1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Rain-sensing wipers retrofit?

Discussion in 'Prime Main Forum (2017-2022)' started by smyles, Feb 8, 2019.

  1. smyles

    smyles Active Member

    Joined:
    Jan 1, 2019
    332
    229
    0
    Location:
    US
    Vehicle:
    2020 Prius Prime
    Model:
    XLE
    Has any Plus/Premium owner retrofitted rain-sensing wipers like those on Advanced, or explored the possibility of it? Having it in all my other cars I miss it dearly in Prius, and after retrofitting the auto-dim mirror, it's next on my list. I believe it uses the auto headlights sensor, so probably new stalk, some wiring and coding (?) would be required.
     
    #1 smyles, Feb 8, 2019
    Last edited: Feb 8, 2019
  2. EyePrime

    EyePrime Active Member

    Joined:
    Apr 7, 2018
    268
    115
    7
    Location:
    Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2018 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Plus
    I would like to do the mirror if anyone could tell me that, but why would you the rainsensing wipers
     
    WilDavis likes this.
  3. WilDavis

    WilDavis Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 4, 2014
    2,489
    2,153
    49
    Location:
    Top RH Corner of RH Coast on L side of The Pond
    Vehicle:
    2009 Prius
    Model:
    II
    I don't see the point, either! As the Nobel Laureate (2016) put it "…You don't need a weather man
    To know which way the wind blows" :rolleyes:;)
     
    ed4271 and EyePrime like this.
  4. EyePrime

    EyePrime Active Member

    Joined:
    Apr 7, 2018
    268
    115
    7
    Location:
    Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2018 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Plus
    Its really not that hard to push down on the windshield wiper lever, also if you go into an auto carwash then you might break you windshield wiper or burn out the motor
     
    WilDavis likes this.
  5. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2004
    44,768
    16,017
    41
    Location:
    Canada
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    You know there is an OFF position :)

    I found the regular Prius' wiper sweep slow (esp. compared to the Gen 3 which had fast wipers on LO speed) but rain-sensing took care of that as it is variable-speed and can speed up without having to manually select HI.
     
    schja01 likes this.
  6. Bob Comer

    Bob Comer Active Member

    Joined:
    Sep 20, 2010
    708
    454
    0
    Location:
    South Carolina low country
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Advanced
    You'd be surprised. this is the first car I've ever driven with auto wipers, so I wasn't that impressed either before I got it, but it's probably my favorite extra. It rains a lot around here and 99.9% of the time I don't have to do anything with the wiper controls.
     
  7. smyles

    smyles Active Member

    Joined:
    Jan 1, 2019
    332
    229
    0
    Location:
    US
    Vehicle:
    2020 Prius Prime
    Model:
    XLE
    The number 1 purpose of the rain-sensing is to adjust the frequency/speed of the wipers. You still have to manually turn them on ... at least in German cars.
     
    EyePrime likes this.
  8. Bob Comer

    Bob Comer Active Member

    Joined:
    Sep 20, 2010
    708
    454
    0
    Location:
    South Carolina low country
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Advanced
    You leave them on all the time in a prius prime, and they only run when it senses rain (or fog on the windshield)
     
    EyePrime likes this.
  9. WilDavis

    WilDavis Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 4, 2014
    2,489
    2,153
    49
    Location:
    Top RH Corner of RH Coast on L side of The Pond
    Vehicle:
    2009 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Strange! I don't think I will ever understand that! I love driving my Gen II (…and all the Gen IIIs and Cs and Corollas at the courier service where I work part-time!) I love being in control, I decide when the car moves, when the lights come on and off, when the radio gets turned on and to which station it is tuned, and when it gets turned off, and when the wipers are used, (or not!) - I, me, and nobody else! :rolleyes:
     
  10. padroo

    padroo Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jan 11, 2008
    2,763
    2,250
    13
    Location:
    Chesterton, Indiana Another third world country.
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    I am guilty of not using my wipers enough to suit my wife and the rain sensor wipers took care of that, I like them.
     
  11. Bob Comer

    Bob Comer Active Member

    Joined:
    Sep 20, 2010
    708
    454
    0
    Location:
    South Carolina low country
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Advanced
    And i'll never understand that. I like taking advantage of these aides, things i don't have to worry about can't distract me. It's a safety issue..
     
  12. WilDavis

    WilDavis Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 4, 2014
    2,489
    2,153
    49
    Location:
    Top RH Corner of RH Coast on L side of The Pond
    Vehicle:
    2009 Prius
    Model:
    II
    I see your point, but what happens when things break down (…as they so often do!) what then? eh? what happens then? :rolleyes:
     
  13. WilDavis

    WilDavis Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 4, 2014
    2,489
    2,153
    49
    Location:
    Top RH Corner of RH Coast on L side of The Pond
    Vehicle:
    2009 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Well, that may be cured by turning her 180º so that she can't see the windshield! (…I'm assuming she's riding in her proper place (i.e. on the roof!)) ;)
     
  14. padroo

    padroo Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jan 11, 2008
    2,763
    2,250
    13
    Location:
    Chesterton, Indiana Another third world country.
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    How you act when a car breaks down depends on your situation. If my car breakdown down once I get it off the road I get in another one but some people don't have that option.
     
  15. WilDavis

    WilDavis Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 4, 2014
    2,489
    2,153
    49
    Location:
    Top RH Corner of RH Coast on L side of The Pond
    Vehicle:
    2009 Prius
    Model:
    II
    That's as maybe, but I'm a firm believer in the KISS principle! ;)
     
  16. smyles

    smyles Active Member

    Joined:
    Jan 1, 2019
    332
    229
    0
    Location:
    US
    Vehicle:
    2020 Prius Prime
    Model:
    XLE
    Hm, then maybe the non-sensing stalk will actually provide the off option.

    P.S. LOL at "I'm in control". But whatever.
     
  17. Bob Comer

    Bob Comer Active Member

    Joined:
    Sep 20, 2010
    708
    454
    0
    Location:
    South Carolina low country
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Advanced
    The same thing that happens to you, no wipers. :) There are manual controls for the wipers, so if it's just the sensing part, i'll still get home. :)
     
  18. Bob Comer

    Bob Comer Active Member

    Joined:
    Sep 20, 2010
    708
    454
    0
    Location:
    South Carolina low country
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Advanced
    Yes, there is an off on the sensing wiper stalk, I just never use it. Off-Auto-low-high. Hmm, maybe no intermittent settings though, but then again, I've never tried.

    And fwiw, I'm just like Smyles with the auto headlights, I have that turned off and prefer to control my hi beams myself.
     
  19. Elektroingenieur

    Elektroingenieur Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jan 8, 2017
    2,515
    3,253
    9
    Location:
    California
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius
    Model:
    Three Touring
    I can’t recommend it, but if you’re interested, you might start with a close comparison of the “(w/ Auto Wiper System)” and “(w/o Auto Wiper System)” versions of the Front Wiper and Washer pages in the System Circuit section of the Electrical Wiring Diagram (more info).

    I imagine you’d need at least the version of the Windshield Wiper Switch Assembly (84652-33490, $211.61) that has the AUTO position; the Windshield Wiper Relay Assembly (85940-47060, $362.40, ¥9,600) found only on vehicles with automatic wipers; the Rain Sensor (89941-47020, $281.03, ¥11,500) and its Cover (89943-47020, $13.07, ¥480); and the wires, connectors, and terminals to modify the Instrument Panel Wire harness. See parts catalog Figure 84-01, Switch & Relay & Computer, and Figure 85-01, Windshield Wiper. The prices mentioned are the U.S. and, where available, Japanese list prices.

    I’m not sure about the software. In the Repair Manual, the Customize Parameters page for the Wiper and Washer System lists “Auto Wiper” as an available setting, but I don’t know what conditions, if any, must be satisfied for it to be active. The Windshield Wiper Relay Assembly has a LIN bus connection to the A/C Amplifier Assembly, and while there seems to be only one version of the latter part for the U.S. market, the Repair Manual says it receives “Destination symbol,” “Destination package,” and “A/C function information” signals from the Main Body ECU, which might conceivably affect whether the automatic wiper feature can be enabled.

    The parts removal and installation procedures are also in the Repair Manual, of course. You’d have to remove the entire dashboard (“Lower Instrument Panel Sub-Assembly”) to install the Windshield Wiper Relay Assembly.
     
    Mikhail Bond and smyles like this.
  20. EyePrime

    EyePrime Active Member

    Joined:
    Apr 7, 2018
    268
    115
    7
    Location:
    Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2018 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Plus
    What happens when the autowipers break do you pay 500$ to fix it