Windscreen wiper issue

[Lauster23]

Hey everyone,

Still a relatively newbie here and still getting around all the functions of my A3 Saloon...but have stumbled across an issue that I can't figure out if and how I can change.

Basically my wipers are setup to stop wiping when the car is stationary. They only return wiping when I push the car past say 5mph. This is clearly causing a problem as I can't see a thing half the time! Anyone know how to change the setting so the wiper is constant?

Cheers
Ken

 

[RichardT]

It sounds like you have the wipers set to Auto. If you switch to manual they will operate normally I think.
I always leave mine on auto but just flick to off and on again (one click down and up on the stalk) when I need a quick wipe.
I always have both wipers and lights set to auto. This means that if it's raining (the wipers are active) the lights come on even in daylight - which I think is quite nice.

 

[Lauster23]

Still not getting a fix on this...if there is one of course!

I've tried setting on/off the rain sensors but that still didn't work. I'm not 100% clear when you say wipers are on auto/manual....

I seriously cant find anything in the settings to change this nor on the wiper stalk....I have a feeling I'm missing something blatantly obvious as I cant imagine many others having a problem like this?!

Thanks

 

[veeeight]

If you have Auto Wipers - have you found the sensitivity 'slider' on top of the stalk?

Also-

When you come to a stop, the wipers will "reduce" one stage.
So if you're in speed 2, it will reduce to speed 1
If you're in speed 1, it will reduce to intermittent.


More:
http://www.audi-sport.net/xf/threads/does-this-happen-on-anyone-elses-car.209501/

 

[RichardT]

As V8 says, whether you have auto wipers or not, the wipers will slow down or stop when you are stationary.
When you are stationary, try setting the wipers to full speed - they should work at speed 1 continuously until you start off. Then increase to full when you start moving.
Actually, many cars behave like this in my experience.
But you won't want the wipers on full normally so hence my suggestion to just give them a manual flick as you start off if you can't see.
Not sure if the wiper behaviour can be changed using VCDS - V8?

 

[Lauster23]

Update...I've contacted Audi about this problem and they have mentioned a similar behaviour that you all have mentioned so far is what should happen. However for me it's just not happening it just stops no matter if on auto or highest manual setting slider. I would be stuck in traffic, not moved an inch for minutes, with my windscreen covered in rainwater. After telling Audi it still wasn't behaving they have suggested I bring it in for a check up seeing as I'm still under warranty (only had the car for less than 2 months!)

So that seems my only option at the moment so will be booking it in soon. The one thing that has errked me apart from the wiper itself is that because it's a diagnostic issue the car would have to be left at the garage for at least the day according to Audi. That's fine but I require a car to get to work so I enquired about a courtesy car. Apparently a loan car is available for free however I would need to pay for a collision waiver insurance for £21...which is not refunded back afterwards. Now to me this should be included for free especially when I'm under warrenty and is clearly a fault of the car that's only a few months old!?! What does everyone else think? I don't think it's very fair imo.....

 

[thewrongspeed]

Pretty much standard to have to pay the insurance for a courtesy car these days, but yes, given that you're going to be without your own car due to a problem covered by warranty, it is disappointing.

If you're test driving cars with a view to buying, they'll add you for free, but you generally have to have an employee of the garage with you when driving, and often have to stick to defined routes. Grab a demo car for the day and just stick the sales person in the boot

 

[pburv]

I have owned Audi's since 2005 and in all that time I have never paid for a courtesy car....I would personally ask to see the service manager and complain.As far as I'm aware courtesy cars are a service Audi provide free of charge?

 

[RichardT]

I think it probably depends who you are. I have had one service on my Audi, and they supplied a courtesy car at no charge.
My previous car was a Toyota, and sometimes they would ask for a charge (£10 I think it was) and sometimes not.

I would agree that for a premium car a couple of months old with a warranty issue I would expect a free car. Although I suppose they might say it's not an off-the-road/breakdown issue so that might be the governing factor.

If the fault is as you suggest, can it not be demonstrated without them having it in for "diagnostics"?
I would have thought that a watering can would have shown the problem in a couple of minutes.

 

[pburv]

Hi lauster23.
If you are not getting any joy from your dealer go to another dealer.Just because you have bought your car from them doesn't mean you have to get it serviced etc. by them.They will be losing out on profit and possibly another purchase by yourself in the future....

 

[Lauster23]

Thanks for the replies guys....
I can even supply the watering can myself it it saves me the hassle of leaving the car for the whole day!...but I'm only going by what the guy on the phone said so better to have a back up of a courtesy car than lose a day's pay!
I did think to choose another dealer but luckily I got a pretty good relationship with the guy who sold me the car in the first instance and he's managed to waiver the fee now for me! I didn't have to ask and he's sorted me out so if anyone visiting the Coulsdon Audi then hook up with Mark

Anyway it's going in just under 2 weeks time so we'll finally get to the bottom of it and will update after. It's been raining pretty bad recently and so hope I can survive till then!

 

[S32B]

A fee for a courtesy car! They gave me a brand new R8 for the day and I didn't pay anything!!!! Is it an age thing, are you under 25???

 

[Lauster23]

To be honest I haven't asked what car I'll be getting but anything close to a R8 then....wow! Seriously? I need to check in at whatever garage u went to!!!
I'm 31....

 

[pburv]

A fee for a courtesy car! They gave me a brand new R8 for the day and I didn't pay anything!!!! Is it an age thing, are you under 25???

Would that be Junction Audi giving you an R8...you lucky b***er

 

[S32B]

Would that be Junction Audi giving you an R8...you lucky b***er

Cheshire Oaks Audi, think they are Inchcape!

I think it was mainly down to me blowing them up to Audi UK for messing me around with a replacement alloy after I had found a tiny mark on one on collection day...eventually they did replace it with a new one

This was what I found on collection day, you can see how small it is by the drop of water above it but it's my job to spot defects on new cars, so this one jumped out at me lol:

 

[pburv]

Cheshire Oaks Audi, think they are Inchcape!

I think it was mainly down to me blowing them up to Audi UK for messing me around with a replacement alloy after I had found a tiny mark on one on collection day...eventually they did replace it with a new one

This was what I found on collection day, you can see how small it is by the drop of water above it but it's my job to spot defects on new cars, so this one jumped out at me lol:

Wonder what car they would give you if the scratch was bigger..Well spotted.
Where do you work if you don't mind me asking?... Vauxhall by any chance??

 

[S32B]

Where do you work if you don't mind me asking?... Vauxhall by any chance??

Yep and as said before part of my job is to spot defects Sometimes it's a pain as I see everything on my own car, as I see things other people don't lol

White next time as it hides a lot!

 

[FR4NC15]

Apparently a loan car is available for free however I would need to pay for a collision waiver insurance for £21...which is not refunded back afterwards. Now to me this should be included for free especially when I'm under warrenty and is clearly a fault of the car that's only a few months old!?! What does everyone else think? I don't think it's very fair imo.....

Whenever I've had my car in for a service or something fault related, whether it was my A1 or now my A3, they've always mentioned the insurance waiver to me, but I've never actually been charged for it. Think it's been at least 5 visits now to the service team with both of my cars, so maybe I've got a really nice Audi dealership

 

[veeeight]

In days past most dealerships didn't charge anything for a courtesy car.

However, since the paper counterpart of the driving licence has disappeared, they need a way to check your points. So they look up a database provided by their insurer, and some dealerships pass this charge onto the customer.

Some dealerships also charge to reduce the excess from £1000 to £250 (depending on their insurers).

In the past, you may have had a courtesy car for "free" - but the excess would have been £1000 or £2500.

Some dealerships say they will charge £10 for the waiver, but when you collect your car, the charge never transpires.

 

[Wondering Soul]

I was told as veeeight says above on a few occasions! Was offered a waiver beforehand for £15 and on each occasion I never got charged! Once when my car was in for a HPFP replacement over a bank holiday weekend, I suddenly needed the hire car for 6 days, the salesman seemed to make a point of telling me that usually there would be a daily charge, but due to me having to wait so long for the part, they had waived it. Never told me how much, don't know why he mentioned it!

 

[RichardT]

In days past most dealerships didn't charge anything for a courtesy car.

However, since the paper counterpart of the driving licence has disappeared, they need a way to check your points. So they look up a database provided by their insurer, and some dealerships pass this charge onto the customer.

Some dealerships also charge to reduce the excess from £1000 to £250 (depending on their insurers).

In the past, you may have had a courtesy car for "free" - but the excess would have been £1000 or £2500.

Some dealerships say they will charge £10 for the waiver, but when you collect your car, the charge never transpires.

The danger if the charge never transpires, does the waiver ?

 

[Ignition1]

The danger if the charge never transpires, does the waiver ?

I can just imagine it. "Here's your R8 courtesy car! In custom paint of course. Don't worry about the fee "

Curbing an R8 alloy...you might as well sell the S3 back to Audi to pay for the damage.

 

[Lauster23]

Just a quick update to those interested...took it in today and even though I still had to explain a few times that I'd tried all the settings and variations and it would still not work, they eventually took my word for it. Gave me the keys to my courtesy car and off I went to work. (No R8s unfortunately ) they call me back around 2.30pm and say the wipers are now been fixed. As I was at work I didn't quite get a full explanation from Audi what the issue was but it had something to do with a part being dislodged under the bonnet?? anyway I'll ask again when I pick her up as I asked for them to check out the start/stop function as well as that too didn't seem to be fully engaging :s ....not heard back from them about this yet. I don't normally use it to be fair but in any case it's a £25k car I should expect it to do what it says on the tin!

Let's hope tomorrow for a positive phone call back from them!

 

[Lauster23]

So all is well now...picked her up Monday and all is working as it should. They explained that the bonnet was "out" by millimetres which effected the wipers when stationary, so all fixed. As with the stop start they said it was to with the settings and not a fault....
Anyway, happy I can now drive worry free especially when it's raining!