Wipers don't work properly in Auto

[newcarbuyer123]

Have seen other posts about wipers problems with wipers in Auto mode.
I have these problems on my new Model Y. Am running the latest update just updated.
Sometimes wipers turn on or continue to run when windshield is completely dry.
Other times they don't turn on when the windshield is wet.
Have needed to turn off Auto mode many times, but then it reverts back for no apparent reason.
In summary, buggy.
Has any one identified a solution, or is this a warranty issue fixable by Tesla ?
Checking here before contacting Tesla service....

 

[Mike_TV]

Has any one identified a solution, or is this a warranty issue fixable by Tesla ?
Checking here before contacting Tesla service....

Not a warranty issue but there are a few threads with people who are dissatisfied with how the auto wipers work on the Model 3 & Model Y. Contacting service won't do anything.

 

[L_Mont]

I have 2 BMW with auto wipers and they are working as expected. However, Tesla auto wipers are sub par. When I had my car at the SC and mentioned the auto wipers issues, I was told the auto wipers works as intended. Tesla used the camera at the top of the windshield but BMW and others used IR LED rain and condensation sensor behind the windshield.

 

[TLLMRRJ]

It's no longer a valid argument for people to say the Neural Network will solve this problem over time. The issue is that all other car manufacturers use a dedicated rain sensor and Tesla is trying to do auto wipers by examining the camera video.

Yeah, after 5 years, it's proven that just doesn't work, and no amount of Neural data will ever fix it. End of story.

One day Tesla will slip in a dedicated sensor and never mention they were wrong from the start, and that day will be a good day for new Tesla owners. For the rest of us, we will have manual wipers for the remaining life of our cars.

 

[Snow Drift]

Sometimes they go crazy and wipe excessively, but usually once you get driving it calms down. Try to single wipe with the button on the left stalk to get it out of crazy mode. If there is mist it might not do anything bc the cameras can see fine. Again, single wipe.

I very rarely change to intermittent. Most of the time I find Auto to work very well.

 

[Ejl80]

This happened to me the other day.. and the car said navigate on autopilot wasn't available due to poor weather... except it was 70 and sunny. I mean it was a confusing march day?

 

[Tslgrl]

Interesting to read this. Non Tesla owner here (but I just test drove one and am trying to educate myself).
On my test drive the wipers came on 4 times on their own accord but my hands were not at 10 and 2 when it happened and whole heartedly I did not accidentally touch the level. When I mentioned this to the SA when I got back to the lot he looked at my husband and I like we were crazy. At the time we had been on country roads and I thought maybe a bird had flown by and dropped it's lunch or the sensor had mistaken wind or a leaf for water dropping. Now I'm not so sure? Good to know I'm not crazy!

 

[Ezmendriz]

IMHO, it has to do with where the car is trying to detect the rain. In any case, sw is not going to solve it.I just learn to live with it. in most situations it kind of work.

 

[Ejl80]

IMHO, it has to do with where the car is trying to detect the rain. In any case, sw is not going to solve it.I just learn to live with it. in most situations it kind of work.

No, this is definitely a defect/buggy software. My model 3 never did anything remotely like this.

 

[L_Mont]

I had a case where my auto wiper did turned ON and did not stop. It was a dry day, no rain at all. I found out that I had a lot of dead bugs on the windshield. After cleaning out the dead bugs in front of the camera, the auto wipers sort of resumed the normal operation. I never seen this issue on my two BMW.

 

[Murattukaalai]

Do you have 2021 Model Y wipers? Does the two spout for fluid make any difference in clean wipe?

 

[NCC81701]

A dirty windshield will turn on the auto-wipers because the car uses optical cameras to determine if there's rain or dust on the windshield. I washed my car but I had to leave in a hurry in the middle of it and it left a bunch of water spots on my windshield that triggered the auto-wipers. Went away after I had the chance to properly clean the windshield.

 

[NJEV-Don]

Not a warranty issue but there are a few threads with people who are dissatisfied with how the auto wipers work on the Model 3 & Model Y. Contacting service won't do anything.

I would think It would be a warranty issue if the wipers are turning on when it’s not raining and the windshield is dry. Why wouldn’t it be?

 

[TLLMRRJ]

I would think It would be a warranty issue if the wipers are turning on when it’s not raining and the windshield is dry. Why wouldn’t it be?

Maybe, but not after the SC tells you they couldn't duplicate the issue. It's in their playbook.

 

[WattsappMTL]

As winter winds down, I'm finding the auto wiper operation is becoming more tolerable. They seem to work quite well in rain; it's salt spray, dirt and snow that they have trouble coping with. I do wish Tesla had taken the same approach as VW, which puts the wipers into slow intermittent operation when the car isn't moving. There's no need to clear the windshield so thoroughly at a standstill, and I find it aggravating that the wipers run faster than necessary in the that situation. Lots of improvement is needed on this system. I'd also like to Tesla to add MANUAL and OFF labels under the wiper icon on the controls bar. Because of the need for continuous driver intervention in certain conditions, it can be difficult to keep track of what mode they're in.

 

[jcanoe]

Have you tried using the Tesla voice commands for the windshield wipers? You can say "Turn on wipers" or "Wipers On". Also "Set Wipers to Low/Medium/High/Auto/Off" You can also specify the level of windshield wiper operation and state "Set wipers to 1/2/3/4/Auto/Off"

 

[Rocdude]

I agree. Either it doesn’t turn on even when it’s raining or it will wipe slowly for the amount of rain falling or will suddenly go wild and very fast AFTER the rain has slowed down.

I have given up on Tesla. The only thing going for Tesla is the extended battery life. Otherwise it is way behind regular car manufacturers.

If this continues it will not gain new customers and will start loosing customers (including me) as soon as other manufacturers catch up with battery life.

Several either essential or accepted norm in ICE cars are either not present or poorly executed in Tesla.

 

[Schulz1983]

Why can’t Tesla just setup Auto to have sensitivity settings? My old Jeep always had auto wipers activated, I just had to select the sensitivity level. They could even use the 1-4 manual settings for the sensitivity settings. This is such an easy fix with a software update. For now I will continue to press the single wipe to get it out of crazy mode. I find having a ceramic coat on the windshield helps the auto function much better.

 

[jjrandorin]

Have seen other posts about wipers problems with wipers in Auto mode.
I have these problems on my new Model Y. Am running the latest update just updated.
Sometimes wipers turn on or continue to run when windshield is completely dry.
Other times they don't turn on when the windshield is wet.
Have needed to turn off Auto mode many times, but then it reverts back for no apparent reason.
In summary, buggy.
Has any one identified a solution, or is this a warranty issue fixable by Tesla ?
Checking here before contacting Tesla service....

Just a sample of threads about this subject in the model 3 forum. BTW, there is zero (less than zero) chance that contacting tesla with " a service appointment" will do anything other than get the appointment canceled.

Pretty much every software update, someone says either " the wipers got worse" or "the wipers got better". Unlike the S and X, the 3 and Y are basically the same car, so pretty much everything discussed in this section has likely been discussed heavily in the model 3 section.

This is just a small sampling of discussion on this issue. There are likely 3 times this many threads about this topic

Suggested Auto Wiper Fix

Ok. It’s been years now and I think we have to face that Tesla’s Auto Wiper using NN isn’t going to get better anytime soon. I’m sure I’m not the first to think of or suggest it, but can we all get together and suggest the following workaround to Elon and co.: - Pressing the left wiper stalk...

teslamotorsclub.com

Tesla auto wipers is a real danger

I was driving with light rain, and wipers on auto. The fact you cannot change the speed quickly and that the automatic detection is poorly working can be deadly. In my case, the rain suddenly became so strong that I could not even see the motorway and the system did not adjust the speed...

teslamotorsclub.com

Auto Setting for Windshield Wipers

I've had my Model 3 since March, and in general I think the human factors engineering is pretty good. However, I am amazed that the auto setting for the windshield wipers isn't cancelled when you leave the car. It seems to me that this is just asking for your to forget it's on when, on the next...

teslamotorsclub.com

Suggestions for wipers

my OEM wipers are terrible. Really streakey. Any suggestions for a replacement? Thanks very much.

teslamotorsclub.com

Wiper speed poll

The “Auto” wiper speed doesn’t work for me. I’d like to understand if it is just me or there is a basis to ask to have it adjusted (slower or faster at given amount of rain). Please only respond if you own a Model 3 to keep result clean.

teslamotorsclub.com

Improved Wipers

During this morning's drive in light rain I noticed a drastic improvement in the automatic wipers. They have been way too inconsistent in the past, but today it seems like the camera is picking up even small drops and speed is dead on to keep the windshield clear. I know Elon promised they...

teslamotorsclub.com

More windshield wiper nuttiness

Since my Model 3 upgraded to 2019.40.50 (now running 2019.40.50.7) my windshield wipers are randomly running on dry sunny days. They didn't used to do that (say a month ago). It seems to be somewhat related to the front cameras getting glare from low-angle sun but not entirely. Worse this...

teslamotorsclub.com

First automatic wiper review

40.2.1 installed four days ago; today was my first oppo to use the wipers in automatic. I drove about 35 mi and they started up with the first signs of drizzle, which quickly turned to a downpour, and I was at freeway speed by that time. Wipers sped up and were going crazy fast for about 20 mi...

teslamotorsclub.com

Wipers wiping no rain...

Regularly having issue where wipers do a pass or two or five (with pauses between) and no rain or moisture on windshield. I have cleaned glad in front of windshield camera... That did not solve. Any suggestions? Thanks so much.

teslamotorsclub.com

Germany Rules on Using Tesla Screen Wiper Controls

Is this really a problem Do you think Tesla will be forced to fix this issue Tesla's wiper controls through its touchscreen have been ruled illegal in Germany after someone crashed their Model 3 while using them and fought a fine and driving ban through the court system. A Tesla Model 3 driver...

teslamotorsclub.com

Auto Wipers Worked!

I know that this is discussed elsewhere. I now have two days, Friday and Monday, while driving in various rain conditions where the wiper worked flawlessly. Not once did I have to intervene and use any of the manual options. I am on software version V9.0 (2019.8.5) with a RWD LR Model 3. Progress!

teslamotorsclub.com

Auto wiper suggestions

I know the wipers keep getting better, but they still aren't there yet and I would love some more manual controls to keep me sane (and safe) until they get this neural network stuff figured out. I've heard voice controls are supposedly coming, but they take way too long (especially when your car...

teslamotorsclub.com

I really hate the wiper controls

Of all the cars I've driven many $25k cars have very precise intermitten controls down many intervals of adjustment. I really hate how many clicks and screen touches I have to make to adjust a simple wipe. The main problem is not rain, it's fog and frost that the sensors cannot detect. I'm...

teslamotorsclub.com

Whats up with the wipers?

The wipers in the 3 are horrible. Tesla should be embarrassed. In Auto-mode -- the wipers run at Max Speed. Or, not at all. There is no in-between speed, when in Auto-mode The wipers are noisy -- much louder than any Hyundai I've driven. The wipers leave streak marks -- embarrassing for a...

teslamotorsclub.com

 

[newcarbuyer123]

@jjrandorin Right. When they all do it, it's not a warranty issue. It's called a feature.
Just know your auto wipers will not work properly. Using voice command seems to be the safest way to control wipers while driving.