Welcome to Tesla Motors Club
Discuss Tesla's Model S, Model 3, Model X, Model Y, Cybertruck, Roadster and More.
Register

Windshield wiper issues (modes and settings)

This site may earn commission on affiliate links.
So there are 4 wiper modes, both as explained during my delivery process and according to page 18 of the owner's guide:

- 1: Auto with lo sensitivity
- 2: Auto with hi sensitivity
- 3: Continuous, slow.
- 4: Continuous, fast.

Am I the only one that finds the only difference between 1+2 to be speed? They seem equally sensitive, it's just that the wipers move faster.

And speaking of sensitivity... I find the "auto" modes very frustrating. In a ridiculously-light spray, they actuate way too easily/often. They *ALWAYS* wipe once when the car turns on, if I left them on when I park, even if the windshield is bone dry. And then in reasonable light rain, it feels like they don't actuate frequently enough... I find myself having to manually trigger a wipe way too frequently in light rain, after the windshield fills with drops at low speed and they fail to wipe on their own.

Last but not least, I finally drove through some pouring rain this last weekend (San Jose area... anybody else?). Mode 4 was COMPLETELY inadequate for a heavy downpour. Nobody in the car could believe that I was on the top setting. There was too much pause when the wipers reached the bottom of their swipe.

What are other owners' thoughts/experience? Is this just me?
 
Not just you. We've noticed the same stuff.

The only exception might be your last point; the wipers on FAST have always done a good enough job for us. Note that I haven't driven in really heavy rain yet; but our area got hit really hard yesterday while my wife was driving, and even though she mentioned one of your other problems with the wipers, she didn't mention any problem with the screen getting cleared.
 
So there are 4 wiper modes, both as explained during my delivery process and according to page 18 of the owner's guide:

- 1: Auto with lo sensitivity
- 2: Auto with hi sensitivity
- 3: Continuous, slow.
- 4: Continuous, fast.

Am I the only one that finds the only difference between 1+2 to be speed? They seem equally sensitive, it's just that the wipers move faster.

And speaking of sensitivity... I find the "auto" modes very frustrating. In a ridiculously-light spray, they actuate way too easily/often. They *ALWAYS* wipe once when the car turns on, if I left them on when I park, even if the windshield is bone dry. And then in reasonable light rain, it feels like they don't actuate frequently enough... I find myself having to manually trigger a wipe way too frequently in light rain, after the windshield fills with drops at low speed and they fail to wipe on their own.

Last but not least, I finally drove through some pouring rain this last weekend (San Jose area... anybody else?). Mode 4 was COMPLETELY inadequate for a heavy downpour. Nobody in the car could believe that I was on the top setting. There was too much pause when the wipers reached the bottom of their swipe.

What are other owners' thoughts/experience? Is this just me?

Before I respond, I'll note that I have applied Rain-X and use Rain-X wiper fluid. *HUGE* difference no matter the car. This stuff should be required for all cars.

The automatic mode is usually OK, but not always. I agree, the difference between lo/hi sensitivity is simply the wiper speed (as far as I can tell). I've had times where it didn't wipe when I wanted it to, and vice-versa. So I'll use manual modes for that. And those modes have been fine given that I have Rain-X. I can see how, without Rain-X, they'd be inadequate -- they're slow.

I do also experience the single-wipe on startup (which has gotten me and the interior of the car soaked once). I've asked ownership @ Tesla to send feedback to at LEAST make it so the wiper won't activate until you've hit the brake to turn the car on.

No matter the case, I strongly urge you to send this to the ownership team as feedback if you haven't already. Who knows what they'll do with it -- but they've heard from me, possibly others, and hopefully you. We can help them improve the car.
 
I agree, the difference between lo/hi sensitivity is simply the wiper speed (as far as I can tell).

So it isn't a sensitivity adjustment then. It sounds like it is simply an automatic on/off with the difference being which speed the wipers operate at when "on". If so, that's a step down from how most auto wipers work. Mine, for instance, has a true sensitivity adjustment (at least 4 steps) and work almost like intermittent wipers in light rain/mist.
 
After submitting my description/complaint to [email protected], I was pleasantly surprised to get a call back from a service manager today. He insisted that I bring the car in sometime so they can spray water on it and verify that things are/aren't working properly. It's not a super-high-priority, but I do intend to swing by and do this at some point in the next week or two. I'll try to report back when I do.
 
I'm surprised that Tesla opted for two rain-sensitivity settings. It would be nice to swap one of these for a standard intermittent setting.

It does seem an odd set-up, but I wonder if that's how they work on M-B models since that's where Tesla sourced the switches/stalks?

The systems I'm familiar with have "Off-Auto-Lo-Hi" switch settings with an adjustable dial on the stalk for sensitivity. In use, on Auto, the wipers will make intermittent wipes that increase in frequency the harder the rain gets. If it rains hard enough, the wipers will switch to Lo and even to Hi automatically, depending on conditions, then slow down or go to intermittent as the rain slows down.

I take it that is not how it works on the Model S.
 
Robert I'm gonna have to disagree with you there. Winter here in the bay area usually means a crap ton of rain where I am, but there are a crazy number of microclimates along the peninsula the the bay area in general so this varies widely. We do get some north east style storms for sure, just minus the lightning and thunder most of the time. I promise I'm not a born and raised Californian who doesn't know better. I went to High School in MA, and grew up in PA. Also spent time in SC and LA. I know rain. We do get real rain here. Honest Engine... we can blame the lack of wiper speed choices on something else I am afraid.... I'm just not sure what.

I agree that on a car this expensive it seems silly. They need to have a variable wiper dial, and they also need the "holy crap its raining so hard I can't see over the hood" wiper warp speed setting.

Cheers.
 
I agree that on a car this expensive it seems silly. They need to have a variable wiper dial, and they also need the "holy crap its raining so hard I can't see over the hood" wiper warp speed setting.

+1 When it rains in Texas it's often of the "I can't see to the end of the hood" variety.
 
Rain-sensing Auto Wipers

Well, in NorCal we're sure getting a chance to test out the wipers in the last few days!

I've had the car just 24 hours, but it's been raining at every possible rate in that time... from massive downpour to drizzle. I am so far NOT happy with the auto-sensing wiper settings. There are two sensitivity settings and I can't tell the difference... neither seems to swipe fast enough for the given rate of rainfall. Our Lexus RX450 has auto-sensing wipers that are perfect with just a single "sensitivity" setting, and my 7-year old Mercedes also always seemed to pick a perfect rate. Surprised Tesla didn't get the technology for this from Mercedes like they did for cruise control and the shifter. Hoping they can get it adjusted via a software update.

I find it frustrating to just have to switch to manual speeds. Anyone else noticing this?
 
If you want give valuable feedback to TM I'd have a passenger take a video of how the wipers are not moving fast enough for you during normal driving in rain.

Also, I'd recommend getting rainx as it almost removes the need to use wipers in heavy rain. Use it once and it might satisfy your needs.

It works by making the surface hydrophobic like cats :wink:

Amazon.com: Rain-X 800002244 Glass Treatment Wipes: Automotive