Auto Wipers Not Working.... please help!

[Johnny chimpo]

Hi all, another day another fault with the X5

Mrs Chimpo just called to say that the auto wipers and intermittent wipers dont seem to be working on the car. The other wiper positions are working fine, just the intermittent and auto options aren't doing anything.

The strange thing is the car has not been used since Saturday, but when it was used the auto wipers were working perfectly.

Can anyone suggest what could be the cause of the problem, or point me in the direction of what to check?

Thanks in advance as always!

JC

[X5Sport]

Make sure the sensor window (blueish rectangle) on the windscreen side of the rearview mirror mount isn't blocked or obscured, or misted up. If you have auto wipers and that sensor fails or is fogged up/obscured then you get no intermittent wipers as the former replaces the latter.

[Sanj]

Mine does this on occasions but next start-up it's fine...

[Raj]

I find this sometimes but usually when the stalk has been left in the auto position. Try setting the stalk back to off position and then restart the car.

[Johnny chimpo]

Still having problems with this

Tried resetting the stock before starting the car and it doesn't seem to have made a difference. The blueish sensor seems to be fine altho the area where the mirror goes onto the windscreen seems to have a bit of a bubble, could this be the problem? I will try and get a pic of what I mean.

[Johnny chimpo]

Hopefully this pic makes sense...

[X5Sport]

It does. Unless you can get an optically clear glue, then I'm afraid that will need a new screen. The bond on the sensor window has failed. Fixing it is very tricky, and usually unsuccessful. The sensor window is bonded on under vacuum as part of the screen's construction by Semperit.

The system bounces infra-red signals off the screen and measures the change which occurs in wet weather. Any break in the pattern shuts the system down.

Time for a stray stone.......

[Sanj]

Chk ins policy first! I'll delete post when/if you go down this road.

[Powercat]

This may help

http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=615032