Ford Focus - Ford Focus 2.0 GHIA Rain Sensor Problem

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Tue 14 May 2013 12:15
Ford Focus - Ford Focus 2.0 GHIA Rain Sensor Problem - takuhii

Hi,

I recently had my windscreen replaced by Auto Windscreens (It was an insurance job, so no choice :( ). The asked allt he question, sensros, heat reflective, etc and replaced the Windscreen and all the sensors attached to it... HOWEVER...

Since the replacement, my auto lights and heated screen work, but the rain sensor no longer drives/triggers the windscreen wipers. Has anyone else had this problem and know how to remedy it?

Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated :)

Regards

Darren

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Tue 14 May 2013 19:21
Ford Focus - Ford Focus 2.0 GHIA Rain Sensor Problem - elekie&a/c doctor

Could be a connection problem to the rain/light sensor on the screen,or possibly the diffuser in front of the sensor is incorrect/faulty.hth

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Wed 15 May 2013 11:09
Ford Focus - Ford Focus 2.0 GHIA Rain Sensor Problem - TeeCee

Obvious first thing to check.

If, as is usual, the rain sensor is fitted behind the rearview mirror, visually check that you can see the actual sensor from outside the vehicle. i.e. there should be a hole in the black masking around the mirror area for the sensor to look through.

If there is no hole for the sensor and you cannot see it, it cannot see the rain on the screen and they have fitted the wrong one.

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Thu 16 May 2013 15:41
Ford Focus - Ford Focus 2.0 GHIA Rain Sensor Problem - takuhii

I can see the sensor (It looks like a white disc). Took it back to Auto windscreens today and they spent 10 minutes squirting water at it and watching in glee as the wipers worked :/ It would seem it's a little sensitive (less rather than more) as oppossed to the original one, which worked flawlessly. Guess I'll have to hope it beds in and sorts itself out :/

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Fri 17 May 2013 09:33
Ford Focus - Ford Focus 2.0 GHIA Rain Sensor Problem - TeeCee

Aha! RTFM.....

I've answered that one before on a variety of vehicles. Many auto wiper implementations have the intermittant wipe delay affect the operation of the auto wipe.

Maximum delay = maximum sensor sensisitivity = more frequent wiping (which seems counter-intuitive) is the usual rule.

Thus, if the delay setting for the intermittant wiper setting has been moved (possibly while the screen was being replaced), the auto setting may have been changed. Ensure that the intermittant wipe delay is set to maximum and try again.

Last person I tipped with this one had a Jag X-Type. As that's basically a Ford, yours may be the same. Check the handbook.

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Fri 17 May 2013 11:48
Ford Focus - Ford Focus 2.0 GHIA Rain Sensor Problem - takuhii

AHA! I did RTFM, but it didn't mention anything about sensitivty, just the timing, and some models being speed orientated instead of rain sensing :/ The manual was pretty unhelpful to be honest. A piece on resetting the sensors in case of error would have been helpful ;)

At the moment the timing is turned right down, as low as it can go on the stalk, as the Ford factory sensors were always perfect to be honest, so I never needed to go any higher than setting 2 (see setup below (can't remember if it's 5 or 6 steps)). I turned them down while trying to get the wipers working...

5 <<<<<
4 <<<<
3 <<<
2 <<
1 <

I'll give that a whirl tonight, as the weather looks pretty s*** out, and see if it helps...

Thank you :)

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Tue 28 May 2013 17:06
Ford Focus - Ford Focus 2.0 GHIA Rain Sensor Problem - takuhii

Sadly, sensitivity doesn't seem to be the issue, no matter how I position the lever, the wipers are not affected by the rain :/ They basically wipe a few times then shut down, and I have to reset them, but most of the time this doesn't work and I have to resort to manual.

Any ideas?

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Wed 26 Jun 2013 09:45
RESOLVED: Ford Focus - Ford Focus 2.0 GHIA Rain Sensor Problem - takuhii

Turns out the membrane between the windscreen and the sensor was on backwards, therefore obscuding the rain sensor slightly causing all the problems. Works perfectly now they've reseated it

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