Automatic wipers....feedback

[Palmball]

Chaps....those of you with automatic wipers, what do you think of them?

I've never had cause for complaint on how auto-wipers work on any previous cars from my Alfas, BMWs, Mercs and even my other half's Punto Sporting that she had a couple of years ago - the auto wipers just seemed to 'work'.

Alas, this is not always the case in the Maserati. Sometimes they work OK - by this I mean they wipe when they're supposed to and stop wiping when they not supposed to. But other times they can be erratic - going from an intermittent wipe when barrelling down the motorway in the rain (when you really want a constant normal speed wipe) to going full pelt across the screen and then back again to an intermittent wipe. Then the rain will reduce and it'll go full pelt again

Does this sound like a fault or is this just typical of Italian electronics and a characteristic of the car?

 

[safrane]

Think the system works of refracted light, could be a faulty sensor in the screen?

 

[Parisien]

....or as usual....just not quite.........................


The right rain..........


P

 

[Woody]

Think the system works of refracted light, could be a faulty sensor in the screen?

Correct.

Early ones used to work slightly differently and would react to, say, a fly being on the sensor, but I was told that modern ones use (I think) UV light and react based on how much light is reflected back to the sensor. More rain, more light reflected back, less rain, less light reflected back.

That might be total borrocks though and I can't remember who told me!

 

[Woody]

Oh, and in terms of experience, I like the function and this it works well. IIRC, you can adjust BMW's system depending on personal preference. I think you can do this on most systems, but some sound like they're quite complicated to adjust.

 

[ENZ525]

...Sometimes they work OK - by this I mean they wipe when they're supposed to and stop wiping when they not supposed to. But other times they can be erratic - going from an intermittent wipe when barrelling down the motorway in the rain (when you really want a constant normal speed wipe) to going full pelt across the screen and then back again to an intermittent wipe. Then the rain will reduce and it'll go full pelt again

Andrew, you have described exactly how mine work
When this happens I simply change to a different setting rather than the auto one.

 

[Dan!]

Mine are the same as you describe.
The other wiper "feature" I've noticed is when you squirt cleaner on the screen it doesn't clear the wipers when they are in the rest position and so it gets deflected from hitting the screen. I now start the wipers moving before squirting the cleaner, just another little quirk...

 

[Palmball]

Great! I was hoping you guys would say that yours are fine and then I could just get the sensor replaced under warranty and all would be dandy! As it is, it seems this is a characteristic and the wipers are working as designed to P!ss poor to have such a simply thing so badly developed.

The other wiper "feature" I've noticed is when you squirt cleaner on the screen it doesn't clear the wipers when they are in the rest position and so it gets deflected from hitting the screen.

Dan, I have good news for you....you can fix this.

There are two jets just below the windscreen (obviously!) - find them and on the end of them you'll see a little screwhead. Use a small flat blade screwdriver in this to adjust the jet upwards slightly - make sure its very slightly as a tiny amount of movement will see the jet's shooting water over the roof!

 

[rs48635]

Chaps....those of you with automatic wipers, what do you think of them?

I've never had cause for complaint on how auto-wipers work on any previous cars from my Alfas, BMWs, Mercs and even my other half's Punto Sporting that she had a couple of years ago - the auto wipers just seemed to 'work'.

Alas, this is not always the case in the Maserati. Sometimes they work OK - by this I mean they wipe when they're supposed to and stop wiping when they not supposed to. But other times they can be erratic - going from an intermittent wipe when barrelling down the motorway in the rain (when you really want a constant normal speed wipe) to going full pelt across the screen and then back again to an intermittent wipe. Then the rain will reduce and it'll go full pelt again

Does this sound like a fault or is this just typical of Italian electronics and a characteristic of the car?

NFI*
Both my Italian cars do this. I just change the itermittent frequency setting one click. Seems to remind the car what is was doing.

* (normal for Italian) Just imagine the communication inside the electronics system is run by restuarant waiters. Picture a huge crowded restaurant in an Italin Piazza, and you are waiting for an espresso. There are dozens of waiters ignoring you while weaving through the tables, balancing plates, swearing, shouting and gesticulating. Sometime they just need shouting at, and you coffee silently appears.

 

[Stoner]

Soloved this problem...I drive my wife's CLK when it rains!

 

[ENZ525]

Soloved this problem...I drive my wife's CLK when it rains!

Hahahahahah, like it Stoner