[Sister Betty]

Howdy folks -

When you put your Smart windshield wipers in the first notch up (normal speed) and come to a stop, do your windshield wipers automatically stop and then switch to interval until you start again?

Mine have started doing this and I'm uncertain if this is normal or not.

Thanks!

 

[JPaul]

Normal. When in slow speed, it goes into intermittent when the car doesn't move, likewise, when in high speed, it goes into slow speed when...
Note also, when wipers are on, the rear window of the coupe will be wiped once when you engage reverse.

 

[BigWarpGuy]

It has happened to me too. I have noticed that when I am at a red light and the wipers are in the first notch, it turns to intermediate until I start again. I think this is a cool feature.

 

[Sister Betty]

Thank Goodness - It's a Smart Owner's Manual Oversight

Thanks for the replies.

I searched the owner's manual and couldn't find a mention of this - and in fact the mechanic at the nearby Smart dealership thought it odd, too. I guess that makes two of us who were in the dark!

I'm glad to know this isn't yet another Smart gremlin.

 

[h20m0f0]

Thats cause you have it in auto mode. It has a sensor it knows how much water is on your windshield ( OOOO Scary ) Mine comes on as soon as water hits the windshield don't ask me how it works I haven't got a clue, it's magic

 

[h20m0f0]

And my rear wiper comes on whenever I need it not in reverse only

 

[SubSlr88]

Speed sensing wipers. . .

Page 110 in your owner's manual. . .
Intermittent wipers . . . after the initial swipe pauses are determined by speed and rain sensor. (Hint - if you go slower, it slows down. If you go faster, it goes faster!)

And if your wipers are on - and - you put the car in reverse, the rear wiper will make a single swipe.

Pretty nifty features, hey?

 

[boater454]

My Pure does it too without rainsensing wipers. I think that part is just speed related.

 

[BigWarpGuy]

My little car is a Pure. It does not have the auto setting. I did not know about it till some one mentioned it here at the forum. When the wipers are on slow, it goes into intermittent while I am stopped (at stop sign or red light or waiting to turn).

 

[smartYsmileS]

~ Smarts are Smart

 

[bigcritter]

If I'm reading his post correctly, he says the first notch UP, which would be simply low speed for the wipers. The AUTO wiper function is the first (only) notch DOWN....(from the OFF postion), not UP, as he's said. The AUTO wiper function stops/slows down/speeds up, etc., based on speed and the amount of precip falling on the sensor. However, the first notch UP should just be the wipers working non-stop on slow speed............ even if stopped at a light, etc. They should just keep going! Push wiper lever DOWN all the way is AUTO, up one notch from there is OFF, UP one more is low speed, and up one more is high speed! The rear wiper does one swipe in AUTO mode when the car is shifted into reverse, but the rear wiper shouldn't be functioning at all in any other mode unless it's turned on by pushing forward on the stalk to turn it on. If it's intermittent on low speed, I don't believe that's a normal function! Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think I am. I WILL double-check the next time I drive and turn the wipers on LOW/HIGH to see for sure if the rear wiper swipes one time, but I THINK it only does it in AUTO! :>)

 

[Old SGM]

Rain sensors have nothing to do with it. When you have your wipers on and come to a stop, they automatically go to intemittent, when you step on the gas, they go back to whatever speed you had them set at. The rear wiper comes on when you go in reverse if you have your front wipers on. You can also turn on your rear wipers, they operate at intermittent speed. It was that way on my 08 and on my 09, I think it is a neat feature. Owners manual, who read that thing???

 

[bigcritter]

Rain sensors have nothing to do with it. When you have your wipers on and come to a stop, they automatically go to intemittent, when you step on the gas, they go back to whatever speed you had them set at. The rear wiper comes on when you go in reverse if you have your front wipers on. You can also turn on your rear wipers, they operate at intermittent speed. It was that way on my 08 and on my 09, I think it is a neat feature. Owners manual, who read that thing???

Actually, I DID read the owner's manual, and everything that I said earlier is EXACTLY what it says in the manual, pages 109-111! The ONLY difference being that the rear wiper WILL swipe once when the wipers are turned on, regardless of what position they're in, which I said earlier that I would check on. The first notch UP is slow continous wiping.....the 2nd. notch up is fast continous wiping.....at least according to the manual. The intermittent feature is the first DOWN notch on the wiper stalk, which is also the AUTO position on cars with the rain/headlight sensor. The ONLY mention of speed or precip having any effect on the wiper speed is on cars with the rain sensor.

 

[mvaldes]

Mine, which has the sensor, operates as described by Bigcritter.