C4 Automatic Wipers

[Rich_Eason]

OK posting has been quite quiet today and being that we haven’t done one for a while here’s a seasonal weather related poll...auto wipers.

 

What do we all think of them?

 

A Hit? You couldn’t live without them, love em to bits and will be on the lists of wants for your next car...

 

A Miss? Find them distracting and irritating when the wiper speed goes crazy in drizzle...

 

Maybe? They are ok but don’t find it the most helpful and reliable function...

 

 

I just don’t understand why when stationary they continually sweep like its hammering down and wipe a dry screen, where as all the driver activated wiper functions they intermittently sweep when stationary... :unsure:

[GRUMPY]

I like the concept but I'm not sure Citroen has got the setting/sensor right.

[ham's c4vts]

They re a good idea, but dont work how you need them, example, the run too fast when hardly any rain.

[lee_marshuk]

I like the automatic bit of the wipers - I've found mine to be very good. My only criticism of the wipers is that they are simply not capable of wiping fast enough in very wet conditions.

[Rich_Eason]

They re a good idea, but dont work how you need them, example, the run too fast when hardly any rain.

Yes I have experienced this as well.

 

They seem to get confused in very fine mist/ spray and take a long time to decide when to wipe. In heavier rain the water tends to run off, but the misty stuff just seems to cover the windscreen and you cant rely on the next wipe comming soon if you are already struggling to see. At that point I give up and switch on the intermittants.

[wozza]

Mine work fine and they seem to wipe slowly or stop completely when i am stopped. But have same problem as Lee i find they dont wipe fast enough in very heavy rain resulting in me having to crawl along to be able to see.

[moggy]

i had them on my clio along with auto headlights and i miss em both, they were ace on the clio.

 

been a year since gettin rid of it and i still forget my lights to often

[wozza]

The only thing I really miss from my Clio is heated mirrors.

[Rich_Eason]

Mine work fine and they seem to wipe slowly or stop completely when i am stopped. But have same problem as Lee i find they dont wipe fast enough in very heavy rain resulting in me having to crawl along to be able to see.

See i think mine are the oposite, they seem to wipe at top speed in nothing more than a drizzle. I tend to find that on the outward sweep it is speed setting 1 and the inward sweep is speed 2. It just seems like it cant make up its mind how hard it is raining.

 

I've often wondered if road dirt (e.g. filthy spray) could perhaps be an issue?

 

By the way which one is the rain sensor the one in the rear view mirror mount or the one near the scuttle panel?

[hertsnminds]

Agree that fine rain confuses them i.e. they don't come on. Also find that on cold morning when there is dew or condensation on the car they go mad with nothing to wipe.

 

Most of the time they are good.

 

The wiper I find most annoying (on the 5 door) is the rear as it only has an intermittant wipe which is usless in heavy rain when you need it on all the time.

 

The wipers being on also seems to effect when the auto headlights want to be on. Now that's a function I am always overrriding the auto lights on/off.

 

 

Ian

Black 55 VTR+

[Rich_Eason]

The wipers being on also seems to effect when the auto headlights want to be on. Now that's a function I am always overrriding the auto lights on/off.

 

 

Ian

Black 55 VTR+

Yes I think the assumption it perhaps makes is, that if it is raining then it must be overcast and cloudy and thus sticks the lights on.

 

The rear wiper on the 3door is pretty useless mind! If you set rear wipe when wipers on and reverse selected you have normally moved out of the space and selected 1st gear to pull away before it wipes the rear screen!

 

Dont get me wrong I think it is a good feature...perhaps needing a bit more work...

[wozza]

When its raining it turns the lights on thats because the majority of people now are taught to turn there lights on when it rains to increase the visibility of the car to others.

 

And rich do you not have it set to autowipe back window when you select reverse? Mine does it instantly.

 

And the sensor is just behind the rear view mirror in the tinted kind of bit on the glass.

[Rich_Eason]

And rich do you not have it set to autowipe back window when you select reverse? Mine does it instantly.

 

 

You can select it to come on automatically or not at all upon selecting reverse, can be done through the menu systems....driver aids? :ph34r:

[Stuey]

I was tight fisted when i bought mine so I dont have all this funky whizzbangery...but my back wiper does come on when you select reverse. There is a couple of second time delay between selecting reverse and it going.

 

On a slightly wiper related note...how long are they meant to last?? my drivers side is smearing rather than wiping now. I have tried all the tricks cleaning with vinegar etc etc any ideas?? I need to get some RainX but I seem to be woffully bad at finding it anywhere...

[Rich_Eason]

Ooooo I thought the auto wipes were standard across the range? Are thye not then?

 

Rain X has always been avalible at Hal-frauds.

[Stuey]

nope, standard on VTR+ upwards only...to be honest I am quite lazy but even I will push the wiper stalk when I cant see for rain, and if it is dark I generally remeber to turn the lights on. I do however wish I ticked the VTR+ box now :ph34r: but hey hum. My VTR has all the toys I want

 

Halfrauds eh?? I have never seen it in there before. Thats where I buy all my Megs cleaning stuff from. You would have thought it would be near those eh??

[Rich_Eason]

At my local branch it is located by the wipers....from what I can remember but not bought any for a Loooooooooonnnnng time....Avoid the own brand crud...it really is crud.

 

Rain X is one of those products where the brand really is the only one to buy.

[DJVile]

I bought some two days ago. And mine was by the wiper stuff too.

 

I bought it in a special pack and got the rainx and some other rainx branded stuff too for an extra quid. Bonus!!

 

It would have made sense to stick all the exterior stuff together but you know what halfrauds are like.

 

Im going back tomorrow to get some megs stuff. I really need some good quality poilsh. Anything extra i sould get apart from some nxt tech wax??

[Stuey]

I shall swing by on the way on home tonight and buy a bottle

[wozza]

Get some microfibre clothes and some applicator pads for the polish / wax

[ham's c4vts]

I was tight fisted when i bought mine so I dont have all this funky whizzbangery...but my back wiper does come on when you select reverse. There is a couple of second time delay between selecting reverse and it going.

 

On a slightly wiper related note...how long are they meant to last?? my drivers side is smearing rather than wiping now. I have tried all the tricks cleaning with vinegar etc etc any ideas?? I need to get some RainX but I seem to be woffully bad at finding it anywhere...

Asda sell it in a pack for around £5.90 at Spondon anyway Stu

[Rich_Eason]

It would have made sense to stick all the exterior stuff together but you know what halfrauds are like.

Unfortunatly I do I used to work for them part time as a spewdent.

 

More of a complete doss about than a job...was great.

[lee_marshuk]

I'm glad its not just me who's experienced the "why are you wiping its just cold its not actually raining" thing - it seems to be when its 9 degrees or lower, does around 20 dry wipes before realising it actually isn't raining.

[Rich_Eason]

I'm glad its not just me who's experienced the "why are you wiping its just cold its not actually raining" thing - it seems to be when its 9 degrees or lower, does around 20 dry wipes before realising it actually isn't raining.

I'm sure this is especially going to be handy when the roads start to get gritted.

 

I can imagine when you want one wipe and get 20 I think it will smear all the salt and crud all over the window requiring another 20 to try and clear it all..... :blink: I hate this time of year

[andya99]

I like them, had auto wipers on previous cars and wouldn't be without them now, however I have to agree that the sensor / speed isn't always spot on. Takes a bit of getting used to as you have to overide the urge to clear your screen and let the auto wipers do the work.