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new windshield? how i fixed my rain sensing wipers

30K views 19 replies 12 participants last post by  CJPeterborough 
#1 · (Edited)
So on that other saab forum (before i discovered this one :) ) I had posted that my rain sensing wipers no longer worked as they did before I had my windshield replaced.

At the advice I was given there, i let the windshield place know that I had a rain sensor and that it required a different windshield than a 9-5 without, they had that part right.

What the issue was (and i am sure this is the issue for everyone else) is that the sensor does not sit flush against the windshield and therefore, the sensitivity sucks or does not sense at all and you therefore lose intermittent function of the wipers, more annoying that it sounds once you lose them.

So here is how i fixed mine, and I hope this will help others fix theirs as well.

Before removing the bracket from the windshield, i took a blue sharpie and outlined the bottom of the bracket, reason to use blue is that you will be able to see it against the black sunshade better than a black sharpie, ask me how i know :). Reason for this was obviously because the bracket needs to sit in the perfect position so that the sensor also sits in that perfect position to properly sense.

After I had it outlined, i simply took a razor blade and cut between the windshield and the bracket, don't worry about the black sunshade that is on the windshield, i don't think you can actually scrape that off with a razor blade. After cutting/prying the bracket from the windshield, I then used that same razor blade to get any of the residual glue off.

To prep the windshield I used alcohol prep pads, DO NOT get near your sharpie outline that you put on the windshield, it WILL take the markings off.

I then used a table sander, (i am sure you could do this by hand) to sand the glue off the bracket and actually partially sand off part of the ridge that is on the bracket to ENSURE a tight fit of the sensor to the windshield.

Walmart and many car parts stores carry "Super weather strip adhesive" which can be a pain to apply because it is stringy, but dries hard, and is easy enough to manipulate with a toothpick.

Applied a few dabs to the bracket, placed it back on the windshield matching up with my lines that I previously traced on and taped it up with packaging tape. The weather strip adhesive dries quite quickly, but I wanted to give it way more time than i think it needed and left it taped tightly to the windshield for 48 hours.

I was lucky enough were my sensor gelatin stuff was still in good shape (this is the part that "adheres" to the windshield). I put the sensor back into the bracket that was now beautifully adhered to the windshield, it was a little harder to get the sensor clamps to fully clamp in, but now the sensor sits perfectly flush against the windshield and the rain sensing now works as well as it did before the windshield was replaced, if not better :).

The entire process minus drying time seriously took maybe 20 mins and i always kind of hated the rain sensing but when you don't have it, you miss it terribly.

Hope this helps anyone with the same problem i had when i got my new windshield :).

Nate
 
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#3 ·
Slee_Stack said:
This sounds like it could fix my exact issue. I'll hopefully be able to try it in the next few weeks. Thanks for posting!
Mine is acting up as well. My windshield is a mess though. I will likely try this after I have my windshield replaced, if they don't do it properly.

Thanks for the suggestions!
 
#4 ·
i just wanted to add

that if you do so happen to mess up the first time) i did :( you can also easily remove the bracket from the windshield with a razor blade, i dont want anyone reading this thinking that if they do it and mess up they are **** out of luck

-nate
 
#5 ·
I wanted to revisit this topic because just over a year of it working quite well, the sensor failed yet again (lost its seal to the windshield).

I had been searching for ways to fix and had not really found anything else that seemed to work. After a while, I started thinking of buying a new sensor (available on thesaabsite.com if anyone is looking) but didn't want to spend the 80 dollars.

So I did some more searching and I found someone on a bmw board who used clear silicone adhesive. After reading multiple sites, I learned that the "gel" pad is also an adhesive (don't know if that is true of the saab one because I have never seen it new) and is supposed to adhere to the windshield.

So, I headed to the local wally world and found the following clear silicone adhesive for somewhere around 4 dollars.:




Removed the rain sensor, cleaned the windshield and the sensor very well with alcohol prep pads, applied a thin layer to the entire gel surface (use sparingly around the area where the small hole is (you'll know what im talking about if you were to see the sensor) so that when the sensor is clipped to the windshield, the excess silicone does not obscure this hole.

I have yet to try the fix out, but it appears that it should work (there were no air bubbles between the sensor and glass and the silicone when dry is just as or more clear than the gel pad and I don't believe will cause issues.

One word of warning is that I don't believe you will be able to fix this once applied, I have a feeling it would be quite difficult or impossible to remove the silicone adhesive from the sensor without damaging it but would be easily removable from the windshield with a razor blade.
 
#8 ·
I'd be afraid to try the silicone directly on the gel pad. That's an expensive mistake if its not put on just right.

My new sensor doesn't stay perfect against the glass. I have had to pop it out and back in twice.

It still works much better than before, but it is inconsistent particularly in mist type rain.

I still wish I had intermittant instead.
 
#9 ·
i only agree with the intermittent when the rain sensor isnt working correctly. I actually like the rain sensing wipers better than the standard intermittent, especially in winter driving on the highway when you go from road spray to no road spray what seems like hundreds of times in a commute

The risk of this not working was worth it for me because I was starting to get fed up anways and thinking about purchasing the new sensor ($80). Just wanted to try one last time to fix my existing sensor myself... hopefully my windshield does not break anytime soon haha.
 
#10 ·
had to update this again...

So I broke down and bought a new sensor at the dealer ($94 at my local dealer, $89+shipping online).

Had my windshield replaced d/t a chip that started to grow before i put the new sensor on.

Seems like the issue these sensors have is that the gel pad overtime gets compressed. When you get a new windshield, the bracket may not allow the sensor to sit at the exact same distance that the old one did, preventing it from sitting flush and working correctly.

It appears my original fix still stands (removing the bracket and sanding it down slightly if need be). When I got the new windshield, I did not have to do anything special to get the sensor to sit flush without air bubbles to the windshield, simply clipped it on and all is well. One less thing for me to worry about now.

Not 100% sure about the clear silicone that I used (got the idea from another car forum) as I broke the sensor ripping it off the windshield only then noticing that it was not plugged in fully (whether it was this way before or not). My windshield wipers were simply making two sweeps, pause for about 10 seconds, and make two more sweeps. Don't know if this is normal no sensor attached behavior.
 
#11 ·
You can remount the sensor bracket with 3M VHB "Gray" (conformable) double-sided tape. The 0.045" thickness is slightly too thick unless you grind the bracket down, but the 0.025" is about right.

This tape appears to be identical to what was originally used.

TTYL
David
 
#14 · (Edited)
Simple fix for rain sensing wipers

Instead of using silicone sealer to bond the sensor to the windshield, here is a better substance that won't glue the sensor and its silicone pad in place. The gel used to make sure that contact between the sensor and the silicone pad as well as the silicone pad and the windshield may be hard to find. Instead, I used Dow Corning High Vacuum Grease. This is a clear grease that can be found on ebay for a modest price (about $4 in a small tin or $10 to $15 for a large tube). If you have a friend who works in a laboratory, they might have some too. It is much thicker than the original gel. In my case, I removed the sensor which had been reinstalled after the new windshield was installed. They had torn the silicone pad on one edge, to the side of the sensors. I cleaned the pad, sensor, and window of all gel with a clean dry rag and then used a moist paper towel to remove the lint. Then I put a thin layer of vacuum grease directly on the sensor and placed the silicone pad over the sensor being careful that there were little or no air bubbles between the silicone pad and the sensors. If there are, add a little more grease, which will help adhere the silicone pad to the array of sensors. Once you have few to no air bubbles, put a uniform coating of vacuum grease on the silicone pad, the side that will come into contact with the windshield. Install the sensor, pressing on one side to the other if possible to help remove the air bubbles. I had to do this a second time, after adding a little more vacuum grease. Lock it into place and then view the sensor from the outside of the windshield. If you have air bubbles, apply gentle pressure to the entire sensor for a minute or two to help remove the air bubbles. You can also apply pressure from one side to the other to squeeze the bubbles out. Leaving it overnight helps too, so don't worry if you have a few little bubbles. Viewing the sensor from outside, the whole region where the sensor is should be black, rather than full of bubbles.You can always remove and reinstall the sensor with a little more grease until you get it right.
Instead of using the vacuum grease, you could use Dielectric Tune-Up Grease, such as Permatex #22058, available at auto parts stores.
 
#18 ·
Instead of using silicone sealer to bond the sensor to the windshield, here is a better substance that won't glue the sensor and its silicone pad in place. The gel used to make sure that contact between the sensor and the silicone pad as well as the silicone pad and the windshield may be hard to find. Instead, I used Dow Corning High Vacuum Grease. This is a clear grease that can be found on ebay for a modest price (about $4 in a small tin or $10 to $15 for a large tube). If you have a friend who works in a laboratory, they might have some too. It is much thicker than the original gel. In my case, I removed the sensor which had been reinstalled after the new windshield was installed. They had torn the silicone pad on one edge, to the side of the sensors. I cleaned the pad, sensor, and window of all gel with a clean dry rag and then used a moist paper towel to remove the lint. Then I put a thin layer of vacuum grease directly on the sensor and placed the silicone pad over the sensor being careful that there were little or no air bubbles between the silicone pad and the sensors. If there are, add a little more grease, which will help adhere the silicone pad to the array of sensors. Once you have few to no air bubbles, put a uniform coating of vacuum grease on the silicone pad, the side that will come into contact with the windshield. Install the sensor, pressing on one side to the other if possible to help remove the air bubbles. I had to do this a second time, after adding a little more vacuum grease. Lock it into place and then view the sensor from the outside of the windshield. If you have air bubbles, apply gentle pressure to the entire sensor for a minute or two to help remove the air bubbles. You can also apply pressure from one side to the other to squeeze the bubbles out. Leaving it overnight helps too, so don't worry if you have a few little bubbles. Viewing the sensor from outside, the whole region where the sensor is should be black, rather than full of bubbles.You can always remove and reinstall the sensor with a little more grease until you get it right.
Instead of using the vacuum grease, you could use Dielectric Tune-Up Grease, such as Permatex #22058, available at auto parts stores.
Hey PurpleBronze, I just had my windshield replaced also and the sensor is not working on mine as well. Would you say the Permatex #22058 Dielectric grease is just as good as the Dow Corning High Vacuum Grease? Thanks for your time!!
 
#16 ·
Removal of sensor

You must first remove the plastic cover which is on the window in front of your rear-view mirror. The sensor is then visible. Mine (2004 95) has two metal clips that hinge outward, away from the window. Gently swing those outward with the help of a small screwdriver. The sensor can then be removed from the window. Remove gently so as to not tear the silicone membrane that sits on top of the sensor array. Disconnect the electrical connector; you may need the help of a small screwdriver to bend the clips on each side of the connector to aid its release.
 
#17 ·
I am dealing with this issue right now. I had the window replaced in December by Safelite. I have been back 3 times now with a 4th scheduled for today.
Thanks for the information. I will be sure to have them check that it sits perfectly flush with the window.
 
#20 ·
Havent done it but pretty sure you can be reconfiguring with Tech2 and telling the car it doesnt have the rain sensor.
The stalk controls are common for both modes so you would get the control back for the variable wiper,which off course you lose in rain sensor mode.
Someone with a Tech2 needs to check in....
 
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