Automatic windscreen wipers (Vectra)

A vandal smashed my front windscreen last week so Autoglass came to
repair it on Friday.

Today it rained on the way home and I noticed that the sensitivity of
the automatic windscreen wipers is all wrong now... Even on maximum it
takes a lot of water on the screen to trigger them - far too much to
drive safely with.

Does anyone have any tips to adjust the sensitivity or do I have to go
down the route of harangueing Autoglass and getting them to come back?

 

I've got the same system on my Astra, and I find that he slightest trace
of grease on the screen in the sensor area really affects the
sensitivity. Are the wipers sweeping the area properly?
Have you checked that the cut-out in the black printing along the top of
the screen is properly aligned?

 

Had this last week - a well known glass company had fitted a glass but
damaged the printed circuit board to the rain sensor - it is like a thin
ribbon that connects the rain sensor, sun visor lights, interior light,
alarm and telephone to the rear control unit - it is headlining out to
replace and took 3hrs and parts were £110 - glass company paid no problem so
guess it happens often.

Contact Autoglass and say it has a problem that wasn't there before - they
might want to come for a look but may just send you to a dealer. Either way
it isn't your problem as it was ok before the glass was fitted.

Hope this helps.

 

I knew nothing of this feature until it was mentioned here.
Do drivers really have so much of a problem knowing when to turn the wipers
on or off that they need a sensor to do it for them?

Surely features like these only add unnecessary complication and expense to
manufacture.
Perhaps that's called added value?

Roger R

 

I wouldn't say it added any value to my car. I bought second hand and
didn't even know it was a feature until it first rained.

I would, however, like to have it fixed because without it my
windscreen wipers either go very quickly or not at all!

 

In message ,

I borrowed a car recently that had auto-headlights and auto-windscreen
wipers. You just leave everything in auto mode, and the headlights come on
when it gets dark, the windscreen wipers come on when it rains, and go
faster when it rains harder...
Must admit that I missed it a bit when I went back to my own car. Not
exactly essential, but suprising nice to have!

 

In message -berlin.de,

I know the problem needs to be resolved, but in the meantime, can't you turn
the 'auto' feature off, and use the windscreen wipers the 'old fashioned'
way?
A car I drove recently (a Ford) had automatic WWs, but only if the Steering
Wheel arm was set to 'A' otherwise, you could use them 'normally'

 

No. The options were:
Off
Automatic
Really fast

It's fixed now though. I returned it to Autoglass and they were very
helpful. The sensor had come unstuck from the glass (you could see air
bubbles when you looked in from outside).

They removed it, cleaned it, applied some fresh sealant compound, and
reassembled it. Less bubbles visible now (but a few) and it works like
a dream.