Rain sensor problem

[Greavesy]

Hello people quite new on here but thought I’d see if I can get some advice on my Ford Focus Mk3 1.6 tdci (63) rain sensors. I’ve not long bought this car (private) and I’ve noticed that my rain sensor doesn’t seem to be reacting to showers as well as it should. I knock the wiper stalk up to the first position and turn the sensitivity up to max and it still fail to react to the showers. However if I get out of the car and pour water on the sensor it works fine O_o

help anyone? Lol

[Monks600]

Hello people quite new on here but thought I’d see if I can get some advice on my Ford Focus Mk3 1.6 tdci (63) rain sensors. I’ve not long bought this car (private) and I’ve noticed that my rain sensor doesn’t seem to be reacting to showers as well as it should. I knock the wiper stalk up to the first position and turn the sensitivity up to max and it still fail to react to the showers. However if I get out of the car and pour water on the sensor it works fine O_o
help anyone? Lol

Mines very similar, the rain sensor on the mk3’s aren’t that good at all. Brother in law has a mk3 focus and I’ve got the mk3 ST and he’s also mentioned to me that when it starts to rain he has to manually kick the wipers on sometimes. Yet other days it will be spot on and work with a bit of drizzle! All I can suggest is make sure the outside of the windscreen, where the sensor is, is spotless...


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[Greavesy]

16 minutes ago, Monks600 said:

Mines very similar, the rain sensor on the mk3’s aren’t that good at all. Brother in law has a mk3 focus and I’ve got the mk3 ST and he’s also mentioned to me that when it starts to rain he has to manually kick the wipers on sometimes. Yet other days it will be spot on and work with a bit of drizzle! All I can suggest is make sure the outside of the windscreen, where the sensor is, is spotless...


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Yeah it’s getting really annoying because it’s either manually do one wipe or look like a crazy person putting on continuous wipe when it’s just spitting. Did he manage to fix it after? Regarding the screen on the sensor needing to be spotless I have noticed that the screen is covered with some sort of residue when the wipers do their job 

[isetta]

Had this on my 2007 fiesta. It was so erratic. My current fiesta has manually adjustable intermittent wipers which I find much better.

[Monks600]

Yeah it’s getting really annoying because it’s either manually do one wipe or look like a crazy person putting on continuous wipe when it’s just spitting. Did he manage to fix it after? Regarding the screen on the sensor needing to be spotless I have noticed that the screen is covered with some sort of residue when the wipers do their job 

Nope, got the same on mine currently as well. Must admit I’m tempted just to pop the sensor out and wipe with alcohol and also see if I can clean the inside glass where the sensor fits as best as I can.

Probably doesn’t help, but I vape in my car and my windows get filthy quickly. Always wiping down the windshield due to this :/


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[F0CUE]

2 hours ago, Monks600 said:

Nope, got the same on mine currently as well. Must admit I’m tempted just to pop the sensor out and wipe with alcohol and also see if I can clean the inside glass where the sensor fits as best as I can.

Probably doesn’t help, but I vape in my car and my windows get filthy quickly. Always wiping down the windshield due to this 😕


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That's why I got a mini vape for the car just a wee innokin t20 was sick of it and it never happens with the small one. Also the more vg the worse it will be. 

[Greavesy]

3 hours ago, Monks600 said:

Nope, got the same on mine currently as well. Must admit I’m tempted just to pop the sensor out and wipe with alcohol and also see if I can clean the inside glass where the sensor fits as best as I can.

Probably doesn’t help, but I vape in my car and my windows get filthy quickly. Always wiping down the windshield due to this 😕


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Yes because I know that the sensor on mine is still operational probably just a case of cleaning. I’ll give the fuse or relay a go to just see if it’s still good.

smoking or vaping shouldnt cause the problem seeing as the sensor is stuck to the windscreen unless yours has developed a small gap in between

[Greavesy]

3 hours ago, isetta said:

Had this on my 2007 fiesta. It was so erratic. My current fiesta has manually adjustable intermittent wipers which I find much better.

Yeah I had that on my 06’ fiesta it’s so much better. 

[Monks600]

That's why I got a mini vape for the car just a wee innokin t20 was sick of it and it never happens with the small one. Also the more vg the worse it will be. 

Yup! even have the windows slightly down too. Still manages to cause a film on the inside of the glass lol! Small vape sounds like a plan!


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[Monks600]

Yes because I know that the sensor on mine is still operational probably just a case of cleaning. I’ll give the fuse or relay a go to just see if it’s still good.
smoking or vaping shouldnt cause the problem seeing as the sensor is stuck to the windscreen unless yours has developed a small gap in between

You’ve egged me on to sort it lol! Gonna have a poke around at weekend and see if I can improve it!

Surely it can’t just be fords with this issue? Just got me thinking...


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[Carl123]

Mine does the same, totally has a mind if its own as to whether it's raining and how much rain is falling.

Someone needs to create a retrofit kit that coverts it into a standard intermittent wipe, adjustable by the existing sensitivity control

I would convert mine tomorrow.

At the moment it's just a pain having to constantly adjust my wipers whenever it is raining. 

[TomsFocus]

You can just unplug the sensor if you don't like it.  Will revert back to 'always too fast or too slow', aka intermittent.  

All auto wipers struggle with a bit of light drizzle or 'sparse' rain...don't forget how small the sensor is compared to the whole screen.  You do have to occasionally give it an extra single wipe, but I really don't find myself doing that often.  I've had auto wipers for the last 10 years on various cars and wouldn't buy another car without them.

Vaping and a dirty interior won't make any difference, the sensor must be flush to the screen for it to work at all, if there's an air gap, it won't work.

@Greavesy You say it looks like there's some sort of residue on the outside of your screen...that could be impacting the sensor and would be worth cleaning off with vinegar.  If you're really unlucky, someone will have put a 'rainX' type coating on it which you'll never get off without a chisel...

[F0CUE]

2 hours ago, TomsFocus said:

You can just unplug the sensor if you don't like it.  Will revert back to 'always too fast or too slow', aka intermittent.  

All auto wipers struggle with a bit of light drizzle or 'sparse' rain...don't forget how small the sensor is compared to the whole screen.  You do have to occasionally give it an extra single wipe, but I really don't find myself doing that often.  I've had auto wipers for the last 10 years on various cars and wouldn't buy another car without them.

Vaping and a dirty interior won't make any difference, the sensor must be flush to the screen for it to work at all, if there's an air gap, it won't work.

@Greavesy You say it looks like there's some sort of residue on the outside of your screen...that could be impacting the sensor and would be worth cleaning off with vinegar.  If you're really unlucky, someone will have put a 'rainX' type coating on it which you'll never get off without a chisel...

Some snowfoam on that windscreen for about ten mins on a non sunny day strips all that off no problem. 

[TimJ]

I think its works more off light deflection than moisture as it works perfectly when its snowing!

[Greavesy]

20 hours ago, Monks600 said:

You’ve egged me on to sort it lol! Gonna have a poke around at weekend and see if I can improve it!

Surely it can’t just be fords with this issue? Just got me thinking...


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Hahaa yeah well let us know if it improves after a clean!

[Greavesy]

16 hours ago, Carl123 said:

Mine does the same, totally has a mind if its own as to whether it's raining and how much rain is falling.

Someone needs to create a retrofit kit that coverts it into a standard intermittent wipe, adjustable by the existing sensitivity control

I would convert mine tomorrow.

At the moment it's just a pain having to constantly adjust my wipers whenever it is raining. 

In a heart beat mate. Had intermittent wipe on my old 06 fiesta. It’s the only thing I miss about the car 😂

[Greavesy]

12 hours ago, TomsFocus said:

You can just unplug the sensor if you don't like it.  Will revert back to 'always too fast or too slow', aka intermittent.  

All auto wipers struggle with a bit of light drizzle or 'sparse' rain...don't forget how small the sensor is compared to the whole screen.  You do have to occasionally give it an extra single wipe, but I really don't find myself doing that often.  I've had auto wipers for the last 10 years on various cars and wouldn't buy another car without them.

Vaping and a dirty interior won't make any difference, the sensor must be flush to the screen for it to work at all, if there's an air gap, it won't work.

@Greavesy You say it looks like there's some sort of residue on the outside of your screen...that could be impacting the sensor and would be worth cleaning off with vinegar.  If you're really unlucky, someone will have put a 'rainX' type coating on it which you'll never get off without a chisel...

So if I unplug the sensor it’ll go back to the simply intermittent wipe being able to adjust the time gap in between wipe? The sensor definitely works because the auto light reacts on the button and like on my initial message when I pour water directly on the sensor or at the top of the windscreen and let it flow down to the sensor, the sensor detects it straight away but when I’m out and about driving it’s hopeless 😂

I will try rubbing vinegar or alcohol on windscreen where the sensor is tomorrow and I’ll get back to you on that! 
 

cheers!

[TomsFocus]

11 hours ago, Greavesy said:

So if I unplug the sensor it’ll go back to the simply intermittent wipe being able to adjust the time gap in between wipe? The sensor definitely works because the auto light reacts on the button and like on my initial message when I pour water directly on the sensor or at the top of the windscreen and let it flow down to the sensor, the sensor detects it straight away but when I’m out and about driving it’s hopeless 😂

I will try rubbing vinegar or alcohol on windscreen where the sensor is tomorrow and I’ll get back to you on that! 
 

cheers!

Auto lights uses a separate sensor, although it's built into the same sensor housing.  That will work with an air gap or a (slightly) dirty screen whereas the rain sensor part won't, at least, not properly!  If it's really that bad, see if the sensor is actually flush to the screen or if you can see an air bubble under the clear pad.

I don't think it defaults to variable intermittent, just single speed intermittent like old cars used to have.  If you want to keep adjusting the speed, surely that's more hassle than occasionally having to make an extra wipe on auto!!   My whole sensor got broken by a window fitter, defaulted to intermittent wipe with lights permanently on in auto setting, never tried to adjust the wiper speed as I never adjust the auto sensitivity either lol.

[mjt]

Auto wipers are far from perfect but I still find them a lot better than continually having to adjust the intermittent time delay. IMHO they're one of the more useful gimmicks on modern cars. You can keep your auto lights, I never bother with mine. It makes me smile every time I follow a car under a bridge and the rear lights come on and then a few seconds later go off again 🤣

[Botus]

aftermarket windscreens can dreadfully impact how well the rain sensors work

I didn't spot anyone mention, but the sensitivity is very clever on the Mk2 fords.  The exact same steering wheel stalk's intermittent delay feature (rotary knob), does "the rain sensor sensitivity" on models that have auto wipers.  

It doesn't work but the idea is brilliant.   One must remember its effectively works the exact opposite to the delay.... the mad ex couldn't get her head round that fact and would make it less sensitive when she wanted it to wipe more often..... and demanded I turn off auto wipers.... I sent her the owners manual explaining this and she hasn't complained since !