Rain sensing wipers too aggressive

[Watchman]

2011 GL350CDI


Like many here (I guess) I have 4 settings for the wipers; auto sense 1, auto sense 2, full-on normal, full-on fast

In either of the auto sense modes, in the slightest drizzle the wipers switch to full-on normal and then very quickly to full-on fast which is very irritating. Honestly, I'd rather just have a normal intermittent wipe with a fixed interval than this.

Better would be if the auto sense wipers would never go beyond intermittent at all.

Any ideas if this can be adjusted?

[noodleman]

I’d say it’s faulty. I’ve had many Mercs with auto wipers and they’ve all worked as you’d want.

[Watchman]

My wife just said the same - her (much newer) GLC operates just fine.

Annoyingy, I think the only access to the sensor is to remove the windscreen - which would make it an expensive repair all round. I'll have a chat with Mercedes next time it goes in.

[Monkeylegend]

I have never rated the Mercedes auto wiper function. It wipes when you don't want it to, goes slow when you want it to wipe fast, goes fast when you want it to go slow, will occasionally wipe once over a dry screen when you least expect it.

I think it's a feature, I have had a few screen changes over the years on 3 cars and it has always been the same.

Give me a manual intermittent control any day.

The ILS is brilliant though.

[Scrump]

The auto wipers on my 2014 E class are pretty good. I usually leave them on the faster of the 2 auto settings and they get it right almost all the time. Very light drizzle is the only time I feel the need to switch to the lower of the auto settings.

ILS is also great

[Etretat]

No idea if this will solve your problem but maybe clean the outside of the screen where the sensor is with Autoglym glass cleaner or similar?
Yes agree the ILS LED headlamps are fantastic.
BTW the main dealer said if you splat a large moth or similar over the sensor the camera can't scan the road and the auto main beam disables itself until said moth is removed. Reboot it by turning engine off for a few seconds

Edited by Etretat on Saturday 17th November 17:27

[Watchman]

Good idea about cleaning the sensor region of the screen. I'll give that a go, although I wash the car regularly and it's not really dirty as such. Maybe a degrease will help.

If it's dry tomorrow, I'll clean them both.

[Greenmantle]

This reminds me of Clarkson in a CL600 trying out the Linguatronic.
He said "Radio 2" and it plays Capital
"Just like all other Linguatronic systems I have tried" he concludes.

My old a class does this mad wipe, my new gls does the mad wipe as well. There is over 10 years between them.
I think its not broken. I use the normal wipe or blip the stork now and then.

[Watchman]

Considering how far the world has come in regard to voice recognition, the Merc linguatronic is especially dim. It can't pronounce half of the names in my address book correctly (all regular English names) and takes several attempts to recognise any command I give.

Granted mine's from 2011 but are the newer ones any improvement compared with Alexa, Siri and OK Google?

[mike_e]

Following a windscreen change, my friends C220 had to have the wiper sensor recalibrated at the local MB dealership, which implies its sensitivity can be adjusted.

[Sheepshanks]

I'm sure it can be adjusted using StarDiagnose (the dealer, or specialist, diagnostic tool).

Mind you, the wife's Tiguan and daughter's Jazz have sensitivity adjustment on the wiper stalk yet still never seem to be right. Weird really, years ago I had a company Peugept 406 and its auto-wipers worked perfectly.

Edited by Sheepshanks on Tuesday 20th November 13:45

[Watchman]

Thanks gents. Next time it goes in, I'll ask them to check it out.