Windshield wipers are horrible, and arguably dangerous

[UngaBunga1989]

Used Auto for 60 miles today in rain that varied between a light mist and a full-on downpour. The thing was bullet proof. I have had zero issue with this functionality and I am on 2018.50.6.

 

[ZooSean]

I used auto today for about 120 miles of driving in the rain...worked great. The only time I had to manually press the button was when the rain basically stopped and only spray from the road hit the windshield. The algorithm has improved a lot since September.

You will find couple of firmware the wiper improves but next firemware update it is broken again.

 

[dmurphy]

There are a total of 4 speeds in manual mode (two intermittent, two continuous).
While this is possible in the Model 3 it's a pain in the butt, since changing the speed requires interacting with the screen (i.e. it cannot be done without looking using a stalk like in any other car). You first have to bring up the wiper "card" (either by tapping the wiper button or the screen icon) and then select the speed on the screen.

Gotcha. Thanks. There is something to be said for a tactile dial or switch which one can reach without taking eyes off the road, especially in suboptimal weather.

I like being able to modulate the speed without having to look at a screen - that could be accomplished with the push button on the stalk, or alternately with the steering wheel dials - maybe make left dial up-down modulate speed when wipers are on? I’d be good with that.

Not a show stopper but sure doesn’t seem like a great idea, to make one break focus to adjust the wiper speed. The times when I’m white-knuckling it are almost always in conjunction with weather conditions needing the wipers.

 

[banned-66611]

I used auto today for about 120 miles of driving in the rain...worked great. The only time I had to manually press the button was when the rain basically stopped and only spray from the road hit the windshield. The algorithm has improved a lot since September.

This is really bad... Years after it was released and it's still not working right. How many engineers do they have working on this?

 

[super20g]

How many engineers do they have working on this?

Not enough... 10-15 year old cars with rain sensors work just fine.

 

[Michel3]

Since March 1 it rains every day over here. Light rain, drizzle, heavy rain, hail, sleet, only road spray. Whatever hits me, I have zero problems with the wipers.
I really don't understand the fuss about them.

 

[lolder]

Rained today in S Florida. Wipers worked better with light drizzle and mist but still don't wipe quite often enough.in moderate rain.

 

[Sneakerhead]

My wipers skip/skid. Scratched up my windshield (possibly due to a debris). 1k to fix on my end! Tesla says the windshield is working as it should be...but it's really not. If I rebuy a new windshield and it scratches at the same spot I'd be furious. (Retint, reattach my 4k cam) the nuisance.

 

[SDKoala]

2) One question I haven't seen an answer to is....what are the options for replacement wiper blades? (without any "modifications" to get them to fit)

I'd like to see an answer to this too. There was that one thread that recommended a specific brand and you had to break a part of the replacement wiper to get it to fit. Simple wiper blade replacement shouldn't require proprietary adapters or a service appointment/mobile tech but that's what it kind of looks like.

 

[almonroth]

With the most recent software upgrade, my wipers are sooooo much better. More sensitive to light rain and working without any issues. Super happy to have this small (but important) improvement!

 

[stirgeon]

On the most recent software release from last week I think. Wipers work fine but have a little bit of trouble with light mist. At night they seem to be worse. I supplement with the push button and AUTO. It's been raining alot here in NorCal too.

 

[AOK1]

I had a loaner Model S for the past 10 days and the auto wipers worked quite a bit better than my Model 3. I am wondering if the S also work via cameras like the 3 or if the S has actual sensors. Just got my M3 back yesterday, and will be interested to note if I see a difference after the last software release.

 

[mtndrew1]

I had a loaner Model S for the past 10 days and the auto wipers worked quite a bit better than my Model 3. I am wondering if the S also work via cameras like the 3 or if the S has actual sensors. Just got my M3 back yesterday, and will be interested to note if I see a difference after the last software release.

Depends on the S. If it was built prior to roughly November of 2016 it had an infrared rain sensor. After November of 2016 it uses cameras like the 3.

 

[Huskyf]

Not enough... 10-15 year old cars with rain sensors work just fine.

For information on model 3 is not de AI Autopilot that control Wipers but a normal standard rain sensor not like S and X that have AP Wipers.

 

[AOK1]

Depends on the S. If it was built prior to roughly November of 2016 it had an infrared rain sensor. After November of 2016 it uses cameras like the 3.

I did not check out the details of the S, other than it was a P85 with 37K miles. But since the wipers worked so much better, I'm guessing it was a standard rain sensor. Thanks for the info.

 

[mtndrew1]

For information on model 3 is not de AI Autopilot that control Wipers but a normal standard rain sensor not like S and X that have AP Wipers.

The Model 3 does not have a rain sensor. It uses the fisheye autopilot camera and a neural net to provide rain sensing capabilities.

 

[wbhokie]

There are cases where I have to turn off auto on my Model 3. Mist or dark conditions is where I remember it having problems. It has improved in some previous firmware releases but it is currently back to its old ways. I usually supplement it with the tap to the wiper button stalk if it isn't clearing the windshield often enough but I will change to manual when the condition persists and the drive is too long.

In fact, just this week when someone asked me if I had any complaints I had about my car... the only thing that came to mind recently was the wipers. It's something that is a non-issue with any other car and the only thing I really get annoyed with on my 3.

 

[Stellavator]

A small step backwards on 8.5

 

[super20g]

There was an exhaust pipe of steam or something coming out of a building a hundred feet ahead or so (and 20-30 ft in the air) while I was at a stop light. No where near the car. The windshield wipers kept activating over and over thinking the steam ahead was precipitation... It was rather comical.

 

[GoodOmens]

New NN and wipers are pretty rock solid.