twist for wiper speed up and down.

 

[shrspeedblade]

I'm sure glad we have OTA updates so this isn't permanent, but I've accepted for this winter I'll have to resign myself to the left stalk button/select manual speed mode for the time being.

 

[Enginerd]

I concur. Auto wipers are especially horrible at night. I thought I remember Elon promising an update soon... but that may have been a couple months back. Hopefully they'll realize this is more important than "dog mode" and push an update for the rain sensing neural net soon.

 

[16Coma]

Yeah, the wipers suck. I do not feel safe using the onscreen settings. None of the automatic settings worked on my road trip during different types of rain. I find it safer to use the push button on the left stalk too. It's only a matter of time before someone has an accident which will be attributed to the subpar operation of the wipers.

 

[scottm]

At least the model 3 washes much better than model S, which is pathetic.

So that's a step in the right direction. Pity about the way of having to turn them on in the 3, tho. Pretty much need to use manual settings due to lack of sensitivity to, you know, rain hitting the windshield.

 

[shrspeedblade]

At least the model 3 washes much better than model S, which is pathetic.

So that's a step in the right direction. Pity about the way of having to turn them on in the 3, tho. Pretty much need to use manual settings due to lack of sensitivity to, you know, rain hitting the windshield.

Do the S/X not suffer this "underperformance"? The really frustrating things for me are it's not uniform: sometimes the auto works reasonably well and if I remember correctly the auto function was a bit better 6 months ago!

 

[jdcollins5]

The auto wipers have continued to improve with each update. I think the latest update have the wipers operating fairly well now. I rarely have to use the manual wiper any more.

 

[mtndrew1]

My auto wipers are less appalling than they were when the feature was first released, but they’re useless in the dark and in mist as others have mentioned.

I don’t find them to be hazardous though. The single wipe tap on the stalk couldn’t be easier and in reality the manual controls are a similar distance from where my right hand is on the wheel to a traditional stalk.

If they ever get the auto wiper NN working properly it won’t be an issue but until that point I wish we had the Model S style wiper controls.

 

[alee]

If you could somehow bias the sensitivity in Auto, I'd be happy.

The wiper algorithm is terrible as is... it's either too fast or too slow, and the manual modes don't seem like they're speed sensitive (e.g. they appear to just wipe every X secs). It is completely incapable of handling spray from the car ahead, so instead of driving, I'm driving and periodically pushing the left wiper button.

 

[Big Earl]

Do the S/X not suffer this "underperformance"? The really frustrating things for me are it's not uniform: sometimes the auto works reasonably well and if I remember correctly the auto function was a bit better 6 months ago!

AP1 S&X have a Bosch rain sensor and work well, as you'd expect. AP2+ uses vision just like the 3, with the same problems as the 3.

 

[ecarfan]

If you push the button on the left stalk the wipers will swipe and the controls for the speed will appear. With one quick tap you can choose the manual speed you want.

Good advice.

I disagree with the OP; I do not find the wipers on my 3 to be “dangerous”. They certainly could be improved upon. I don’t use the Auto function.

Do the S/X not suffer this "underperformance"? The really frustrating things for me are it's not uniform: sometimes the auto works reasonably well and if I remember correctly the auto function was a bit better 6 months ago!

The Auto Wiper function on my X is not much better than my 3. It is certainly a weak point for Tesla. Obviously Elon and the engineering team is aware of it, as it has been complained about for quite awhile. They just haven’t fixed it yet.

 

[C141medic]

On auto my wipers chatter as if they’re having a seizure. Not sure if this is related to the auto setting? Is there a coating I can put on the wipers for a smoother wipe?

 

[KenF]

Auto wipers work great for me when there is light. In the dark? Not so much...

 

[Dre78]

My auto wipers work great for me, rain and snow, city and highway. I'm pleasantly surprised when the wipers turn on just as I'm thinking, "Hey, I should turn the wipers on."

Does anyone know what triggers the auto wipers? What and where is the sensor?