Disable Rain Sensing Wipers?

[RASCARS]

My new acquired 2000 Park Avenue Ultra has rain sensing wipers.
I am not a fan of them at all.

Is there a way to disable this feature so I can control the delay speed as if the car was NOT equipped with the rain sensor?

I looked in the owners manual but it doesn't address it.

Any feedback will be greatly appreciated.
RASCARS

 

[MelsRegal]

Comment deleted

 

[BuickGirlFromMars]

There is no way to switch from rain sensing to interval.

yes there is

My new acquired 2000 Park Avenue Ultra has rain sensing wipers.
I am not a fan of them at all.

Is there a way to disable this feature so I can control the delay speed as if the car was NOT equipped with the rain sensor?

I looked in the owners manual but it doesn't address it.

Any feedback will be greatly appreciated.
RASCARS

If you want to have your wipers behave normally, you need to go underhood and unplug the cover thats on your wiper motor. You got like 5 or 7 or something wires on it, I think. But be sure its the COVER not the motor itself.

Does your car have an issue or is it just you want to have controls like normal?

 

[RASCARS]

yes there is

If you want to have your wipers behave normally, you need to go underhood and unplug the cover thats on your wiper motor. You got like 5 or 7 or something wires on it, I think. But be sure its the COVER not the motor itself.

Does your car have an issue or is it just you want to have controls like normal?

No issue. It works as it should...and drives me mad!! lol Thank you for the advice

 

[BuickGirlFromMars]

if you put a pulse board on from a 2003-05 (maybe 01.. 02.. Idfk) the latest version I guess*

you wont have it wipe at key on and you could leave it "on" all the time and it will only swipe with water

 

[imidazol97]

On my leSabre with rain--sensing wipers, if the wipers were left on even if not cycling on
a clear day, the headlights were on all the time. Most states require the headlights to be
on if the wipers are on. That's the way the leSabre version was wired for 03.

It took a tech a while to figure that out when I found my headlights were on all the
way home from Nashville!

So I started turning the stalk switch to OFF.

 

[BuickGirlFromMars]

On my leSabre with rain--sensing wipers, if the wipers were left on even if not cycling on
a clear day, the headlights were on all the time. Most states require the headlights to be
on if the wipers are on. That's the way the leSabre version was wired for 03.

It took a tech a while to figure that out when I found my headlights were on all the
way home from Nashville!

So I started turning the stalk switch to OFF

that seems strange, there should have been some timers related to number of swipes in a short period that the BCM would order lighting on, but to be honest, I would do this too anyway even if it was the case. I just dont want my wipers to EVER move unless it was so ordered rainsense to come on. But if I put rainsesne to on, im fine with auto wipes. I dont like the idea of my mechanically linkages/wipers being able to whip out without my being able to predict it if something freak happens or if the windshield is dusty and there is no washer spray etc. Basically, all that is liable to bend the arms or hit something and I dont want to have wipers get chewed up from something either

 

[Ultra Ego]

My new acquired 2000 Park Avenue Ultra has rain sensing wipers.
I am not a fan of them at all.

Is there a way to disable this feature so I can control the delay speed as if the car was NOT equipped with the rain sensor?

I looked in the owners manual but it doesn't address it.

Any feedback will be greatly appreciated.
RASCARS

The solution is very easy and very simple: Unplug the connector for the rain sense module behind the rear view mirror. The wipers will then revert to delay pulse only. I discovered this when my window tinter used too much water and shorted out my rain sense module.

 

[ulycyc]

Unless Im missing something, If you turn the wipers off and not set in any delay positions they will stay off when you turn your key. Here is a sniplet from the manual and how my car works also.

The moisture
-
sensing system is activated by turning the
wiper control band to one of the five sensitivity levels
within the delay area. The delay position closest to
OFF/MIST is the lowest sensitivity setting. This allows
more water to collect on the windshield between wipes.
You can increase the sensitivity of the system and the
frequency of wipes by turning the wiper control band
away from you to the other delay settings. A single wipe
will occur each time you turn the wiper control band to a
higher sensitivity level.
An initial wipe will occur when you turn the ignition on
and the wiper switch is left in one of the sensitivity
settings, as a reminder that the rain sense feature is active.
The moisture
-
sensing wipers operate in a delay mode as
well as a continuous low or high speed, depending on the
amount of moisture on the windshield and the sensitivity
setting. The MIST and wash cycles operate as normal and
are not affected by the moisture
-
sensing function.
NOTICE:
Turn the wiper band to OFF to avoid wiper damage
when going through an automatic car wash.

 

[RASCARS]

The solution is very easy and very simple: Unplug the connector for the rain sense module behind the rear view mirror. The wipers will then revert to delay pulse only. I discovered this when my window tinter used too much water and shorted out my rain sense module.

EXCELLENT!!! I appreciate you info!!!

 

[imidazol97]

I may be remembering wrong, but I thought the rain-sensing 5 settings were actually switching betwen
5 different delay settings and the water sensing itself was not being changed by the different settings.
I was thinking the trigger for the delay was the water sensing of the infrared beam being reflected off the outside
layer of the glass dropping in amount due to water changing the index of refraction at the external surface. Then
the longer delay in the lowest setting just made the wipers wipe after a longer period of delay. If "sensitivity" was
set to the higher setting, the water was being sensed the same, but the delay was very short.

IOW, the delay board electronics were essentially the same as a delay wiper motor in a car without the
rain-sensing capability. Saved money by using off-the-shelf wiper motor.

If I'm wrong on that, fine. I've been wrong before. But I researched that when my wiper motor went
crazy one day in an off-and-on rain. And wouldn't turn off at times.

 

[BuickGirlFromMars]

EXCELLENT!!! I appreciate you info!!!

So what I said but just on the inside of the car..
I mean,Im glad that works too. but Its what I said just the one inside not on the wiper motor.

Unless Im missing something, If you turn the wipers off and not set in any delay positions they will stay off when you turn your key. Here is a sniplet from the manual and how my car works also.

The moisture
-
sensing system is activated by turning the
wiper control band to one of the five sensitivity levels
within the delay area. The delay position closest to
OFF/MIST is the lowest sensitivity setting. This allows
more water to collect on the windshield between wipes.
You can increase the sensitivity of the system and the
frequency of wipes by turning the wiper control band
away from you to the other delay settings. A single wipe
will occur each time you turn the wiper control band to a
higher sensitivity level.
An initial wipe will occur when you turn the ignition on
and the wiper switch is left in one of the sensitivity
settings, as a reminder that the rain sense feature is active.
The moisture
-
sensing wipers operate in a delay mode as
well as a continuous low or high speed, depending on the
amount of moisture on the windshield and the sensitivity
setting. The MIST and wash cycles operate as normal and
are not affected by the moisture
-
sensing function.
NOTICE:
Turn the wiper band to OFF to avoid wiper damage
when going through an automatic car wash.

Yes, youre correct. i dont think anyone didnt think that.
Initial wipe is only on early setups. the 2000 lesabre and park avenue for sure had initial wipe, but the 2002 or 2003 was the first year that the sensor on windshield was made smaller circle instead of a rectangle, and the wipers didnt wipe on key on. The difference in the logic for that is on the wiper motor cover.

 

[BuickGirlFromMars]

I may be remembering wrong, but I thought the rain-sensing 5 settings were actually switching betwen
5 different delay settings and the water sensing itself was not being changed by the different settings.
I was thinking the trigger for the delay was the water sensing of the infrared beam being reflected off the outside
layer of the glass dropping in amount due to water changing the index of refraction at the external surface. Then
the longer delay in the lowest setting just made the wipers wipe after a longer period of delay. If "sensitivity" was
set to the higher setting, the water was being sensed the same, but the delay was very short.

IOW, the delay board electronics were essentially the same as a delay wiper motor in a car without the
rain-sensing capability. Saved money by using off-the-shelf wiper motor.

If I'm wrong on that, fine. I've been wrong before. But I researched that when my wiper motor went
crazy one day in an off-and-on rain. And wouldn't turn off at times.

that could be from the switch on the column or from a bad mounted sensor or a dirty windshield like really bad, bad wipers, or a rainex type coating on the windshield.

The sensitivity change is kinda hard to nail down sometimes but wiper speed seems to be slower or wait longer for the trigger like you mention. I think there is a threshold it has to meet to wipe, but im talking a 98, 99, and 01 setup, and not the newer kind.

the motor is the same. the electronics on the cover is what is different

 

[ruffo66]

My new acquired 2000 Park Avenue Ultra has rain sensing wipers.
I am not a fan of them at all.

Is there a way to disable this feature so I can control the delay speed as if the car was NOT equipped with the rain sensor?

I looked in the owners manual but it doesn't address it.

Any feedback will be greatly appreciated.
RASCARS

I agree with Ultra Ego. Just disconnect at the sensor and you wont have rain sensing anymore. My 03 is loaded with all the goodies and I tell everyone that is one of my favorite options!! Lol

 

[bigsky]

Exactly...You just have to unplug the sensor...!

My rain sensor wipers have never worked very well...too sensitive. I have read that the windshield needs to be cleaned well above where the sensor sits, but I just disabled them by unplugging the sensor.

 

[BuickGirlFromMars]

Exactly...You just have to unplug the sensor...!

My rain sensor wipers have never worked very well...too sensitive. I have read that the windshield needs to be cleaned well above where the sensor sits, but I just disabled them by unplugging the sensor.

Is there any air bubbles under your sensor? what length wiper do you use? use any rainex or rainx wipers?

 

[bigsky]

Is there any air bubbles under your sensor? what length wiper do you use? use any rainex or rainx wipers?

I do use (and like) Rain-X...which might be part of the problem. Wiper blades are the factory spec 22".

Unplugging the sensor just reverts things back to the older way of a timed interval wipe, which in this case works well enough for me.

 

[BuickGirlFromMars]

I do use (and like) Rain-X...which might be part of the problem. Wiper blades are the factory spec 22".

Unplugging the sensor just reverts things back to the older way of a timed interval wipe, which in this case works well enough for me.

rain ex doesnt let the water properly behave on the glass, since it surface tension builds up above the surface of the glass, and the infared beam is not disrupted as designed
so glass cleaner over the windshield, on the blades themsleves to remove all of the coating ALL. and then not putting more on, will help. but if you are fine, its okay. if you I like the coating for my truck which i put in the washer, the blades are kinda shit product tho of theirs.

 

[RASCARS]

I agree with Ultra Ego. Just disconnect at the sensor and you wont have rain sensing anymore. My 03 is loaded with all the goodies and I tell everyone that is one of my favorite options!! Lol

Exactly...You just have to unplug the sensor...!

My rain sensor wipers have never worked very well...too sensitive. I have read that the windshield needs to be cleaned well above where the sensor sits, but I just disabled them by unplugging the sensor.

 

[RASCARS]

I unplugged the wiper sensor at the windshield and I now have regular delay wipers!
Thank you for you help and assistance!!!