Is there any option that converts the standard wiper delay to something more variable? Driving in a slight rain the delay wipers work fine. There are times when more frequent sweeps from the wipers are needed but not enought to need low speed. I have never seen this type of delayed wipers on any other car that I have owned, why does Mini choose to do this?

 

To get people to upgrade to the the rain sensing wipers? BTW those worked great in Honolulu. I don't know if they are retrofittable, but they would at least require a new windshield.

 

years ago, my '78 Fiesta had only non-variable intermittant both the front wipers and rear wiper...I purchased 2 separate variable intermittant devices for front and rear...worked great and came with easy wiring diagrams for which wires to splice into....but the MINI's wipers are so inter-linked with other electronics and speed sensing, etc that I would not atempt it even if they still make these sort of devices

 

The standard wipers in the MINI are "speed sensitive" not to be confused with the optional "Rain sensing" wipers that use an infrared sensor in the windshield to activate them as soon as water dopplets beging to hit the glass.

This is the reason why MINI did not include more variable *manual* speed "settings" for the wipers in intermittent mode. The computer automatically adjust the rate of sweep according to vehicle speed. The faster you go, the intermittent sweep rate is diminished (Faster) and the slower you go, the sweep rate is increased in between (Slower).

Most people, seems to me, don't notice this but this is a standard feature in all MINIs. The "Rain sensing option" works pretty much the same as the standard wipers, with the exception, that the computer/sensor in the windshield turns the wipers on and off automatically and automatically adjust wiper sweep rate even further according to vehicle speed and amount of rain hitting the glass.

Hope this helps!

 

Main reason is cost. BMWs have a variable intermitten wiper speed control that works great, but MINIs doesnt. Other than that the wipers work pretty much the same. stage 1 will go to intermitten when stopped. stage 2 will go to stage 1 when stopped etc.

 

I was at first impressed by the speed sensing wipers, but somewhere down the line after a software update, the wipers now don't stop or slow until you are fully stopped; it used to be around 10mph. I find more often they are annoyingly going faster than I want them to be and I have to turn them off and do them manually. I wish there was more manual control, and it is the only feature I regret not purchasing with my mini, the rain sensing wipers, because they have a manual sensitivity adjustment.

I would love to find a way to retrofit that or another adjustment so I can adjust the wiper delay times more accurately.

I know I have seen an add-on for (older?) BMWs but I doubt it would work.

 

I am not overly impressed with the rain sensing wipers on my '05. I have found I end up doing a lot of manual manipulation when there is a mist or fine rain. When it Florida rains (heavy--ie 1-3 inches per hr) they work fine.

 

Really, how difficult is it to just push down on the stalk when you want a wipe?

 

The only reason I didn't opt for the rain sensing wipers is that I had read many posts about problems with them. I too was very disappointed when I found that the intermittent wipers only have one speed. Hec my el cheapo 1996 Chevy Cavalier had adjustable intermittent wipers as most all cars do now. I had not seen single speed intermittent sicne the introduction of intermittent a gazillion years ago . I was really surprised (& irritated) that my Mini wipers are single speed intermittent.

 

Yeah, I just end up flicking the stalk manually when I need the extra bit sometimes. Sadly they did not make the rain sensing as nice as in the BMWs with the speed adjuster so I didn't see the need for it myself considering the propensity for windshield issues on the MINI.

 

Because if you need to do it every 10-15 seconds, it is annoying and potentially dangerous. But you need to if you don't want your wipers going every 3 seconds as they normally do.

 

Very much so. That's why I got the rain sesing wipers. Some people, just don't understand.

 

On the contrary, my rain sensing wipers work quite well. They, along with
the auto dimmig rear view mirror, were options I did not really want when I
got my car. Having lived with them for almost 3 years now I consider them
to be indispensible. When I replace my car I will be sure the next one has
them also.

 

? The slow setting isn't that fast? I've driven in a lot of varying types of rain and the slow/medium/fast settings work fine most of the time with the random manual stalk press thrown in sometimes.

To each his/her own of course - I found that without the adjustability of the ones I had on the bimmer I did not want it (and subsequently when my windshield cracked at 400 miles I was glad not to have to deal with/pay for the rain sensor).

 

Your wipers are not "1 speed" intermittent only.

Pls re-read my previous post

Your intermittent wipe function has multiple speeds but instead of being controlled manually via the wiper stalk switch, these are controlled via the BC1 computer. The intermittent wipe frequency is adjusted according to VEHICLE SPEED.

So believe it or not, your MINI has way more sophisticated wipers than your cheapo Chevy Cavalier.

 

Well said and ditto. My '05 MCS is the second MINI so equipped witht he rain sensing wipers and the auto dimming rear-view mirror.

Wiper envy?

 

I believe (someone correct me if I am wrong) the only way to further "fine tune" the speed sesitivity of your wipers is via access menus from the GT-1 service computer hooked up to your car at your MINI dealership.

I don't think there is any other way to access these BC1 comouter menus.

 

While it is nice that my wipers adjust themselves down a speed when I stop that does nothing to help me when I am driving which is my main concern. If they adjust themselves according to my driving speed I do not notice as it does absolutely no good (so for all practical purposes in my mind my intermediate wipers are one speed) . The speed at which the intermittent wipers run when I am driving is rarely the speed I need for the amount of rain that is falling. My Cavalier had a simple dial that let me adjust the intermittent frequency perfectly according to the amount of rain that was falling. If this feature was in my Cavalier I know it had to be inexpensive & I sure do wish they had put it in the Minis also.

As to the rain sensing wipers, I am very glad I did not get them also since my windshield has cracked & must be replaced after only owning the car for a year. I really wanted the auto-dim mirror but unfortunately Mini would not spilt it out of the wiper/mirror package.

 

I love my rain sensing wipers. Here in Colorado we get a lot of "misty" rain and they work great!

 

Is it possible that there are a whole lot of malfunctioniing wipers out here?

 

My rain sensing wipers are great until it's snowy and the roads are salty. the salt on the windshield screws things up for them I've noticed, so road spray conditions can be tough to match up. In the rain they seem to work beautifully as well as in wet snow or snow w/out salty road spray.

 

OK, so if the viariable intermittent wipers are speed sensitive what is the speed at which they would be in constant motion?

60 mph = 1 swipe every three seconds
X mph = 1 swipe every 0 seconds

Theoretical of course I am sure the speed would be well beyond the actuall capacity of the car, just always wondered what speed it would take to get them to not stop.