Auto-Wipers

[rObArtes]

i have a 981 Cayman with auto-lights and wipers. The auto-lights when set to the correct switch position work fine but I'm unsure if the auto-setting for the wipers is working. Which switch setting should the wipers be set to? is there anything else i can check ? cheers everyone

[Twinfan]

First click is auto - the intermittent setting? Sensitivity is then set using the end of the stalk, which would usually set the gap between intermittent wipes.

[Bennachie]

Don't forget it will only do it when you are moving (weird or what?) at 4 mph or some such. They will not auto on whist stationary.......

[DJMC]

Auto lights and wipers don't come together as an option. You sure you have auto wipers?

[rObArtes]

Im not sure, as i recently bought the car "used". I have looked for the full options list but i can't locate it on the car.
Is there a tell-tale sign for Auto-Wipers being installed ?

[Gorsh]

As stated the auto setting is one click up which would usually be the intermittent setting, then sensitivity is adjusted with the switch on the stalk. On cars with auto wipers there is no other intermittent setting, the next click up is slow wipe and the third is fast wipe.

[rObArtes]

nothing on the wiper stalk to distinguish it from a standard wiper set-up ?

[IknowJoseph]

Is the sensor in the mount for the rear-view mirror? Run the car on your driveway and chuck a bucket of water over the windscreen?

[Timbo_Mint]

They will possibly have to be turned on every time you use the car. This was the car with My Alfa but then it was an Alfa! I think this is to help protect them if they are frozen to the windscreen.

[DJMC]

rObArtes said:

Im not sure, as i recently bought the car "used". I have looked for the full options list but i can't locate it on the car.
Is there a tell-tale sign for Auto-Wipers being installed ?

Look inside the service book for a list of codes or phone originating OPC?

Auto wipers comes with auto dimming rear view mirror, code P13, at the bottom here:

[Maxym]

Timbo_Mint said:

They will possibly have to be turned on every time you use the car. This was the car with My Alfa but then it was an Alfa! I think this is to help protect them if they are frozen to the windscreen.

Actually they work all the time regardless of whether or not the engine's been turned off or the key removed between times. As others have said, sensitivity controlled via the 'freuency of intermittent' control.

[Glassman]

Have a look at the rear view mirror, it will be attached to the windscreen. If it's just a mirror the bit stuck to the windscreen is an opaque black circle, about the size of a £2 coin (looking from the outside of the car).

If you see a much bigger assembly, and a larger circle (about 50-60mm) that will be the rain sensor. One of the biggest issues with rains sensors is the the absence of the gel coating they're meant to have on them (or the wrong product).

Trying to upload some images but thumbsnap appears to be borked.

[ORD]

Yep - that's the tell-take sign. Best reason not to have auto wipers is that big ugly lump on the rearview mirror assembly!

[rObArtes]

will post some photo's later this afternoon. appreciate everyones help & input

[boxsey]

I have auto wipers on both my Cayman and Audi and think their performance is awful (the cars were specced by someone else). They'll switch to high speed when not needed and they'll often not wipe enough in light rain (despite trying all the sensitivity settings). So I'll generally use single manual wipes in very light rain and go straight to constant speed 1 wipe when it's raining enough. However the good old set your own intermittent speed is still influenced by the auto function which is a bug bear for me. I'd much rather have the old setup...I don't need an automated system to decide when and how to use the wipers!

[rObArtes]

Well have just got the options list of the original selling OPC and the car was not spec'd with auto-wipers. I thought the car would have them, as it has auto-lights. Big thanks to everyone and Exeter OPC for clearing things up.

[DJMC]

As boxsey says, no great loss. You soon get used to "old fashioned" ways again!

[JayK12]

Old fashioned way wins, i hate auto wipers!

[Glassman]

Auto wipers... in case you didn't notice it was raining

[MM57]

Went out in the CGTS this morning and for the first time, it started raining on it - but the auto wipers worked perfectly...stalk in first position above off and the adjuster on the end controlled the sensitivity of the auto wipe. Wipers never went into high speed mode (rain wasn't lashing though).