Update - Non operational rain sensing wipers

[Grandad]

Went to MB dealer today after waiting a couple of weeks to see what MB Germany had come up with (as previous post).
Believe it was the manager who greeted my wife and I, by name, and asked if he could help.
Within half an hour of telling him my woes I was booked into the workshop next Monday for a diagnostics hook up.

Will post again next week,
Geoff

 

[faugh a ballagh]

silly question but is your indicators working as normal, reason i ask is my indicator fuse went and it controls the wipers as well

 

[Grandad]

Every thing else works fine thanks, had a hook up to diagnostics today, now they are diagnosing the print out and I am awaiting their reply.

The wipers did in fact work on all three settings but on position 1 they are not suposed to wipe until sensing rain, mine went straight on to a 4/5 second intermitant cycle wether the screen was wet damp or dry.

Geoff

 

[Grandad]

Rain sensing wipers - the plot thickens

The MB main dealer ad for the car listed rain sensing wipers as being fitted (though I believe there is a small print opt out), the salesman also stated they were fitted and after buying the car he advised me as to their use and operation.

Yesterday the registration was checked against MB data base and was found to have them listed as fitted.

Then the car was plugged into diagnostics, the read out scrutinised and shown that rain sensor wipers were not fitted.

So again waiting further developments.

 

[Daeths]

You bought a car in good faith under the written and verbal assurance the vehicle had rain sensor - which I am sure was also reflected in the sale price.

I would politely but firmly ask them to (retrofit) supply what you believed you paid for. The chances of success are slim, but you may get a free service.

 

[whitenemesis]

What does the sensor look like located behind the rear view mirror, attached to the screen?

 

[Aussie Nick]

Hi It sounds like the sensor has been off with a windscreen change and has not been refitted properly.The sensors can be removed for a windscreen replacement but you need to refit them with a special double sided adhesive. Some windscreen specialists know how to do it properly and have the right adhesive. Others don't . I suspect that yours is misaligned . Some dealers dont know what to do with them. You really should take it to a windscreen place that has had some experience. Make sure that they thoroughly clean the glass before fitting, which they will do anyway if they know what they are doing........ Thanks for all your help Whitenemessis. You deserve those tassels.

 

[whitenemesis]

Hi It sounds like the sensor has been off with a windscreen change and has not been refitted properly.The sensors can be removed for a windscreen replacement but you need to refit them with a special double sided adhesive. Some windscreen specialists know how to do it properly and have the right adhesive. Others don't . I suspect that yours is misaligned . Some dealers dont know what to do with them. You really should take it to a windscreen place that has had some experience. Make sure that they thoroughly clean the glass before fitting, which they will do anyway if they know what they are doing........ Thanks for all your help Whitenemessis. You deserve those tassels.

Did you get your sensor sorted?

 

[Aussie Nick]

Yes I did. The Merc dealer quoted $1700. to replace with a proper Mercedes windscreen "otherwise the sensor will not work and you will get a new sensor" . I didnt trust the source where I got the car from . They stated that they would need the car back for two days to take to their windscreen "EXPERT" who had fitted the new windscreen with double sided tape.
The authorised Merc Dealer came up with a diagram of a sensor which was not the same as the one you sent me insisting that this was the correct sensor . It wasnt .The one you sent was correct. I tried for hours and days to get it right and couldnt myself. The secret is that the sensor has to be perfectly clean. Mine had silicone and double adhesive stuck to it. I took it to the local windscreen guys where i had been before . They took the whole sensor apart , which i wasnt game to do. Ten minutes later the whole thing was working perfectly. I think that other members who are having similar problems probably have been the victims of a windscreen refitting going wrong. Grandads symptoms are familiar to me as on one of the positions I tried I was getting exactly the same thing (wipers operating all the time).
I didnt trust the dealer where i purchased the car as He had originally promised to repair the digital readout on the cluster.Came back and said cant be done our expert is the best and cant fix it we can order a new one at $2000. Last saturday I had it fixed by a person working from home as a part time project. It took one hour and cost $200.00. He told me that someone had tried to fix the cluster with small bits of plastic which he showed me and futher had caused more damage than original which he also fixed. Cluster now working perfectly.

 

[whitenemesis]

Excellent result Nick

So how did the windscreen guys fix the sensor to the screen?

 

[Aussie Nick]

They were not keen to show me . When I peeked I saw that they had taken the sensor completely apart , cleaned the lens and cover and applied what seemed to be a tailor made adhesive pad which appeared to be double sided to the lens . They cleaned the windscreen inside and then stuck the lens in the cut out in the screen. Then they reassembled the electrical inside cover which clicked on and then they clicked on the main cover. It took two of them to tuck the wire back under the headlining. The lens looks like it is one piece but is really two. This was the part i was hesitant to take apart as I could see it contained the electricals. This has to be separated in order that the sensor properly attaches to the screen.

Total cost $10.00

 

[whitenemesis]

Nice one!

That part (the lens) is usually supplied already attached to the new screen. The electricals part is the actual sensor, easily changed.

Glad it all worked out.

 

[Grandad]

Rain sensing wipers - latest

Thanks for all the replies, help and comments.

Call today from MB main dealer, I definately do not have rain sense wipers fitted.

They are fitted as an extra on new orders for £110 but retro fitting is somthing that they have not come across before.

MB Germany is being contacted to see if it is possible to retro fit and what will be required.

I have had every indication that if it can be done it will be FOC.

As before will post as and when new gen is available.

Geoff

 

[whitenemesis]

Almost certainly you would require a new widscreen with the correct lenses bonded in place.

You can check out my retro-fit here, be patient it's quite a long thread

http://prestigepassion.co.uk/showthread.php?tid=277