gasconguy

Hello -

Just got a new windshield today. Very happy as when I bought my '07 RX the plastic cap was not attached to the windshield and therefore rain sensing setting wouldn't work. If I pushed it up enough it would work, so I know it was just the fact that the case being detached was causing issues. But...

My question is, does the set of wires attached to the mirror and going to the sensor belong inside the housing, or is it supposed to be outside them like mine is now? Thanks in advance.

jakenbake

The wires are meant to be inside the housing. It doesn't really matter though. The wires for the mirror simply pass through the housing and don't attach to anything so everything will still operate normally. The housing simply hides the wires.

gasconguy

Thanks Jake. I thought so, just isn't clean looking as it could be, but what the hell.

Band

+1
If the housing has detached from the windshield (as mine had with a new windshield), You have to pull the strip along the bottom of the housing out (down) which detaches the housing from a metal frame. The frame has to be epoxied to the windshield, centered in the clear area, and allowed to cure for a day or two. There is a rectangular jell type optical coupler that must be clean (use alcohol) and centered on the optical window on the housing unit. Then install the housing on the frame using the strip removed previously. Check for air bubbles by shining a light on the windshield and remove any with finger pressure on the housing.
I originally used super glue but the sensor came off after a month or two; the epoxy seems to work better.

gasconguy

Thanks. They epoxied the gel looking optical thing on, so it sounds like you're saying that in a day or two I can pull off the black housing from a metal frame and stuff that thing in there, and the black housing should snap back onto the metal frame right (as opposed to the black plastic housing needing to be epoxied)? If that's the case I'll mess with it, but if the black plastic housing is affixed with adhesive to the windshield, I will leave it alone. Everything looks right except for the wires being on the outside of the housing. Thanks for the help.

Band

The black cover should not br glued to the windshield nor should the gel coupler. The rectangular metal frame located inside the cover is removed, centered over the clear section of the windshield and glued. The bottom of the black housing pulls off and releases the metal frame.
This frame is under tension when the unit is reinstalled, so it is important to have a strong bond or the detector will fall off again.
There is a white wiring connector that can be disconnected to make things easier to work on.
The key is to have all optical surfaces clean. Place the gel pad on the sensor surface, reconnect the wiring plug, and carefully place the sensor over the metal frame attached to the windshield. Insert the bottom piece to lock the sensor in place. The sensor will then press against the optical gel piece and maintain a good optical connection to the windshield. This is crucial! Air bubbles will degrade performance.
A google search of "rx330 wiper sensor" will turn up an excess of info.
If you need a new gel piece, they are $24 from Sewell.
"Goof off" will remove adhesive.
That being said, if it works as it is, I'd leave it be!

gasconguy

Yeah, maybe I am not being clear. Everything was replaced and redone - the only thing I would have to do is pull off the black plastic housing, stuff the wiring back into wherever it belongs, and then put the housing back on the frame! The glass shop, who only deals in OEM, and replaced everything in pristine fashion so far as I can tell, replaced the sensor and it looks as you say it should... so maybe I will pull off the housing and go for it.

smassey321

The black housing has a clip you pull out. Then it can be removed. The inside of the plastic has a channel on the side for the mirror wires to pass through.

gasconguy

Ok... thank you - where is the clip?

jakenbake

The clip is on the bottom of the sensor housing. It is easier to see the clip from the passenger side.