Rain sensing windshield wipers?

[bf4445]

But rain sensing automatically gets faster and slower depending on the rain level. So yeah, we can turn them on... but how many times do you find yourself adjusting the delay as to not have wipers going on a dry windshield.

It is a nice feature...one of the things I'll miss with the move to a bronco. Right now, I don’t have to turn on my wipers, turn on my headlights, or even lock my doors... just jave fun driving

if you live in the pacific northwest or other area where you get small showers for a few seconds then nothing for a few mi nute or two then more its a must have feature. Its a pain tuning off and on non sensing wipers under these conditions.

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[timhood]

Now you get about 3 false positive swipes per day and you're looking at replacing wipers twice a year because they drag across a dry window. Lovely.

Must be a Seattle thing. 7+ years with an Escape in dry and average climates with the same wipers. I actually bought a replacement set a few years ago when they were on sale thinking they were due to die, but they're still going.

 

[timhood]

Must be a Seattle thing. 7+ years with an Escape with rain sensors in dry and average climates with the same wipers. I actually bought a replacement set a few years ago when they were on sale thinking they were due to die, but they're still going.

 

[eyrk]

I lived in the PNW the past twosih years before going to Alabama and after that it's a must have feature for me.

 

[A_Locke]

I actually really like the rain-sensing wipers. In certain situations they are very helpful. I noticed that the Bronco Sport has them included on the Outer Banks trim level but not on any others. No word on the Bronco though...

https://media.ford.com/content/dam/...o-sport/pdf/2021 Bronco Sport Trims Sheet.pdf

 

[bf4445]

I actually really like the rain-sensing wipers. In certain situations they are very helpful. I noticed that the Bronco Sport has them included on the Outer Banks trim level but not on any others. No word on the Bronco though...

https://media.ford.com/content/dam/fordmedia/North America/US/product/2021/bronco-sport/pdf/2021 Bronco Sport Trims Sheet.pdf

I called Ford with this question and was informed they are not available on the new Broncos at this time
The Sport is only available in 4dr it seems. Rain sensing wipers are listed as you say but only in the sport outer banks trim. That is crazy.....May have to wait and see if they will be added to all models for 22. I'm going to call them again regarding this feature

 

[eyrk]

It's crazy with all the tech packed into the bronco it seems like rain sensing wipers is minor detail.

 

[bf4445]

It's crazy with all the tech packed into the bronco it seems like rain sensing wipers is minor detail.

yep, such a simple feature and should be standard on all models. I'm waiting for a call back from Ford regarding this feature will post what i find out.

 

[XirallicBolts]

One thing to remember is rain sensing is a unique sensor, not used for any other features. CoPilot360 relies almost entirely on a vision camera for lanekeeping/autohighbeam/pedestrian detection, with an optional radar sensor to aid in collision warning and adaptive cruise. The CoPilot camera cannot see rain.

In most applications, you can change the sensitivity using the Delay setting.

 

[Rick Astley]

Must be a Seattle thing. 7+ years with an Escape in dry and average climates with the same wipers. I actually bought a replacement set a few years ago when they were on sale thinking they were due to die, but they're still going.

Not sure if you guys have many tunnels around there?

Over here and when the sky is gray (that's ~275-300 days a year) and getting close to sunset (that's every day! Not that you could see the sun), all you have to do is have a wide overpass give the sensor a bit of shade and once you pop out the other side they will go off. Traffic exacerbates this.

Or pretty much any tunnel and you usually don't need it to be sunset, just overcast, and the transition from light to dark will trick the sensor into a single wipe.
Do that a few times a day on dry windows and it doesn't take long at all to take out a set of wipers. Friends who live further south away from the freeway tunnels and worse traffic of the city don't have many complaints.

Full disclosure: I'm assuming that this happens a lot if you were driving around your favorite mall parking lot in your offroad rig, so you can show off those streaked "offroad" windows to the chicks on the streetcorner.

 

[GoldenKnight]

I thought Ford was ditching them. I know they've removed them from other lines as an option even

 

[bf4445]

One thing to remember is rain sensing is a unique sensor, not shared with any other components (like how the camera handles autohighbeam and lane keeping).

For those who have it, remember that you can change the sensitivity using the Delay setting -- one click past Off is low sensitivity, one click before Low is high sensitivity.

Is that how the Ford ones work? My jeep only has on or off for this feature.

 

[bf4445]

Not sure if you guys have many tunnels around there?

Over here and when the sky is gray (that's ~275-300 days a year) and getting close to sunset (that's every day! Not that you could see the sun), all you have to do is have a wide overpass give the sensor a bit of shade and once you pop out the other side they will go off. Traffic exacerbates this.

Or pretty much any tunnel and you usually don't need it to be sunset, just overcast, and the transition from light to dark will trick the sensor into a single wipe.
Do that a few times a day on dry windows and it doesn't take long at all to take out a set of wipers. Friends who live further south away from the freeway tunnels and worse traffic of the city don't have many complaints.

Full disclosure: I'm assuming that this happens a lot if you were driving around your favorite mall parking lot in your offroad rig, so you can show off those streaked "offroad" windows to the chicks on the streetcorner.

My jeep ones i leave on 24/7 and they have never swiped without water present. Like in the morning when there is dew on the windshield as soon as you begin to move they wipe it off for you a great feature. In fog as the windshield gets misty and normally you have to click the wipers on with the rain sensing wipers it will be done for me. I love it.

 

[NotApplicable]

One of the least effective functions on a vehicle. Or at least around here. Constantly having false positives every time you enter/exit a tunnel or garage, plus the systems just can't figure out what to do with very light misty rain.

Something Seattle knows quite a bit about! Our average number of days per year with measurable rain might be dropping (thanks global climate change!) down to less than 270, but if you count days with any precipitation we're still close to 300.

Now you get about 3 false positive swipes per day and you're looking at replacing wipers twice a year because they drag across a dry window. Lovely.

Turned the feature off on the current car and would avoid any trim level which includes the horrific functioning auto-sensing windshield wipers unless they could be turned off.

I had no problem with the auto wipers in several of my cars during my years living in Seattle! Must vary a lot by manufacturer/implementation.

 

[bf4445]

I had no problem with the auto wipers in several of my cars during my years living in Seattle! Must vary a lot by manufacturer/implementation.

Me either but i have only owned one with this feature a 2016 jeep trailhawk renegade. The last couple of weeks driving I-5 with one storm sprinkle after another have further strengthened my desire to not ever purchase a vehicle without this otion. I've discussed this with Ford and they only say if its listed in the build its there if not it won't be on the vehicle. So that means there only the Base with the OB trim will come with the RSW's no others at this time.

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