11-23-2011, 06:29 PM | #1 |
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slow wiper speed in heavy rain
I mentioned this as kind of a side blurb on another thread a few weeks back but its prob my biggest complaint so far so i"m starting a thread.
In the heavy rain that seems to have hit the area several times since getting my X3 - i feel like the fast setting on the front windshield wipers isn't fast enough - or more likely there should one be one speed faster than there is. few times now i've been out driving in heavy rain and i want them to go a notch faster, keep hitting the faster lever but its maxed out. I would love to compare a 2008 3 series to see how my last BMW was, and also compare my X3 to another F25 to see if its mine, or a design flaw, or just my imagination. anyone else notice this or have an opinion? not a huge deal, not rushing off to the dealer, but at some point I need to compare it to some other BMWs and different cars.
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2011 X3 XDrive35i F25 l Deep Sea Blue l Mojave Leather l Sport, DHP, Premium, Nav/Technology, Cold Weather, Convenience [traded in] 2008 328XI E91 Sportwagon l Sparkling Graphite [traded in] |
11-23-2011, 09:08 PM | #2 |
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Coming from an Accord, when I tested the wipers, the first thing I noticed is that the wipers aren't nearly as fast as what I had. I only had my x3 for a few weeks and it hasn't rained hard yet. There was one day when it was raining steady (not too hard) and I had rain sensors turned on, wipers slowed down at a stop light and sped up as my speed increased and felt that the speed of wipers was adequate (again - haven't tested in heavy rain).
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11-23-2011, 09:54 PM | #3 |
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Why did you feel it needed to be faster? We're you actually having trouble seeing? I tend to think wper speed is overrated and keep the auto setting on the lowest possible. In a year a probably use the fastest manual setting only once.
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Last edited by Nahoa; 11-23-2011 at 10:02 PM.. |
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11-24-2011, 02:08 AM | #4 |
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Was always under the impression fast wipers don't really help in a downpour. Even if the windscreen would be free of water you still can see only a few meters.
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11-24-2011, 08:09 AM | #7 |
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11-24-2011, 08:58 AM | #8 |
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11-24-2011, 09:32 AM | #9 |
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Thanks. Will give it a try. I have some in the house, but I haven't used it for a while and never on my X3.
Last edited by mibmwx3; 11-24-2011 at 10:54 AM.. |
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11-24-2011, 02:07 PM | #10 |
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I find that on auto setting even with the frequency on the highest setting the wipers are not clearing lighter or normal rain. I have not had this problem with previous BMWs so I am a bit mystified. Rainx might help but should not really be needed. There seems to be a significant gap in the effect between the fastest auto intermittent and the normal speed it the wipers are set to on manually. I seem to be getting a lot of rain that fits into this gap in function.
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11-24-2011, 04:00 PM | #11 |
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I THOUGHT I WAS THE ONLY ONE, i find myself bahsing the wiper lever wishing the damn things could wipe faster!!!! this can't be right? Very frustrating when one lives in a tropical country where it fucking rains balls all the time
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11-24-2011, 05:19 PM | #12 |
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I don't use the auto setting in heavy rain, but even by manually pushing the wiper lever up to the highest point, it is still slower than my previous vehicle.
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11-24-2011, 06:25 PM | #13 |
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The auto wipers don't seem to be very sensitive either. On a few occasions I had to switch them on manually because the auto wipers think a slower speed was adequate.
Would replacing the wipers with a better quality one help with visibility problems? I don't want to use rain-x and keep applying that stuff since it rains so much in Washington. |
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11-24-2011, 06:56 PM | #14 |
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Last Sunday I drove 150 miles in moderate to heavy rainfall from Paso Robles, CA to Ventura, CA with the wipers in the rain sensing mode and had no problem with forward visibility. The car felt glued to the road as if in dry conditions.
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12-07-2011, 06:58 PM | #15 |
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Thanks for all who replied. Tonight was the first time I drove in really crazy heavy rain since this thread. I have to agree that faster wipers would not help me see any better in rain this bad. I do believe the wipers were faster on the highest speed on all past cars and SUV's i've had, but i'm not sure it really matters.
i will say this, the X3 is fantastic in the rain, it really holds the road so well. i think i'm going to be about 50 miles too far east to test out how it rides in the snow tomorrow morning. maybe next storm.
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12-07-2011, 08:29 PM | #16 |
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Just to clarify, everyone know there is an "intensity" adjustment knob on the wiper control stalk for the auto wipers, right? Similar to the "intensity" control on the auto A/C.
I live in Texas so we don't get rain. However, it is rain just a few days ago and it was the first time I have really had to use the wipers! I found the slow setting on the auto wipers to not quite be sufficient but the next highest was fine. I haven't driven in heavy rain yet. On a side note I find the windows to roll up and down quite slowly and it makes a lot of noise doing it when it is cold out! Whenever there is heavy rain I turn on my hazard lights and drive excessively slow on the highway. Ha! Just kidding I can't stand people who do that. |
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12-07-2011, 08:52 PM | #17 | |
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Quote:
the control is the same as it was on my E91 both front and rear.
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12-07-2011, 09:32 PM | #18 |
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I have mine set to the highest speed, but I don't use the automatic in heavy rain. In really light rain, I often click the auto switch off and back on again, because it doesn't keep the windshield dry enough for me.
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12-08-2011, 12:35 AM | #19 |
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I thought it was sensitivity not intensity? As in triggered by less or more rain?
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12-08-2011, 01:56 AM | #20 |
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12-08-2011, 02:25 AM | #21 |
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- I think we mean the same thing. I mean sensitivity as in it takes less rain to activate the wipers, i.e. they are more sensitive to rain. It's a good function because I had auto wipers on my last VW but they were only on or off and it's better in the BMW
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12-08-2011, 02:34 AM | #22 |
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Yeah BMW gives the driver all sorts of little adjustments to tune the car to their liking... The AC, even in auto, is adjustable as is the wipers!
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