[Son]

I don't like the rain sensor on my Golf at all. At least in snowfall it doesn't work as desired. The wipers don't wipe at all or then they wipe too often. I miss having a simple manually adjustable interval.
So my question is: Can rain sensor be switched off with VAG-COM and make the wipers (and the adjustment switch on the wiper stalk) work like the car didn't have the rain sensor?

 

[krisko26.2]

Re: Hate the rain sensor! Anything I could do? (Son)

This is a huge pet peeve of mine and I hated it on my 2002 M3. It either runs the wipers too much or not enough, usually too much. I much prefer the manual intervals I can select on my '07 Passat. I can't choose intermittent on my new GTI when I get it?

 

[thenamescolby]

Re: Hate the rain sensor! Anything I could do? (krisko26.2)

Quote, originally posted by krisko26.2 »

This is a huge pet peeve of mine and I hated it on my 2002 M3. It either runs the wipers too much or not enough, usually too much. I much prefer the manual intervals I can select on my '07 Passat. I can't choose intermittent on my new GTI when I get it?

US GTIs come with manual wiper controls, no rain sensors for us.
as far as EU GTIs, i'm fairly certain that you should be able to turn off the rain sense with VAGCOM. (why did you pay for the option?)

 

[ycchan]

Re: Hate the rain sensor! Anything I could do? (thenamescolby)

Quote, originally posted by thenamescolby »

as far as EU GTIs, i'm fairly certain that you should be able to turn off the rain sense with VAGCOM. (why did you pay for the option?)

Autolight/Rain sensor is standard on GTIs except in USA/CAN.
It doesn't work well for me either and is very annoying.




Modified by ycchan at 9:10 PM 3-19-2010

 

[krisko26.2]

Re: Hate the rain sensor! Anything I could do? (thenamescolby)

Quote, originally posted by thenamescolby »

US GTIs come with manual wiper controls, no rain sensors for us.

Sweet! This is one example where de-contenting the car for US market pays off. I say until they get rain sensors right, don't put them into cars.

 

[GTINC]

Re: Hate the rain sensor! Anything I could do? (Son)

Quote, originally posted by Son »

I don't like the rain sensor on my Golf at all. ...

The system on my Mk4 has always been great, if the windshield is kept clean over the sensor and the light sensor in the RVM is not restricted with something.
It occasionally will get fooled with an unusual light level, but one off/on cycle resets it.
I would find giving this system up difficult.

 

[Son]

Re: Hate the rain sensor! Anything I could do? (thenamescolby)

Quote, originally posted by thenamescolby »

as far as EU GTIs, i'm fairly certain that you should be able to turn off the rain sense with VAGCOM.

Gotta ask this from the dealership. Just wondering if it needs different electronics somewhere to make them work the conventional way.

Quote »

(why did you pay for the option?)

I bought the car used. I had never driven a rain sensor equipped car before but I did have my doubts about how well the feature works. I still might have ticked the box if I had bought new, since it comes in a package here that includes also coming home/leaving home lights, puddle lights, footwell lights, folding mirrors and auto-dimming rear view mirror. Everything else but the auto-dimming rear view and the rain sensor are either cool or even useful features for not a lot of money.

 

[ycchan]

Re: Hate the rain sensor! Anything I could do? (Son)

My old Toyota had a rain sensor and it performed flawlessly. It sucks VW can't make one just as good.
Aren't the rain sensors on the MK4 different than the MK5?

 

[Son]

Re: Hate the rain sensor! Anything I could do? (ycchan)

Okay, asked dealership, they said it can't be disabled. Looked around German forums and at least on MkV it can be disabled with a simple removal of a fuse, but then light sensor-controlled automatic light switching function (lights in front change from DRLs to the proper headlights and taillights are switched on) is also disabled.
On another forum I read that on MkIV rain sensor can be switched off by changing a relay to a non-rain sensor wiper relay. I wonder if this would save the automatic light switching feature on the MkVI...

 

[spockcat]

Re: Hate the rain sensor! Anything I could do? (Son)

On the Touareg the rain sensor can be switched off using the VAGCOM and it becomes intermittent. I suspect that it can also be done on the MKVI too. You just need to find the proper module and coding.

 

[silverA4quattro]

FV-QR

I hate my rain sensor as well in the Passat. It rarely works as I wish it would. Was really pissing me off last weekend, I was stopped waiting for someone with car idling and it was raining lightly. Well, the wipers were wiping continuously despite the car being stopped and parking brake engaged. It was so annoying I had to shut them off.

 

[RogueTDI]

Re: FV-QR (silverA4quattro)

this thread makes me feel good about not ending up with rain sensors.

 

[BarryT82]

Re: FV-QR (RogueTDI)

You should be able to use the vag-com to unselect the rain sensor being installed. That way it won't come on at all. I think it's in section 9.

 

[davidch]

Re: Hate the rain sensor! Anything I could do? (Son)

i am the opposite. i live in the southeast with a lot of light showers and really enjoy having the rain sensor. it was included with my 2003 mkiv jetta glx and my 2004 touareg and i added it to my mkv jetta. the lowest setting on the intermittent is commonly too fast... so i would frequently manually just turn it on/off which gets annoying after a while. never had any issues with the rain sensors working very well. the older models would need to be turned off and back on after turning off the vehicle to get them working again, but the mkv would just start working again when rain was sensed which was even better.
the lack of the rainsensor along with a slew of previous available features (real leather, climatronic, auto-dim rearview mirror, etc) on my much older vehicles ('06, '04, '03) has been primary holdups on considering a new Golf TDI or Jetta TDI.

 

[Son]

Re: Hate the rain sensor! Anything I could do? (davidch)

Quote, originally posted by davidch »

the older models would need to be turned off and back on after turning off the vehicle to get them working again, but the mkv would just start working again when rain was sensed which was even better.

I made a quick visit to the grocery store just now and had the rain sensor on. When I came back to my car and started it, the windshield was wet but the rain sensor didn't notice it. I had to switch the wipers off and put it back to the rain sensor position to make it wake up.

 

[gtitrini]

Re: Hate the rain sensor! Anything I could do? (davidch)

Quote, originally posted by davidch »

the lack of the rainsensor along with a slew of previous available features (real leather, climatronic, auto-dim rearview mirror, etc) on my much older vehicles ('06, '04, '03) has been primary holdups on considering a new Golf TDI or Jetta TDI.

That's what's leading me to look at a CC, which is not my ideal choice.

 

[GTINC]

Re: Hate the rain sensor! Anything I could do? (Son)

Quote, originally posted by Son »

.....When I came back to my car and started it, the windshield was wet but the rain sensor didn't notice it. I had to switch the wipers off and put it back to the rain sensor position to make it wake up.

That should be obvious. In areas with colder temps, the blades could freeze to the windshield. You don't want some auto system trying to start them when frozen.
Think about it. The wipers may not be in operation when the driver stops the car and it could be days before the car would be started again.
It is a proper protection design and you should appreciate it.


Modified by GTINC at 7:21 AM 3-20-2010

 

[danhamtdi]

Re: Hate the rain sensor! Anything I could do? (Son)

Had it on my '06 Audi A3 2.0T and it worked very well in rain, not so great in snow.
During times when it was not working well, I found that changing the intermittent speed switch setting up or down, even back to its original setting, would often wake up or in some way reset the behavior of the sensor, often improving its response to existing conditions.
-dan

 

[davidch]

Re: Hate the rain sensor! Anything I could do? (gtitrini)

Quote, originally posted by gtitrini »

That's what's leading me to look at a CC, which is not my ideal choice.

CC is not for me... not that it is bad car, just bigger than what i want and not my type of styling. really don't want anything much bigger than mkv jetta... and mkvi jetta is pushing it (according to the spyshots). at this point i will likely wait to see what they will offer in the 2011 mkvi jetta and 2011 golf.

 

[Son]

Re: Hate the rain sensor! Anything I could do? (GTINC)

Quote, originally posted by GTINC »

That should be obvious. In areas with colder temps, the blades could freeze to the windshield. You don't want some auto system trying to start them when frozen.

With my previous car (a VAG product, too), I would often just try with switching the wipers on if they are frozen to the windshield. They won't try to go thru the full cycle if they are frozen. I never managed to break anything, either.
My guess is that the sensor doesn't have a clear windshield's data stored to compare to when I start the car and the windshield is wet. Thus, it doesn't notice any change to a dry windshield and won't wipe.