I have the rain-sensing wipers if that makes a difference.

Encountering a problem with the rear wiper though (which I don't believe is tied in to the rain-sensing function, is it?)

So here's the settings: Front wipers on "rain sensing", rear wiper on "intermittent". Shut car off, leave the rear wiper control in the same intermittent setting that it had been in, and re-start the car.

The REAR wiper, even though the switch is still in the "intermittent" mode, does not work, even after I've reactivated the front rain-sensing function.

Since the rear wiper control is an actual position on a switch and not an electronic switch like that of the front rain-sensing, shouldn't it come back on when I re-start the car?

 

Mine does the same thing. You have to switch it to off and then back to on to get it to start again.

 

Do you agree that it sounds like a defect? Since it's a switch with distinct positions, it sure doesn't make any sense to me!

 

I think it is designed that way. Just like the front wipers turn off with the car. That way if it is winter and the rear wiper is left on it could freeze to the window. If the motor was still trying to go it might burn it out.

 

it's what we call a feature!

 

My 99 VW (though no rear wiper) was like that. You had to turn off the rain-sensing wipers and then back on again when you started the car again to get them to work. Slightly annoying, but not really a big deal.

 

THe annoying thing with this is, it's an actual position on the switch. The rain-sensing wiper is a push-button, so yes, it has to be reactivated when you've shut the car off. But the rear one is a position on the switch on the stalk. Arrrgh!

 

I am often confused by the operation of the wipers, especially the intermittent function and the position of the switches. Have to say it is not an intuitive design. It is other quite different from other car marques which may not be such a good thing for me.

 

Sounds to me like that's NOT a fault. Just because it's a physical switch, doesn't mean the function doesn't go through the computer. The headlight's control is a distinct rotating switch and that control goes through the computer. I pretty much assume that everything goes through the computer in these cars.

However, I have to say I'm in CA and we're in a drought, so I've only used the wipers four times. That's not enough for me to say I know how they work. I'll probably have to break out the manual for when/if it actually rains.

 

Can you set the rear wiper to continuous or is it only intermittent?

 

No it is intermittent only.

 

The function and operation of the MINI wiper controls are certainly not the car's strong points. I've had my MINI six months and I still occasionally fumble with the controls. You want quirky, you got quirky!

 

Mine is continuous when the car is in reverse gear.

 

Yes that is true but I was answering that you can't set the rear wiper for continuous.

 

It is designed this way to prevent burning up circuits should there be a large snowfall or the wipers freeze and you leave them on the night before. If this feature didn't exist, you could draw too much amperage when the wipers get stuck and blow a fuse, burn up a motor, or (depending on how Mini wires these) burn up a module. The latter two involving a semi-expensive trip to the dealer.

Yaaaaay features!