intermitent (Auto) wipers do not work

Ok, this used car I got has a aftermarket windshield. Sensor is plugged in. Really annoying. HI & LO work find. But the intermetint works off the sensor so I basically have no intermetint wipers. Is that sensor replacable or do I have to have the windshield replaced?

Check, and make sure the connections behind the windshield are attached correct. Also, check and see if the sensor glued to the windshield has no visible bubbles. Check this out for pics.

Most likely they installed a windshield without the sensor lense pre-installed. As explained above, if you try to stick the old lense back on, it leaves bubbles and imperfections in the adhesive layer. The guy in the E46 link was lucky - it's nect to impossible to get a clean installation after-the-fact.

nice. I will look at it this week.

Just curious (I am no rain sensor expert)....Is there a way to bypass the rain sensor, tricking it into thinking it is slight rain?

^ would be nice. Just put a resistor inline and you could use the intermitent wiper like a normal car. Please someone tell me this is possible.

To activate the rain sensor, you push the stalk up one notch, then you flick the dial all the way up, then back down to the min position. This will activate the rain sensor.
If you want intermittent feature, you place the stalk at the same position, but you just place the dial in the desired wipe speed position, making it work like any other car.

The advantage of the rain sensing wipers is that it's vehicle speed dependend, making the wipers move faster as the speed of the car increases, and almost stalling when sitting at a red light for example (if it's light drizzle, not heavy rain). The heavier the rain, the faster the wipers move, and I think I witnessed them moving what seemed faster (on rain sensing) than on the fastest setting (highest push up of the stalk).

Originally Posted by FLE39

^ would be nice. Just put a resistor inline and you could use the intermitent wiper like a normal car. Please someone tell me this is possible.

You may want to read this E36 thread then unplug it.
Report back the result:

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=601496

http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=750651

^ Did not know about activating the sensor like that. Interesting. so my intermitent wipers don't work either. Might try just unplugging the sensor and see if the rotary dial works like old school intermitent.

Originally Posted by doru

To activate the rain sensor, you push the stalk up one notch, then you flick the dial all the way up, then back down to the min position. This will activate the rain sensor.
If you want intermittent feature, you place the stalk at the same position, but you just place the dial in the desired wipe speed position, making it work like any other car.

The advantage of the rain sensing wipers is that it's vehicle speed dependend, making the wipers move faster as the speed of the car increases, and almost stalling when sitting at a red light for example (if it's light drizzle, not heavy rain). The heavier the rain, the faster the wipers move, and I think I witnessed them moving what seemed faster (on rain sensing) than on the fastest setting (highest push up of the stalk).

Heres how it works (from the manual) For somereason, i thought it was to just leave it in pos. 1. Goes to show we learn new things everyday

Rain sensor:
The rain sensor is positioned on the
windshield, directly ahead of the interior
rearview mirror.

To activate the rain sensor:
Move the lever to position 1 with the
ignition key in position 1 or higher. The
wipers travel once across the windshield,
regardless of the weather
conditions.

You can leave the lever permanently in
position 1. Whenever the ignition key is
in position 1 or higher, all you then need
to do to activate the rain sensor is
briefly turn the rotary dial 7.

To adjust the sensitivity of the rain
sensor:
Turn rotary dial 7.

Deactivating the rain sensor:
Move lever to position 0.

this thread might help
http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...355&highlight=