Wild Wipers
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Jan 2021
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
From: Fort Bragg, NC
2013 ML350
Wild Wipers
New to this site and searched a bit but didn't find anything in old threads about this issue. I have a 2013 ML350 4Matic with 183K miles on it and for the most part it has been a dependable, reliable daily driver and trip mobile. Several trips from North Carolina to Ohio and Florida to visit family and no serious problems other than excessive wear on several of the buttons/switches... However, one of the things that has bugged me from very early on has been the rain-sensing windshield wipers that go spastic for no apparent reason. Whenever I have the wipers on either of the two "auto" settings, they'll work normally for about 15 seconds and then go to full speed thrashing even if there's only a sprinkle. The only way to calm them down is to either set the wipers to the low constant setting or turn them off. Is this a common issue or do I have a one-off problem?
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 5,017
Likes: 16
From: Ft. Lauderdale Area, USA
2015 ML 350
One off Problem. (However the "Hysterical wiping speed" is really not a practical setting in heavier rain. I almost always have to slow the wipers down by selecting "High speed" instead. The thrashing about at Hysterical speed is more of a distraction AND yields a worse wipe than the simple, High speed setting. When absolutely necessary...)
I'm no mechanic, but it sounds like either a bad rain sensor attached to the windshield, or it needs to be recalibrated/desensitized. Was the windshield ever replaced?
I'm no mechanic, but it sounds like either a bad rain sensor attached to the windshield, or it needs to be recalibrated/desensitized. Was the windshield ever replaced?
Junior Member
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 35
Likes: 2
From: Oregon City, OR
ML 350 Bluetec
Wild - Psycho Wipers
We have had this problem on our 2012 ML350 - it is soooo, annoying. We recently had our windshield changed because of a rock hit, and the wipers seem to be behaving so far. My conclusion is that with the new windshield, the dealership had to calibrate the wipers which fixed the issue. Also, I had previously removed the cover for the rain sensor (in front of the rearview mirror) and cleaned the inside of the windshield for the sensor and that did improve, but did not eliminate the problem. My conclusion is that the vehicle needed to have the wipers recalibrated, and that the dealership never tried this when we brought it in to fix the issue. Also, I have noticed that if the windshield is not placed correctly it can effect the rain sensor. This problem is not only for the ML350, I have seen it on other Mercedes models.
Good Luck,
Todd
Good Luck,
Todd
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 3,745
Likes: 811
From: The Great White North
W204 C63 Coupe, W166 ML350 BlueTEC, 928GT, Taycan GTS Sport Turismo, C5 Z06 & IS300 race cars
Your rain / light sensor on the windshield may be going. Fairly easy to replace and recalibrate.
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Jan 2021
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
From: Fort Bragg, NC
2013 ML350
Yes--we have had very good luck (so far--hope I'm not jinxing it...) with our ML350. It's holding up almost as well as my 2005 Saab with 230K on it! The only major fix we've had to have done on the MB was replacing the engine wiring harness after oil somehow leaked and wicked itself into the harness. We did have some annoying electrical issues for a while after that but most of them seem to have worked themselves out. That was about the time our blind spot assist system started acting up but that may be coincidental. Everything else so far has just been normal MX--brakes, oil, etc.
I asked about the wipers since that was a very common problem with the Saabs and the culprit was a resistor in the wiper motor itself. Only solutions were to replace the motor (which may also have the bad resistor), try to replace the resistor (which involved drilling out rivets, soldering in a new resistor and resealing the motor) or just living with it, which was my choice. In retrospect I would have replaced the motor--$200 for the motor and a couple hours of DIY labor.
Anyone know how to recalibrate the rain sensor in a MB, & if it requires any particular electronic gizmos that I don't have or want to have to buy? Or is it better to just have the dealer do it...
I asked about the wipers since that was a very common problem with the Saabs and the culprit was a resistor in the wiper motor itself. Only solutions were to replace the motor (which may also have the bad resistor), try to replace the resistor (which involved drilling out rivets, soldering in a new resistor and resealing the motor) or just living with it, which was my choice. In retrospect I would have replaced the motor--$200 for the motor and a couple hours of DIY labor.
Anyone know how to recalibrate the rain sensor in a MB, & if it requires any particular electronic gizmos that I don't have or want to have to buy? Or is it better to just have the dealer do it...
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 1,047
Likes: 174
From: Florida
Too many german broads
Yes--we have had very good luck (so far--hope I'm not jinxing it...) with our ML350. It's holding up almost as well as my 2005 Saab with 230K on it! The only major fix we've had to have done on the MB was replacing the engine wiring harness after oil somehow leaked and wicked itself into the harness. We did have some annoying electrical issues for a while after that but most of them seem to have worked themselves out. That was about the time our blind spot assist system started acting up but that may be coincidental. Everything else so far has just been normal MX--brakes, oil, etc.
I asked about the wipers since that was a very common problem with the Saabs and the culprit was a resistor in the wiper motor itself. Only solutions were to replace the motor (which may also have the bad resistor), try to replace the resistor (which involved drilling out rivets, soldering in a new resistor and resealing the motor) or just living with it, which was my choice. In retrospect I would have replaced the motor--$200 for the motor and a couple hours of DIY labor.
Anyone know how to recalibrate the rain sensor in a MB, & if it requires any particular electronic gizmos that I don't have or want to have to buy? Or is it better to just have the dealer do it...
I asked about the wipers since that was a very common problem with the Saabs and the culprit was a resistor in the wiper motor itself. Only solutions were to replace the motor (which may also have the bad resistor), try to replace the resistor (which involved drilling out rivets, soldering in a new resistor and resealing the motor) or just living with it, which was my choice. In retrospect I would have replaced the motor--$200 for the motor and a couple hours of DIY labor.
Anyone know how to recalibrate the rain sensor in a MB, & if it requires any particular electronic gizmos that I don't have or want to have to buy? Or is it better to just have the dealer do it...
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Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 356
Likes: 66
2012 ML350 Bluetec, 2015 GL350 Bluetec
I have went through the calibration of the rain sensor a few times before. One thing I noticed was that when calibrating the rain sensor, the program asks me to input the type of the windshield. It's clear that MB offers a few different types of windshields that you need to register in the computer so the rain sensor would work properly with it. I'm not sure if an aftermarket windshield would match the property of an OE one, but would guess it could make the rain sensor not working properly if different from OE.
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Jan 2021
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
From: Fort Bragg, NC
2013 ML350
We've had the windshield replaced a couple times due to rock damage. If the rain sensor needs to be recalibrated to the windshield, that could very well be the issue since the windshields weren't replaced at the dealer, although we did use OEM windshields both times. Insurance covered them so why go with aftermarket... Can I do the recalibration myself or is that something best left to the dealership, i.e. so they can put a code for the specific windshield? If I can do it myself what are the steps?
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 3,745
Likes: 811
From: The Great White North
W204 C63 Coupe, W166 ML350 BlueTEC, 928GT, Taycan GTS Sport Turismo, C5 Z06 & IS300 race cars
We've had the windshield replaced a couple times due to rock damage. If the rain sensor needs to be recalibrated to the windshield, that could very well be the issue since the windshields weren't replaced at the dealer, although we did use OEM windshields both times. Insurance covered them so why go with aftermarket... Can I do the recalibration myself or is that something best left to the dealership, i.e. so they can put a code for the specific windshield? If I can do it myself what are the steps?
