Lazy BMW auto windshield wipers

[az3579]

When set to auto, my wipers do not turn on by themselves when it's raining. Say it's raining and I have the stalk set to auto. I start the car; the wipers do not turn on automatically. I have to change them to another setting and put them back into auto for them to work on that setting.

Does this happen to anyone else? Aren't the wipers supposed to automatically turn on without user intervention when it's raining?

[kayger12]

Same for me. If you adjust the small rain sensitivity thumb selector, it will also start them up.

Wonder if it's some kind of built in safety to keep your wipers from getting mangled in an auto car wash :dunno

[az3579]

Dunno, but what I do know is that it defeats the purpose. :(

[Tampa330i]

The manual says: "Turn the rain sensor off in automatic car washes. Failure to do so could result in damage caused by undesired wiper activation.<". "To deactivate the rain sensor: Put lever in position 0."

To turn it on:
"To activate the rain sensor:
>With the ignition key in position 1 or higher, move the lever to position 1. The wipers will make at least one sweep across the windshield. You can leave the lever permanently in position 1. With the ignition key in position 1 or higher, all you then need to do to activate the rain sensor is
>briefly turn the rotary dial 5, or
>clean windshield 1, refer to page 78.
To adjust the sensitivity of the rain sensor: turn rotary dial 5."

[az3579]

Having to manually activate it is a complete waste of time. Why on earth would they make you do that? How is that supposed to save time/energy as opposed to just flicking the stalk to the desired position to begin with???? :confused


Thanks for the answer though; now I know it was BMW's fail.

[Washburn]

It only takes a second to turn that dial, and then it's set till you turn the engine off...no biggie for me.

Why isn't it fully auto? IDK. I can only think that if it was 100% auto like that, and you turned the car off with the wipers on that 100% auto position, and then started back up next morning, and if the windshield is wet, the wipers will automatically start moving, AND IF the wipers had also been frozen onto the windshield on a cold winter morning (which happens often in my area, as NC gets a lot of ice storms), they/motor might be damaged. IDK if that's right, but that's the only reason I can think of why it's not fully auto like that.