Citroen C3 - 04 1.4 Auto wipers failed after windscreen replace: Motoring Technical Car/Motor Issues forum

Technical Car/Motor Issues > Citroen C3 - 04 1.4 Auto wipers failed after windscreen replace	Miscellaneous
Thread Author: hawkeye	Replies: 7

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Thu 26 Jan 12 11:38

Citroen C3 - 04 1.4 Auto wipers failed after windscreen replace - hawkeye

My son had his windscreen replaced after a chip grew into a long crack. Now the rain-sensing wipers work continuously. The sensor is attached to the windscreen and worked well before replacement. I believe the sensor is sensitive to dirt.

My question is, is there a reset procedure for the wipers after the sensor has been disconnected or should we be getting the windscreen chappie back to scratch his head and curse all French cars? Any simple things to try?

TIA

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Thu 26 Jan 12 12:05

Citroen C3 - 04 1.4 Auto wipers failed after windscreen replace - Meldrew

Get the fitter back to fix it. I have had 3 screens replaced over the years and on French cars and there is no rest procedure SFAIK. The sensor is not affected by dirt. A beam of light is bounced onto the screen and reflected back into a sensor; if there is water on the screen the beam is refracted and misses the sensor which reacts by operating the wipers (or something like that!)

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Thu 26 Jan 12 12:11

Citroen C3 - 04 1.4 Auto wipers failed after windscreen replace - MJM

The sensors have to fit tightly to the windscreen. The windscreen has to be the right one for rain sensing wipers. The fail-safe for autowipers is continuous wiping. Either the sensor has been disconnected/damaged or it hasn't been mated to the screen properly.
getting the windscreen chappie back to scratch his head and curse all French cars? or fit it properly is the route I would take.

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Fri 27 Jan 12 08:42

Citroen C3 - 04 1.4 Auto wipers failed after windscreen replace - TeeCee

>> The windscreen has to be the
>> right one for rain sensing wipers.

That's probably the answer. The sensor usually fits somewhere up behind the rearview mirror. Most windscreens have some black patterning here and those designed for a car with a sensor will have a hole in this where the sensor goes. As many cars are available both with and without rain sensors, there are often two screens available.

You can easily check this yourself. Look at where the sensor is mounted. Is the screen completely clear at this point, or does it have black bits on it? If the latter, it's the wrong one.

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Fri 27 Jan 12 11:29

Citroen C3 - 04 1.4 Auto wipers failed after windscreen replace - L'escargot

From my experience it pays in the long run to have a genuine replacement, or at least one made by the same manufacturer to the same specification. The latter would probably just not have the car manufacturers markings. You need to choose a reputable windscreen replacement company which works along these lines, but you would still need to query what would be the source of the screen. Don't just leave it to the company you have chosen. I believe that Autoglass are reputable and above board. Other members can probably advise you further.

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Fri 27 Jan 12 12:15

Citroen C3 - 04 1.4 Auto wipers failed after windscreen replace - -

I believe that Autoglass are reputable and above board. Other members can probably
>> advise you further.

They fitted two HRW's (badly) to my old Benz and both were faulty, the third screen lasted about 2 years and half the elements failed, i had one fitted by another much cheaper company, that too had partial failure after a couple of years...none of them have been genuine parts which run to nearly 4 figures for this car (genuine screens laminate after a while and turn cloudy), even the pattern screens are around £500.

The coupe's HRW's have multiple almost invisible wires, probably as thin as Ford front screens but horizontal, quite why they all fail in clumps is a mystery, i'll manage like this till i get the hump with it one day and make a call.

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Fri 27 Jan 12 19:29

Citroen C3 - 04 1.4 Auto wipers failed after windscreen replace - swiss tony

>>. I believe that Autoglass are reputable and above board. Other members can probably
>> advise you further.
>>

I nearly spat out my coffee then!

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Sat 28 Jan 12 20:18

Citroen C3 - 04 1.4 Auto wipers failed after windscreen replace - hawkeye

Such are the spooky powers of remote backroomers focussing their energies on our little problem that it has righted itself. Or is it just French electronics ?

Thanks all for your input.

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