R56 Intermittent Wiper Find
The day I picked up my Mini there were spots of rain on the drive home. I had already nearly memorized the manual so I hit the lever up once only to find it did just what yours would, put them on low speed. I noticed that button on the end and sure enough, auto-wipers worked as advertised. Must have been a late addendum to the car. And there is a new setting on the OBC to adjust the sensitivity of the auto wipers too, which isn't documented anywhere. There are few other quirks in the car that not in the manual, or at least different from the manual (TPM for example).
Don't tell me is not fully automatic and you have to turn it on every time you go in the car. That is the reason I got auto wipers, so it would be AUTO.
this is why i love this forum. this issue has been really bugging me, and i just went out and checked my R56 and sure enough - there is that button. i cant believe i didnt notice it but thanks to this forum i am actually excited to see how this works now.
thanks NAM.
thanks NAM.
I have NAV and the rain sensor. In the tach, the setting is the first option once inside the set/info section. Has a picture with an outline of a window, and a letter "A".
On the other hand, I've been doing a bit of driving using intermittent wipers, and the speed seems to be almost perfect for me--in other word, if I had control over the speed, I'd probably have set it at almost the same speed.
If anyone figures this out, please post it. I'll play around with it this weekend and see what I come up with. Thanks everyone.
I have a week 32 build where some things changed a little. Today was the first day I drove in the rain and for the life of me I couldn't figure out how to get the intermittent wipers to work. I read the manual but I found that the first setting sets the normal speed not the intermittent one. I played around until I hit the end of the wiper wand and low and behold, intermittent wipers. Did this start with my week or has the manual been wrong for a while? This is not mentioned in the regular manual or in the supplemental one.
Just an FYI if anyone is as confused as I was!
Just an FYI if anyone is as confused as I was!
I think the option is only for the auto-wipers. It lets you adjust how much water it takes before the auto-wipers trigger. I'll take a picture next time I'm out.
I just got back from the car..... I don't have a window with an A in my settings on my car nor do I have a button on the wiper lever... If it is too good to be true.....
I took delivery on 6/6/07
Since you're on the west coast, that would most likely put you at an April 2007 build date (you can verify this by looking on the sticker in your driver's side door jam). Unfortunately, that would most definitely put your build date at before the latest set of changes (which I think started taking place in August/September builds).
I have tried holding down the stalk end button various lengths of time, in an attempt to regulate the intermittant timing, but it only appears to turn the single speed (usually much too fast) on and off. The manual and dealer are no help. It rains/sprinkles a LOT in detroit and I'm not very happy about this. When stopped the cycle time slows but then goes back to fast intermittant upon driving away.
Oh, and i don't have auto wipers by the way... but now wish i had!
Hopefully there is some way to modify the timing.... this is the 10th new car ive owned in 20 years and the first without variable (or even a choice of 2 or 3 settings)!
Oh, and i don't have auto wipers by the way... but now wish i had!
Hopefully there is some way to modify the timing.... this is the 10th new car ive owned in 20 years and the first without variable (or even a choice of 2 or 3 settings)!
How did you get to that setting? That is exactly what I was looking for. I knew there had to be a setting somewhere. Let us know. Thanks.
I kind of wished I had known this before buying my car though. Oh well, it's only a wiper--I can live with it.
I think MINI just doesn't want to reprint the owners manual for this little change, but the MAs and SAs should definitely know how it functions!
Last edited by daffodildeb; Nov 7, 2007 at 04:26 PM.
I suspect it's only available if you have auto-wiper already installed. If you don't have auto-wiper, then you have exactly one intermittant speed. Probably a good way to encourage people to buy the auto-wipers.
I kind of wished I had known this before buying my car though. Oh well, it's only a wiper--I can live with it. 
I kind of wished I had known this before buying my car though. Oh well, it's only a wiper--I can live with it. 
I am quite annoyed by this "feature" as well. I mean my 88 Hyundai Excel had a **** that would change the intermittent time.
I am guessing they aren't actually trying to get people to upgrade to auto-wipers because no one, not even the MAs, seems to know or mention that there is only one intermittent speed. If they are, they really need to get some better people
I am guessing they aren't actually trying to get people to upgrade to auto-wipers because no one, not even the MAs, seems to know or mention that there is only one intermittent speed. If they are, they really need to get some better people
I am quite annoyed by this "feature" as well. I mean my 88 Hyundai Excel had a **** that would change the intermittent time.
I am guessing they aren't actually trying to get people to upgrade to auto-wipers because no one, not even the MAs, seems to know or mention that there is only one intermittent speed. If they are, they really need to get some better people
I am guessing they aren't actually trying to get people to upgrade to auto-wipers because no one, not even the MAs, seems to know or mention that there is only one intermittent speed. If they are, they really need to get some better people

when i press the button on the end of the stalk my wipers wipe once, even when the windshield is dry... is this to let me know they are on? i wonder why nothing shows up on the OBC when you press it to indicate that the auto wipers are activated.
There is no light or indication when they are turned on. I think the only way to turn off auto mode is to shut off the car but I could be wrong. I have only driven in the rain on day 1 with my car.
Yes. They figure if you are pressing the button, that means you need the windshield cleared. It is the same with the intermittent setting in my truck. If you adjust it quicker, it wipes the window.
There is no light or indication when they are turned on. I think the only way to turn off auto mode is to shut off the car but I could be wrong. I have only driven in the rain on day 1 with my car.
There is no light or indication when they are turned on. I think the only way to turn off auto mode is to shut off the car but I could be wrong. I have only driven in the rain on day 1 with my car.



