c4791p

Have 2004 C320S w/ "value added package 324 Sunroof Package which includes Autodimming Dr & Rrvw Mirror, Rain Sensor, Glass Sunroof" A while back in Jan or Feb this year, my wife had the car parked in her parking lot with the sunroof open on tilt, huge rain shower (weather people in LV screwed up again and called only for clouds) and of course the interior got wet.

Had the car into the dealer this past week and complained that the sunroof rain sensor didn't work because the sunroof didn't close.

Dealer response, rain sensor wasn't installed so they had nothing to fix. Took me a while to find my window sticker which I quoted above.

Before I go screaming back at the dealer, can anyone tell me how the sunroof rain sensor functions. Maybe we didn't set something up right. Don't really want to look foolish complaining something doesn't work to find out we have operator head space problems.

Chuck

JohnCL

There is not a rain sensor for the roof from the factory. Rain sensing is for the wipers only, not the sunroof.

Close the sunroof when you leave the car!!

amdeutsch

But then again in all fairness there was a report that in MY 05 there might be a software update to allow the sunroof to close with the rain sensor. But then again that would require for the car to be on, in a running/driving situation.

c4791p

The E series has listed in plain language in its advertising, a rain sensor that closes the sunroof if open and it rains, in addition to controlling the wipers.

My 324 Sunroof package priced at $1510 clearly states there is a Rain sensor provided as part of that package (along with the autodimming mirrors and the Glass sunroof itself) what does it do?

JohnCL

E series?? You said C class in your first post, which is it?

The rain sensor controls the wipers, that is it. If you have the wiper lever in the first position then when it rains the wipers go automatically and increase in speed if necessary. All of this is explained in your owners manual.

amdeutsch

E and C are 2 different models. Please reread my post in regards to C.

Next thing we know is that someone will expect the wipers to come on when the car is sitting in an OFF condition in a parking lot while it is raining. The manual does a pretty fair job of explaining the features of the vehicle. Please read it when you find a chance.

delbomber

I remember an older thread about this...people couldn't understand why anyone would need the sunroof to close automatically if it started raining...just leave it closed, was the advice.

Yeah, except sometimes you forget. Or sometimes you're parked in an area where you don't have to worry about leaving it open. My neighborhood is bad for bumpers, but I would not hesitate to leave all my windows and sunroof open on a blistering hot day.

Don't mean to repoen an old subject, but an auto-closing sunroof when the car is parked would be a useful feature and one that I would think could be easily tied to the windshield sensor (leaving the wipers off, of course :p )...

Jim Banville

Ever try reading the owner's manual

amdeutsch

Not to flame, but

Electric motors draw a lot of current. Now, if this were a feature, having a system on the battery bus turn on other features that aren't on the battery bus; Normally. How many issues would be faced with run-down batteries not capable of starting a vehicle.

And yes, this can be expanded to a multitude of varieties and/or versions/opportunities. Were will it stop? Just look through this site and/or the web and see how many issues there are in regards to electrical gremlins and the resulting issues like rants and quality ratings.

Just my $0.02

Narcissus

Yeah they should have made this, I don't think the sensor draws that much of a current.... they change so many stuff from year to year, I know 2001 sunroofs will open if it's in an accident and that the sunroof will not close if it feels something blocking it ie: kid's head or sumtin but I was told by my dealer that these were removed in 2002-03 as well as a few other things like outside air rollo thingy on the center console vents and such

amdeutsch

OMFG You believe the stealer on safety issues.

So, they remove the sensor to prevent closing of automated functions. That could mean injuries. Did you even read my thread? Do you think that just because a sensor is active a motor will not factor into the equation? You sound almost like our other favorite liberal Canadian; you know who.

It would be highly valuable for you to check on those thingys, those air rollo thingys, etc

Narcissus

No I believe my business partner who's been working at the stealer for like 15 years as a mechanic. a year ago I broke the sunroof from a loaner cuz that darn thing closed on my hockey stick ( go ahead, pull out the Canadian jokes hehe) and after a lot of arguing they agreed to replace it for free since on my 2001 the sunroof does re-open if there's something blocking it. to list a few more. the knob that control outside air coming in ( the one on the center console in between the 2 vents ) illuminates blue at night on my 2001, but doesn't illuminate on every 02-forward loaners I had

Also, on the dash, the middle vent that looks like a speaker has a knob on mine to control air output, but doesn't on a lot of post 02 cars. there's a few more things.

Narcissus

And yes they did remove a few safety feature... what year is your car? do you have child lock in the back? hehehe

what else... hmmm... they removed the Wheel blocker from the spare tire kit... hmm what else... safety kit is now in the trunk and doesn not have as much stuff in it as the 2001... hmmm what else.... 2001 came with 2 road flares, none on the post 01... anyway, they did remove a lot of things.

amdeutsch

OK, so now we are talking about differences that have been discussed numerous times on this board. And from those you inferred that those other changes you previously mentioned are true also. May I therefore paraphrase your own words that you posted in another thread. I believe that the logic you used is applicable here as well.

Careful now. Don't sit on that stick again.

Narcissus

lol. hehehe I'm just thinkg they should have added more functions instead of removing them

I gotta tell you one thing, the motor is strong, strong enough that the sunroof popped out of it's track and ripped the rubber surrounding... but dosn't come close to the power of the wiper motor. You know when you leave the auto-wiper on they wipe one time when you start the car, well my windshield was caked in ice, and the motor managed to bend both wiper arms. No wonder we can feel the wiper in the brake pedal

amdeutsch

Newer than yours. :p

Still got it.

How would you know if you didn't check it out for yourself?

That must be a CA thingamajob due to the extended darkness experienced at certain times of the year. Oh, I'm sorry; in your vanacular that would be thingy.

Narcissus

Well Canadian specs are not the same I guess. Now I'm starting to think someone probably stripped the loaners from a few things. lol
if you get a chance can you try to block the sunroof from closing see if it will open back up like the windows?

And there's no point in making fun of my vocabular, It'd be easier to express myself in french but that won't help.

so does your center knob lights blue? do US spec cars come with road flares, if that's how they're called? (emergency flares maybe?) Although these are of lesser importance, what really ticks me is that they removed/forgot about child lock for rear occupants....

All these observations are made by myself, anyway... I replaced my first aid kit 6 months ago and the new ones don't have as much stuff in it.... I didn't make a list but everything is the same except for the quantities.

Narcissus

Just tried this on a 2004 c230 and the sunroof keep closing even if something is blocking it.. anybody cares to try on theirs?

How could they miss this.....

delbomber

Not sure, but it's clear at least that they are not denying us a rain-sensing sunroof for safety purposes!!

Narcissus

Yeah that'd be such a nice thing to have even if it's just for the novelty of having it.... hehehe kinda like being able to open and close everything from outside... and all the little gadgets we have but people rarely use (climate control in the middle storage console, garage opener, etc )

MB-BOB

The "Rain Sensor" applies ONLY to how the wipers work. The car is NOT designed to auto close the sunroof if it is raining and the wipers are in use (or not in use).

Of course, you can close all the windows (and sunroof) manually with one-touch, by pushing and holding the recirc button.