[pugxs]

Last week I fell foul of the weather and a small chip I had in my windscreen turned into a 15" crack!!! At the weekend I had the screen replaced by auto windscreens as part of my insurance (£80 excess).

However now it has rained a couple of times ive noticed my auto wipers are useless and the screen has to get almost to dangerous levels of rain water before the wipers activate.

Before they were absolutely spot on, not too much but always kicking in just as thy were needed.

Is some coding required to tweak the sensitivity of the sensor following a reacement or is this just down to poor fitting? I didn't know if different thicknesses of glass plays an impact?

Thanks

[e92liv]

Originally Posted by pugxs

I had the screen replaced by auto windscreens as part of my insurance (£80 excess)

I would contact your insurance company and/or Auto windscreens to complain and ask how and when they will rectify the problem?

[SteveC]

Is some coding required to tweak the sensitivity of the sensor following a reacement or is this just down to poor fitting? I didn't know if different thicknesses of glass plays an impact?

Thanks[/QUOTE]

The sensor needs to be calibrated for the new windscreen.....

[pugxs]

Steve C who would do that, my main dealer?? I doubt calibration of the rain sensor is something I could get done by the windscreen guy as they have technically fulfilled their obligation - ie supply and fit a new windscreen.

[chesney72]

If they unplugged the sensor it will need initialised. It takes seconds with INPA or obviously any dealer or indy that has it.

I had the same problem on a 5 series a few years ago. You would think they would be informed how to do this as auto wiper sensors have been about for years now.

EDIT: I had to pay to get it done but it was refunded by the insurer. Just needed to send in the receipt.

Incidently my rain sensitivity was getting hopeless recently so I re-initialised it with INPA and its back to being spot on again.

[Frobius]

Where in inpa do you do this? Mines crap, as above, gets nearly dangerous before it wipes. Was going to get into the hex code to adjust the sensitivity but sounds like a reset might help.

[chesney72]

Originally Posted by Frobius

Where in inpa do you do this? Mines crap, as above, gets nearly dangerous before it wipes. Was going to get into the hex code to adjust the sensitivity but sounds like a reset might help.

If you get to this screen click on the rain sensor part and it should all become clear. An option once this is selected should be to activate or reset. If not give me a shout and I will plug it in and show another screenshot. It won't let me go further without being connected to the car!

[pugxs]

What is INPA?

[Frobius]

It's a factory level diagnostic program. Check the coding thread.

Originally Posted by chesney72

If you get to this screen click on the rain sensor part and it should all become clear. An option once this is selected should be to activate or reset. If not give me a shout and I will plug it in and show another screenshot. It won't let me go further without being connected to the car!

Nice one, thanks Ches. So did you reset or activate?

[chesney72]

Originally Posted by Frobius

It's a factory level diagnostic program. Check the coding thread.



Nice one, thanks Ches. So did you reset or activate?

It was f6 activate then f1 rls initialisation

[Glassman]

Originally Posted by SteveC

The sensor needs to be calibrated for the new windscreen.....

What would be the reason(s) for this?

[alzieboy]

Originally Posted by Glassman

What would be the reason(s) for this?

Because Autowindscreens do not fit genuine BMW glass, just had a new screen fitted by National glass i asked the Guy for a genuine BMW screen, he took the Vin number and ordered one, once fitted NO problems with Auto Wipers/ Auto lights. Had a new screen fitted by Autowindscreens to my Wifes 118D, had the same problems with wipers and auto lights, took it to an INDY who i assume recoded.

[BanziBarn]

This is why when I got a chip recently, I was really hoping it could be repaired because I always heard this was a problem.

I always thought it was an issue related to having a non oem screen so am interested to hear that it's coding. I'm also interested to hear that you can get oem screen without having to go to the dealer - I'd always assumed that if you want oem it would rule out a mobile fitting.

[coopersim]

I have this exact same problem, and would like to be able to reset the sensor myself, so have been looking in to buying a cable, does anyone know if this one will be compatible?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/INPA-Ediab...item5898cfbbb9

I've tried using the OBDII cable I had left over from a previous car, but it doesn't work (my guess is there's only a few pins used)

[Glassman]

Some interesting points raised, especially re: the glass fitted by Auto, and National Windscreens.

There are differences in the types of sensors for some cars; some are modified/updated versions and others are completely different in design (usually on newer/higher spec cars such as cars fitted with heat reflective screens, Heads-Up-Displays etc).

Earlier versions are simply clip-off, clip-on sensors. The rectangular (plastic) bracket on the glass is the lens which transmits light through to the sensor, which stays in/on the car; unless this is damaged, disconnected or disturbed there's very little that can go wrong as a result of the windscreen being replaced. There's a possibility that if the VLT* through the glass is different (ie, to what parameters the sensor has been calibrated) this could be a factor. The only time I have experienced this was on a Peugeot where the new screen was a green tint and not the (clear) solar coated as it was previously.

The newer sensors are visibly different (looking from the outside of the car, they appear round, about 2-3" dia). Although they are clipped to a metal bracket on the glass, there is a clear, sticky gel sandwiched between the glass and sensor. A new windscreen, 99% of the time, means a new sensor gel pad, or sensor mask (the front part of the sensor un-clips and can be renewed as opposed to the whole unit). There are sensor 'regeneration' packs which is a mix-on-site pack (but this must be cured from liquid to semi 'set' consistency before it is re-introduced to the car).

A lot of windscreen guys are not replacing the gel. I'm seeing more and more cars without the gel after having a windscreen replaced. The average driver/punter doesn't know any different, but when a few have questioned it, they've been given some flannel about it working without it. This, is total 'testiculation'.

It's an extremely competitive market and in order to gain the edge over their rivals, fitting companies are cutting more and more corners (such as leaving out sensor gel pads costing circa 10 quid) and suppliers are stocked with glass from all over the world. Some of the worst examples I have seen come from China, Poland and South Africa (I'd name the brands but it may go against forum policy).

Conversely, even the better known brands have moved their production overseas, again, China being a popular country for manufacture.

IMHO, you can't go far wrong with OEM glass. You might pay a bit more, but opting for one bears far more benefits than the extra cash you might pay. But the aftermarket copies can be good too; Saint Gobain (Sekurit) and Pilkington are very good brands and are also the OEMs for many BMWs.

A lot of lash up jobs are coming as a result of cheap insurance providers steering their policyholders to their nominated/preferred suppliers. A lot of the trouble starts here.

*Visual Light Transmission

[PaulR]

^^^

Good information. Thanks for that Glassman.

[xenon]

If I ever need a new 'screen I'm getting Glassman to do it.

[alzieboy]

Good write up by Glassman

[dobbo99]

i had my windscreen replaced, and the sensor was not re-attached as is suggested above (basically stuck to the windscreen)

take the housing off from around the rear view mirror, should see if the sensor is stuck to the window or not. mine wasnt. stuck it back on and the wipers have been fine ever since.

[pugxs]

Sensor is connected as the auto wipers still kick in but they are nowhere near sensitive enough.

I read on other BMW forums that the above re-initialisation of the sensor can be fine by disconnecting the battery for a period of time.

Anybody confirm this?

[m@rk]

Don't assume that getting the dealer to do the job will result in things being fine either.

When I went down the route of a new screen on my E91 the rain sensor was never the same again although I did discover one thing that might be of use to you.

The rain sensor on the E9x is SELF CALIBRATING!

You need to engage the wipers for a minimum of TEN passes at which point it should recalibrate itself.

Of course if the sensor is not refitted correctly then this isn't going to work but then again neither is plugging it into a computer either.

[coopersim]

I've been on manual for the past few days as the auto wipers are next to useless, and this morning they seem to be ok on auto, so I think they have self calibrated!