Auto Wipers Run Amok

[SeaDuck79]

We have a brand new RX 330 - about 3K miles on it. My wife noticed the last few days that the auto wipers would be on when there was no moisture on the glass or in the air - it was a clear evening. We switched them back to manual, and they work fine that way.

Defroster was on, and the window was clear. Anyone seen this?

[SW03ES]

Auto wipers are about the dumbest invention ever put on a car. The idea is sound, but the technology just isn't there yet. Mine either go on when its dry or don't go on when its raining...

[SKperformance]

Hmm the benz one work pretty good, although everytime you open or close a door it sets them off from the window shaking.

[Booyah]

Funny, My auto wipers work EXcellant--best thing since sliced bread, works perfect for me! I love em.......

[SW03ES]

They seem to work fine unless its just misting out. Even on the most sensitive setting, the glass just has to be too wet for my liking before they swipe the first time, and I find myself having to cycle them myself. This would be fine except for two problems:

1. The ES, unlike other Lexuses does not have a mist function. You either have to spritz the washers or bump it down to "LO" then when you bump it from "LO" to "AUTO" the wipers remain at LO until you bump it up to OFF and back down to AUTO.

2. The auto wipers completely replace the standard intermittant function, which is stupid. Auto headlights don't keep me from turning them on when I want to...

The feature reminds me of something my dad had on a 90 Lincoln Continental he had when I was a kid, auto high beams. Good idea right? Sure, but the technology wasn't totally there yet, the highs would stay on, the headlights would go totally off when next to a truck etc. He shut both the auto headlihgts and the auto high beams off. I can't do that with my auto wipers though...

[George L.]

The ones on my LX470 work perfectly and have never had a problem. Every once in a while my RX330 wipers will go off when its not raining, but only once or twice. They have never not gone off when it is raining however. B)

[Guest dms666]

The auto wipers are a good idea gone bad. In practice I end up having to manual turn the wiper on or off myself since the intelligence behind the auto wiper has them not wiping when I need it or wiping madly when there's barely any rain.

Sometimes I just can't believe the wiper isn't wiping and I can barely see out the windshield due to the amount of rain.

The fact of the matter is, it does not work well. I curse at the fact that there is no intermittent wiper!

[George L.]

One thing that I just remembered was a problem was the delay setting....I had it set for the longest delay between "wipes" and it seemed like it barely was working during rain...but if you shorten the delay between wipes, it might solve some of your problems. Sometimes it is just going slow and you don't think it is working at all.

Just an idea. ^_^

[Booyah]

I dont know but my Auto wipers are perfect....the last few days of Rain/ Snow/ Sleet and my wipers have been on Auto and its a dream---best Auto feature to date!!

[speedyg]

Anybody know if the RX's automatic rain-sensing wiper sensitivity can be further tuned/adjusted/fixed by mechanics? Even at the most sensitive setting my wipers don't come on soon enough. There are sprinkles all over the windshield and the darned thing still doesn't come on. And then after a long while of receiving rain, it does come on but takes 3 quick swipes instead of just one swipe. <_<

[patt]

Anybody know if the RX's automatic rain-sensing wiper sensitivity can be further tuned/adjusted/fixed by mechanics?   Even at the most sensitive setting my wipers don't come on soon enough.  There are sprinkles all over the windshield and the darned thing still doesn't come on.   And then after a long while of receiving rain, it does come on but takes 3 quick swipes instead of just one swipe.   <_<

←

Okay, I haven't gotten there in the manual yet - too many documents to review at work to feel like reading manuals when I get home, but isn't the sensitivity adjustment on the inner ring around the wiper stalk? Mine seem to work just fine when they are set on the second setting. Auto is chosen by moving the stalk down and the ring says "Auto" too so I assume it controls sensitivity - it seems to. I had changed it by accident thinking it was wiper speed control and the wipers were turning on at the least little bit of humidity before I turned it back. With it in the right position, the auto wipers are working well for me.

[LexKid630]

i hate that feature; i have it on manual all the time. And it never worked right when i had it on auto. when i would go fast it would go on too. or when it's windy. Or snow! lol

[jrahrah]

Mine just started to act crazy. I noticed that they go on when I turn. Also if I grab the camera unit above the rear view they will activate. It started the same day I had my Sirius radio installed. I wonder if it has something to do with it, or just a coincedence?

[COZ]

Camera unit? I think the Sirius install has something to do with your problem. I've also noticed my auto wipers will sometimes come on when its dry, but only when my window is dirty.

[jrahrah]

From what I read, the black box above the rear view contains a camera that reads and translates the moisture on the windshield. If you stand outside your vehicle and pass your hand over it, the wipers will go on.

I found that my headliner was not put back quite right after the Sirius install. The headliner, which is molded plastic, was not tucked back to where it was originally. The headliner was pushing against the camera unit (black box), and causing pressure against it, which would activate the wipers......All is well again in auto-wiper world.