SL/R230: Rain Sensing Wipers
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 77
Likes: 0
From: Houston
2007 SL55 Renntech Stage 3
Rain Sensing Wipers
It seems that the rain sensing wipers on my car have a mind of their own. Sometimes they seem to work as expected and other times it is running the wipers full blast when there is only a light mist from the vehicles in front of me throwing up the water on the road. Dealer said he reprogramed it because they thought it was acting up for them too and said that took care of the problem, but it rained today and it is still the same. Anyone else having these kind of issues with their car or is it only mine? Any ideas? Is there any kind of sensitivity adjustment on these things. Could it be the wiper blades? Car is only a couple of months old. TIA.
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 259
Likes: 1
2003 SL500
No I don't think it's the wiper blades. You can easily test anything your dealer does right away by using a simple spray bottle on the windshield. Apply a fine mist to the upper center of the windshield with the car running and the wipers in auto mode. vary the spray amounts and see how the wipers react. Although on occassion my wipers would act up, 98% of the time they work fine. When they do act up generally turning them completely off then back on or turning off the car then turning it back on will correct the abnormality. In your case I think it's either a bad sensor or a bad control unit. Hope this helps.
Glenn
Glenn
Last edited by glennbaz; May 22, 2007 at 07:35 AM. Reason: error
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,261
Likes: 0
From: Sacramento, CA
Several MB's Superperformance MK III Cobra
It seems that the rain sensing wipers on my car have a mind of their own. Sometimes they seem to work as expected and other times it is running the wipers full blast when there is only a light mist from the vehicles in front of me throwing up the water on the road. Dealer said he reprogramed it because they thought it was acting up for them too and said that took care of the problem, but it rained today and it is still the same. Anyone else having these kind of issues with their car or is it only mine? Any ideas? Is there any kind of sensitivity adjustment on these things. Could it be the wiper blades? Car is only a couple of months old. TIA.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 77
Likes: 0
From: Houston
2007 SL55 Renntech Stage 3
Going to a different dealer tomorrow and see if they can find a problem. These things are just too erradic to not have something wrong. I'll post what I find out. Thanks for the tip on how to test.
Member
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 173
Likes: 0
From: Chapel Hill NC
07 SL55, 1954 Corvette, 09 E350
You have to wonder sometimes why service managers/reps say some of the things they do. Its like telling a BS story, the more times they say it the more they belive it.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 1,875
Likes: 4
From: Tallahassee, Florida
2006 SL600, 2001 S500, 1996 SL320
Good Idea
Good idea, don't accept incompentance at one dealership as the way it is. Can't wait to hear what they say at dealership number 2.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 77
Likes: 0
From: Houston
2007 SL55 Renntech Stage 3
So far second dealer is saying that it works OK when the car is sitting still and are wondering if the rain sensors are now programmed in the 07 model to be sensitive to the speed of the car moving. They say they have calls into Germany to get more info. At least they didn't just give it back and say there is nothing wrong.
Trending Topics
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 77
Likes: 0
From: Houston
2007 SL55 Renntech Stage 3
Dealer said the rain sensor was loosing it's calibration. They recalibrated it and it seemed to work ok, but have a new one coming next week as this one is not able to maintain it's calibartion for some reason.
MB World Stories
The Best of Mercedes & AMG
New Mercedes-AMG SUVs Arrive With NEW V8 Engine: 12 Things You Need to Know
Verdad Gallardo
8 Oddball Mercedes Ideas That Actually Made it to Production
Verdad Gallardo
Dubai Tuner Gives the Mercedes G-Class An Entirely New Look
Verdad Gallardo
Six Gift Ideas Your AMG Loving Dad or Grad Will Cherish
7 Craziest Things AMG Gas Ever Built
Verdad Gallardo
New Electric Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupe Unveiled: 10 Things You Need to Know
Verdad Gallardo
6 Mercedes Models That Did NOT Age Well (But Are Somehow Still Cool)
Verdad Gallardo
Manual Mercedes? 6 Times Sindelfingen Let Drivers Have All The Fun
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 S Is Extremely Rare Example Modified by McLaren
Verdad Gallardo
Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 33
Likes: 0
From: Staten Island, N.Y.
2009 CL63
I have the same problem. The wipers have a mind of their own. I have brought back to dealer 2x and now they say its needs to be ordered from Germany. I refuse to hear all the BS and will give them 10 days for part to arrive and I will be back for the repair.
Please keep me posted. The car is a 07 SL550 about 5 months old.
Please keep me posted. The car is a 07 SL550 about 5 months old.
Member
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 170
Likes: 0
From: San Francisco Bay Area
2003 SL500
The explanation, I am told, but don't really believe, is to remind you that the wipers are on so you don't drive into a car wash with them on and destroy them.
I do also notice cases where the wipers wipe near-continuously with the barest wisp of moisture, and conversely stay off when big drops are splattering the windshield. Ah well, if they were more intelligent, they'd take over my job
Junior Member
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 53
Likes: 0
I had the same problem and the crazy service manager told me the wipers only act crazy here in America because it's been programmed to German sized raindrops 
Should I believe him? lol jk
Oh, and he told me (an easy solution) if it ever happens again on the highway, is to pull over, shut the engine, go outside the car with a towel and manually dry the windshield, then get back in, set the wipers to manual and start the car. simple
lol jk 
You know, Untested new Mercedes technology has too many bugs... What was wrong with the old simple way of doing things?... Think about it, who really needs automatic wipers anyway?
Should I believe him? lol jkOh, and he told me (an easy solution) if it ever happens again on the highway, is to pull over, shut the engine, go outside the car with a towel and manually dry the windshield, then get back in, set the wipers to manual and start the car. simple
lol jk You know, Untested new Mercedes technology has too many bugs... What was wrong with the old simple way of doing things?... Think about it, who really needs automatic wipers anyway?
Super Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 950
Likes: 3
From: Maui, Hawaii
CLS63, GLK350
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 367
Likes: 0
From: Scotland
2004 SL500, 2007 R350 Sport
If the wipers were set to auto when the car was switched off, then they will always wipe once when the car is switched on. This always bites me when I drive in the rain, then enter an underground garage - the wipers stop, and so when I park I don't realize they're still switched on. Return in the evening, start up, and am greeted by the scrape of wipers on dry glass.
Strange, mine's the exact opposite. My wipers are always on auto and if it's pouring when I jump in, they don't sweep at first even though the rain's running down. Other than that, they're fine.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 1,875
Likes: 4
From: Tallahassee, Florida
2006 SL600, 2001 S500, 1996 SL320
Wipers
On my 01S500 the wipers will wipe once when you start the car, on the 06 SL600, they will not wipe once unless it is raining or the window is wet. I like the SL option better than how it works on the S-Class.
