Snow: Rain-sensing wipers are driving me nuts

[Clearly Canadian]

Not exactly sure how this technology works but the rain sensing wipers do not seem to know what to do in the snow. Half the time they dont turn on, the other half they are running too fast. Just give me my manual timed delay wipers back!

 

[MerlintheMad]

I don't even need to experience this to know that I want nothing to do with such a fangled "convenience", ever. It was just one of the many features on the GT2 that I was glad to avoid by getting the GT1.

 

[ShannonC]

Not exactly sure how this technology works but the rain sensing wipers do not seem to know what to do in the snow. Half the time they dont turn on, the other half they are running too fast. Just give me my manual timed delay wipers back!

Just change the setting to manual.

 

[Dan1028]

Just change the setting to manual.

Is there a way to have manual/normal intermittent control? I couldn't find it in the owner's manual and the auto feature is worthless and frustrating.

 

[Clearly Canadian]

You can manually control them but there is no time-based intermittent setting.

 

[Ucinn]

Mine work pretty well, just have to change the sensitivity once in a while is all.

 

[Crisis]

Mine work pretty well, just have to change the sensitivity once in a while is all.

Agreed. In fact, if I feel the windshield needs a wipe, I just rotate the wiper stalk end by one notch up the sensitivity and then back again to the lowest sensitivity sensor - that gets me one pass of the wipers. I'm used to cars that have a way to have the wipers make just a single pass, so this is how I accomplish that while having the wipers set in Auto.

 

[Revvdmedia]

Agreed. In fact, if I feel the windshield needs a wipe, I just rotate the wiper stalk end by one notch up the sensitivity and then back again to the lowest sensitivity sensor - that gets me one pass of the wipers. I'm used to cars that have a way to have the wipers make just a single pass, so this is how I accomplish that while having the wipers set in Auto.

I'm a little late to this party. I've done the 1 notch change for the wipe, but I also agree these auto wipers don't perform well in the snow, mine just don't wipe hardly ever.

Second to that, if you don't have the defrost up high enough or you don't wipe the window enough, snow becomes frozen to the blades and leaves crazy bad streaks. I've never had this problem on any other car. And why did Kia remove the heated wiper blade strip on the windshield, I had that on my '12 Sportage SX. It's already a million dollar replacement windshield, so that heated bit couldn't have made it cost too much more lol.

 

[MerlintheMad]

m

And why did Kia remove the heated wiper blade strip on the windshield, I had that on my '12 Sportage SX.

Oo! I like that. Never heard of it before. What a "cool" idea: while the wipers are in the "off" position the blades are being kept cozy and pliable. Every vehicle should have this. If the government can mandate things like catalytic converters and various warning devices, it can surely demand clear windshield devices on every vehicle. All it is, is a single strip of the same material and function as a rear window defrost. How much could it cost? I'm surprised that if the Sportage has it that the Stinger doesn't.

 

[Revvdmedia]

m
Oo! I like that. Never heard of it before. What a "cool" idea: while the wipers are in the "off" position the blades are being kept cozy and pliable. Every vehicle should have this. If the government can mandate things like catalytic converters and various warning devices, it can surely demand clear windshield devices on every vehicle. All it is, is a single strip of the same material and function as a rear window defrost. How much could it cost? I'm surprised that if the Sportage has it that the Stinger doesn't.

From what I recall in my terrible memory, it seemed to work quite well too...

 

[PMB]

I'm a little late to this party. I've done the 1 notch change for the wipe, but I also agree these auto wipers don't perform well in the snow, mine just don't wipe hardly ever.

Second to that, if you don't have the defrost up high enough or you don't wipe the window enough, snow becomes frozen to the blades and leaves crazy bad streaks. I've never had this problem on any other car. And why did Kia remove the heated wiper blade strip on the windshield, I had that on my '12 Sportage SX. It's already a million dollar replacement windshield, so that heated bit couldn't have made it cost too much more lol.

I think that on some vehicles with thin glass, the front defrost can cause the window to shatter. As opposed to the rear windshield which gets a much larger defrost area, and therefore the stress is more distributed. Also, the front is more prone to chipping from impacts, and stress from heating can cause the glass the crack. I've seen it a bunch of times that windshield with that strip are cracked along the bottom, so that's my educated guess what is happening.

The stinger has pretty thick glass to help reduced wind noise, so, like you I want the strip.

 

[I Stung U]

I also knew that this stupid feature doesn't work well in snow, and I wasn't looking forward to it !!! but I wanted other features the limited has, so I still went with it... I don't know how/why they don't know this doesn't sense soft falling snow like it does rain, and allow an override to select your own time delay.
Even the sensitivity level adjustment doesn't work that well.. for now, I just hit the arm up once in a while as needed. But YES, it's STUPID technology !! If they tested it and it worked soooo fkn amazingly, then wow, thanks,... but how they test it and decide to force this shit on us, I don't know wtf ??!!
I hate techno that's forced on us, instead of it being an option to turn off or on.
My Car OCD is freaking out !! hahahaaa... dumbass manufacturere decisions !! Like not allowing the heated seats to work with the auto start, in Canada ?!!!