Rain Sensing Wipers..... (1 Viewer)

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I'm not impressed with the sensor on the wipers at all. I have taken my truck to the dealer to ask if the sensor can be "turned up or down". What i'm experiencing is extremely inconsistent rain sensing. For example, i'll have the wipers on auto mode and have one drop of water hit the windshield and they turn on and wipe clean. Other times i'm driving down the road in a misty and raining situation and they don't turn on at all. I have to manually turn on the wipers.

The dealership used the "spray bottle" test and said that's what toyota recommends and it passed the test. I asked the tech did he not remember when i pulled into the service dock, in the rain, with the windshield covered with rain and no wipers working? He said yes, but they pass the test and don't throw a code.

Has anyone else experienced this issue? Is there a way to eliminate the sensor and just turn the wipers into traditional intermittent wipers?
 
I am interested in solution. I like auto sensor some times but it could be annoying sometimes as they be either too slow or too fast.
 
There's another thread in here somewhere posted by @codyaustin5 where you can disable your 'drunken rain sensors' and revert the wiper to good ol' intermittent mode where you, as the driver, are in control of the speed.

I did this and it works perfectly - under the rear view mirror, there's a small black box about the size of a deck of cards. There is a push-tab release type of lever when once released, will slide off and reveal a small wiring harness. This is your rain sensor, and you just click/push to disconnect it, tuck it back into the black case/housing, slide the case/housing back into place and that's it!

It will be pretty obvious once you tackle it, just don't force anything or pry too hard and break any of the plastic.

Good luck!

edit: other post Intermittent wiper mode
 
They suck.
 
Here is pdf showing how to do it. You dont have to remove the sensor completely. Just unplugging will work.
 

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Just curious if any of you feel the performance of the sensor has diminished over time or has it sucked for some of you from the start? I've only got a couple thousand miles under my belt in the 200 but damn if I haven't spent most of it in the rain and so far have been impressed with auto mode!
 
Windshield wiper use is very much a personal preference thing. Personally tend to leave them off under many rain conditions, as visibility is just as good sometimes without the wipers going nuts. Some people like slow...some don't mind crazy fast...but I would HATE for the truck to decide for me. If my 2008 had the sensor? -I'd have unplugged it immediately.

Would you want an automatic Kleenex nose blower? Nope.
I'll wipe my own dang nose, thanks. ;)
 
For me auto mode works well in light rain. During heavy storms lately in California, it has been acting up. Wipers goes faster than I would like to and coordinated with vehicle speed. I prefer to control the wiper speed. While in auto mode I wasn't able to control wiper speed. I wish it had one more setting where user can control the speed instead of being auto or next speed up is continues wipes.
 
I feel that mine have been bad from the minute i drove off the lot. I purchased my truck with 6 miles on it and it now has 16,000.
 
For me auto mode works well in light rain. During heavy storms lately in California, it has been acting up. Wipers goes faster than I would like to and coordinated with vehicle speed. I prefer to control the wiper speed. While in auto mode I wasn't able to control wiper speed. I wish it had one more setting where user can control the speed instead of being auto or next speed up is continues wipes.

Interesting because mine are exact opposite. Mine work great in a regular rain event, but anything less and they suck. It's almost dangerous in a misty rain at night.
 
Mine seem to be working well, no complains. I've had that type in many cars, I've gotten used to the weird quirks I guess.
 
Mine seem to work OK--just as well as those in the 2008 Lexus GX470 we had. Likely the same exact parts.
 
I unplugged mine a few weeks ago and couldn't be happier.

No more full speed wipers during a light mist.
 
I noticed mine were not working properly this evening. This is a new to us 2014.
I touched the black box on the windshield next to rear view mirror. Every time I touched the box the wipers would start.
It's seems like box or sensor is not tight enough to the windshield.

Any one else tried this?
Can it be fixed?
I still have warranty?
 
I really don't like the rain sensors. We have had them on a couple of vehicles and I much prefer being able to set the intermittent wipers myself.
 
Slightly off topic, but anyone found an upgrade for the lame rear wiper? It seems there is not enough even pressure on blade when wiper is activated to wipe much of anything cleanly off window. Is there a stiffer spring or something? Pretty lame wiper on expensive truck.
 
Slightly off topic, but anyone found an upgrade for the lame rear wiper? It seems there is not enough even pressure on blade when wiper is activated to wipe much of anything cleanly off window. Is there a stiffer spring or something? Pretty lame wiper on expensive truck.

This one in size R-12a works great on my 2013 LC: Rain-X® Expert Fit® Rear Wiper Blades - Rain-X

HTH
 
^2 what @gaijin said, especially for the rear. I really like my Bosch icons up front, but Bosch icon in the rear sucked - left about 3" at the apex of the swing untouched.

But the Rain-X Expert Fit mentioned above clear everything perfectly. Make sure you get the 12a since there are several options.
 
I agree that on my 2016, the rain sensor is garbage. If it senses heavy rain it's fine, but anything light and it's like the sensors just don't register. This makes the whole concept of intermittent wipers irrelevant, since the only time you need them is in light rain. Terrible engineering on Toyotas part for these sensors in my opinion. I am going to try to unplug the sensor myself and see how I like that.
 
I did the rain-sensor disable mod and could not be happier.
 

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