Rain Sensor Wipers

[Abarth]

Hi

Tell me there is a way to get this feature to remain switched on all the time??

It seems to me at the moment that you actually have to switch it on each journey, surely that cant be right??

I have checked the manual, and the Setup feature in Mycar... nothing is jumping out at me

[jimbg]

I have found the same thing!!

I am fairly sure that is how t works?

[wimorrison]

Originally Posted by Abarth

Hi

Tell me there is a way to get this feature to remain switched on all the time??

It seems to me at the moment that you actually have to switch it on each journey, surely that cant be right??

I have checked the manual, and the Setup feature in Mycar... nothing is jumping out at me

You are correct, you have to switch it on each time you want to use it.

This may seem to be awkward however compared to my v70 where it was a physical switch rather than a soft switch the XC60 is much better. Many times I went out in the winter and started the car, because the rains sensor was switched on the wipers would then free themselves from the ice, blades now ruined and scrape across the windscreen - not good. The other aspect was that you forgot you had them switched on and periodically they would sweep across the windscreen - especially annoying in grotty weather where you suddenly lost vision due to the streaks and all without warning

There were other times when it was problematic, this way is much better.

[simonjedrake]

Originally Posted by wimorrison

You are correct, you have to switch it on each time you want to use it.

This may seem to be awkward however compared to my v70 where it was a physical switch rather than a soft switch the XC60 is much better. Many times I went out in the winter and started the car, because the rains sensor was switched on the wipers would then free themselves from the ice, blades now ruined and scrape across the windscreen - not good. The other aspect was that you forgot you had them switched on and periodically they would sweep across the windscreen - especially annoying in grotty weather where you suddenly lost vision due to the streaks and all without warning

There were other times when it was problematic, this way is much better.

Good points - but you have missed out the most important reason for not making it an auto ON switch
A friend took their high spec car though a carwash without turning OFF the auto sensing wipers function.........................result - an expensive repair bill!!!

[Abarth]

Hi,

I sort of see the points made, but the fact is my last four cars had auto wipe wipers and combined I drove those cars for 8 winters and something like 200K miles and never had a problem (I dont use car washes for a start) and on cold frosty mornings I dont recall any of them (VW, Honda, BMW and Audi) activating.

Dont really see the point of having auto wipers, that by default are off! Done 500 miles in the Volvo so far and each time the windscreen has started getting wet at that point I have thought to myself,, time to switch on the 'auto' wipers then,, so I might just not have an auto on button anyway and simply moved the wiper arm.

Only issue with the car so far, but annoying none the less

[richy2]

I've had auto wipers that work in that auto mode every time once the stalk is in that position, often the intermittent setting. The only issue I have had is winter and frozen wipers, I get the car running before scraping a frozen screen and this tends to activate the wipers before I start (and remember to switch them off) whilst the wipers are still frozen to the screen, no long term damage just grinding and kick back whilst the wiper motor times out.

A real plus I am finding the Volvo button approach is I can override and flick wipe upwards and not be changing a stalk position and having it click, not a huge thing but I find it pretty convenient compared to others I've had.

[darbs]

the point about the wipers not coming on when frozen is a good one, however, this could be worked around if volvo wanted to go down the fully auto route.

there is an ambient temp sensor in one of the mirrors. talking purely from a software development perspective, this could be used to detect when the windows might be frozen and give the driver the option to turn off the auto wipers if they were on.

not sure how a car would detect a car wash. maybe that would still have to be a user operation. it would be like remembering to put the aerial down in the old days.

btw, i'm aware car washes are really bad for paintwork, unless you like the swirly look on your paintwork!

[ExMercR]

I like they way Volvo have implemented the auto-wiper function. The on-off switch is logical and thoughtful, and the ability to have one sweep even when they are set to auto is excellent.

In fact, it's like most of the features on the XC60 - well thought-out and designed for real life.

[XC60MY12]

Hi Abarth. Like you I found this a pain at first, having had full auto (switchable) on my last car. However I am warming to it now as I switch it on at the first sign of rain and there are no problems with it coming on inappropriately as mentioned above. Glad you are enjoying your new motor as I am (mine, not yours!).

[volvorocks]

Originally Posted by Abarth

Hi,

I sort of see the points made, but the fact is my last four cars had auto wipe wipers and combined I drove those cars for 8 winters and something like 200K miles and never had a problem (I dont use car washes for a start) and on cold frosty mornings I dont recall any of them (VW, Honda, BMW and Audi) activating.

Dont really see the point of having auto wipers, that by default are off! Done 500 miles in the Volvo so far and each time the windscreen has started getting wet at that point I have thought to myself,, time to switch on the 'auto' wipers then,, so I might just not have an auto on button anyway and simply moved the wiper arm.

Only issue with the car so far, but annoying none the less

I agree with you Abarth.

I pointed out (in my opinion) that the rain sense wipers were not intuitive and was attached to a rocket and fired into space (so to speak for having this view!!)



Also if in the XC you find the wipers are not sensing rain well enough( all brands of car struggle here to be fair) and you place the wiper stalk into position 2 then the auto function in the XC is switched off!

On a previous car of mine the auto rain sense sytem was really good and simple.It didnt have an on/off switch nor was it always on or always off.Quite simply to activate the auto wipers you simply used the wiper stalk normally when it first started to rain and from then on it was auto.It was a natural thing to do..ie put wipers on when raining...then auto took over and never on inappropriately

Regards