I'm hoping someone can help me figure out how to use the wipers in this car. I've looked at another thread about rain sensing wirpes and didn't really find the answer, the instruction manual wasn't much help either. I almost feel stupid for asking, but here goes.

Is there such a thing as intermittent wipers or is the only option rain sensing mode?

I was looking at page 195 of the manual and it says intermittent windshield operation is the setting that looks like a wiper on a windshield with three dashes above the image. Thing is, I don't have that, instead I have "auto" which suggests rain sensing wipers right? So then, if I only have rain sensing wipers and no intermittent option, the rotating **** on the stalk becomes the sensitivity setting for the rain senor according to the manual. However, when it rains, and I have it set to auto, the wipers operate the exact same regardless of the sensitivity setting. For example, at 30 mph at the same rain level, sensitivity low or high results in the same speed and interval of wiper movement.

Am i doning something wrong? Is something wrong with my car/sensor? Is there a way to set my own interval if I only have the "auto" function without pushing the stalk up each time for one time operation?

Thanks!

 

you are right in that cars with the rain sensing wipers lose the intermittent function. the rain sensing is the intermittent. the rotating **** is the sensitivity, but it should make a difference.

If you try to drive at a steady speed and have it on the highest sensitivity setting, the wipers should be wiping at a faster rate than on the lowest setting, maybe even on marginally. the reality is that even with the lowest wiper setting, it is still going to wipe rather quickly if it is raining hard because it wont let visibility suffer. this is the only way to change sensitivity.

 

You might want to have someone with a hose spray water on the windshield (using different rates of water pressure) and then change the sensitivity setting to see if it changes the wiper movement rate/pattern (while not driving of course!).

 

I have both. The top position is off. The 2nd is rain sensing. The third is intermittent, and the next two are low and high speed.

They work well and I'm glad I have them.

 

Jim is correct. By putting the auto setting to what looks like an "o" or "O" on the stalk, this will turn off the rain-sensing mode and then allows you to use the intermittent function.
Of course, this is what the setting looks like on the 350. I'm not sure if the 450h is different.

Personally, the rains-sensing wipers are one of my favorite things on the RX. Had it on my '07 RX, and it was a must have for me on the 2010. I just set it and forget it.
The only time I have to help the wipers along is if I get a very light drizzle of rain that for some reason makes the wipers a little slow to react. But other than that, they work like a charm. Whenever I drive a rental car on a trip or whatever, I end up missing my rain-sensing wipers.

 

I like them also. They have made it onto my list of items that MUST be on any future vehicle I own.

 

They must have changed things by the time they got around to making my 450h (october 2010 purchase date). The top is a spring return 1 time wipe, next is off. Next is rain sensing, and the last two are low and high speed. I do not have intermittent on my vehicle.

 

Intermittent is standard equipment I'm sure on every Lexus being currently built. But since I don't have your option package things will be slightly different. I'd sit behind the steering wheel with the book open and the car running, you'll figure it out I'm sure.

 

Like i said above, im sure intermittent is not available. It wasnt available on my old RX either.

 

On this page http://www.lexus.com/models/RX/features/pricing.html under standard safety and security features variable intermittent wipers are standard equipment. If you can't find the page in your manual then drop by your dealer, they'll show you how to operate them.

 

yes, the RX comes standard with that, but when you replace it with the rain sensing, they disappear. If you look at the window sticker of your car, it will still say "9 speaker stereo system" even though you upgraded to the 12 or ML.

 

Same could be said for the dynamic laser cruise control and auto high beams. They only work in the enhanced mode.

The rain sensing wipers work great. In fact I think they're more sensitive than before. Lots of settings too. The only exception is a light mist. A quick swipe usually gets it going for me.

 

Ive noticed that it randomly wipes sometimes. This never happened on my old Rx...

 

I hope you guys get this figured out, because I wanna know why it is my windshield is covered with bugs and I invariably hit the wiper lever by accident and make a smeary mess.

 

Jim, you've always had a special car! Most of us lost the intermittent setting when we got rain sensing.

I glanced at the on-line manual this morning and learned rain sensing turns off when the temperature is too hot or too cold. Although being too hot currently is not a problem