Auto Rain Sensors

[Barry1000]

I recently had my front screen changed due to a crack. Now that the screen has been changed the auto wipers do not work. They have tried replacing the sensor but this did not work. They then said that I should get it re calibrated by Lexus. When I spoke to Lexus they said that they can not re calibrate them, but will have a look at anyway. Has anyone had similar experiences?

[black400]

Had it on my 740i windscreen changed twice not a problem, they probly damaged it

[brendangeorge]

I recently had my front screen changed due to a crack. Now that the screen has been changed the auto wipers do not work. They have tried replacing the sensor but this did not work. They then said that I should get it re calibrated by Lexus. When I spoke to Lexus they said that they can not re calibrate them, but will have a look at anyway. Has anyone had similar experiences?

Hi Barry

I have just had my screen replace by autocrap and not only did they stuff the rain sensor (it fell of yesterday) they did not put the wipers back on in the correct place. The good news is they put the screen in correctly - last time they managed to get is right on the 3rd attempt.

My first problem is to stop the sensor from falling off - anyone got any ideas. I was thinking about driving to the fitters workshop and asking them to fix it but think that may be a waste of fuel and time.

Bren

[steve2006]

I don't know how the sensor is attached but you can buy special glue for the rear view mirror atachment to the windscreen. I would certainly complain to the fitting company first.

[Bluesman]

I recently had my front screen changed due to a crack. Now that the screen has been changed the auto wipers do not work. They have tried replacing the sensor but this did not work. They then said that I should get it re calibrated by Lexus. When I spoke to Lexus they said that they can not re calibrate them, but will have a look at anyway. Has anyone had similar experiences?

Hi Barry

I have just had my screen replace by autocrap and not only did they stuff the rain sensor (it fell of yesterday) they did not put the wipers back on in the correct place. The good news is they put the screen in correctly - last time they managed to get is right on the 3rd attempt.

My first problem is to stop the sensor from falling off - anyone got any ideas. I was thinking about driving to the fitters workshop and asking them to fix it but think that may be a waste of fuel and time.

Bren

I have no doubt your cars windscreen was replaced by one of the big corporate windscreen replacement companies who only fit windscreens and yet they still cant get it right first time. Why cant they do the job correctly first time every time? Mike

[brendangeorge]

I recently had my front screen changed due to a crack. Now that the screen has been changed the auto wipers do not work. They have tried replacing the sensor but this did not work. They then said that I should get it re calibrated by Lexus. When I spoke to Lexus they said that they can not re calibrate them, but will have a look at anyway. Has anyone had similar experiences?

Hi Barry

I have just had my screen replace by autocrap and not only did they stuff the rain sensor (it fell of yesterday) they did not put the wipers back on in the correct place. The good news is they put the screen in correctly - last time they managed to get is right on the 3rd attempt.

My first problem is to stop the sensor from falling off - anyone got any ideas. I was thinking about driving to the fitters workshop and asking them to fix it but think that may be a waste of fuel and time.

Bren

I have no doubt your cars windscreen was replaced by one of the big corporate windscreen replacement companies who only fit windscreens and yet they still cant get it right first time. Why cant they do the job correctly first time every time? Mike

You are spot on Mike - Autocrap did the work because they are my insurers preffered supplier. I could have used who I wanted to but then the insurance company say they will limit what they will pay - I did not want to test this and if I went to a Lexus dealer guess who they call ?

Just how hard was it to put the wipers back on prpoperly? I suppose I can understand the old stick on detector not making through 4 windscreen changes - however it made it though 3.

When the weather warms up I'll go and see them and get it fixed.

Cheers

Bren

[ManicMark]

They put the wrong screen in my last ls. Had to get them back to put a genuine lexus screen in as they don't do an after market for the Mark4.

[Bluesman]

They put the wrong screen in my last ls. Had to get them back to put a genuine lexus screen in as they don't do an after market for the Mark4.

What car did the wrong screen fit?? Mike

[matt-c]

As a windscreen fitter of ten years, problems do arise now and again. Sadly, you only ever hear about the problem jobs on places like car forums or review sites, and not about the thousands of perfectly fine jobs. Here's a quote from a post I made in another thread about replacement windscreens

In every walk of life you get a bad fitter, and even good fitters have bad days, and/or can be unlucky. I've had cars come back leaking after I've fitted a screen to them, and I think of myself as a good fitter. It's just life. I've probably fitted in excess of 15,000 windscreens, and have maybe 5 or 6 "leakers" a year on average, which is 50-60 over ten years - let's call it 100 just to round it off. Sounds like a lot right? It's actually not even 1%.

I pride myself on being a good fitter; I've been doing it long enough, am still happy to learn everyday and don't think I'm a know it all, and actually care about the job I'm doing (of course there are some that couldn't give a toss, and just slap it in regardless; I actually do care about doing it, and do the best job I possibly can, often taking much longer on a car than is normally needed just to make sure it's as perfect as I can get it). But from time to time, a problem presents itself, and accidents happen.

Regarding the rain sensor falling off, I'd need to know if it's the sensor that's fallen off the bracket, or the bracket that's come away with the screen. Because if it's the latter, it's not the fitters fault, that's a faulty product. I had a brand new C Class Merc on today, and did a great job replacing it. However, when I went to clip the scuttle into the tracking that comes glued to the bottom edge of the glass, the tracking twisted and bent. That's a faulty product, and completely out of my control. I spent a further 10 mins attempting to get the scuttle to sit in the tracking, but short of pulling it off the screen - which wouldn't achieve anything, since then it wouldn't hold the scuttle to the bottom edge of the screen - there's nothing I can do. So I showed the customer, explained, apologised (even though it's not my fault) and then pushed through a DMR report on it, and we'll be changing the screen for him next week to rectify it.

Anyway, if the bracket has come off the glass, it's easily fixable by a windscreen tech. It takes about ten mins, and can be bonded on using mirror boss glue (two part liquid and spray activator glue, used to glue the metal bosses that mirrors fit to). I've done it plenty of times; ironically, the last time was on an RX... If it's the sensor itself come off the bracket, you'll be able to fix it yourself, or just take it into the branch that did the work for you and they will remount it.

As for the sensor not working, it's entirely possible it's as simple as the "gel" missing from the sensor (if memory serves me correctly, the sensor on the LS has a rectangle of a gel like substance (not liquid gel, but more of a gum like gel) that sits between the sensor and the screen. If this isn't replaced, and I've seen it overlooked or missed several times, then the sensor won't work.

Lexus are right; the sensor cannot be calibrated, because that wouldn't do anything. It can be activated or deactivated by the ECU. Merc's have a problem whereby if the sensor is removed from the screen and the ignition is turned on, the ECU thinks that it isn't working when it does a system check, so it deactivates it. Likewise if the sensor is unplugged and the ignition is turned on. This can only be reactivated by Merc by having a dealer plug a computer into the ECU and turning it back on.

From memory, this doesn't affect Lexus', but to be on the safe side, I never unplug any sensors, or turn ignitions on until the sensor is reseated on the new screen on any car...

[ManicMark]

They put the wrong screen in my last ls. Had to get them back to put a genuine lexus screen in as they don't do an after market for the Mark4.

What car did the wrong screen fit?? Mike

It was a mark 3 screen with the cut out for the chassis number.

[brendangeorge]

As a windscreen fitter of ten years, problems do arise now and again. Sadly, you only ever hear about the problem jobs on places like car forums or review sites, and not about the thousands of perfectly fine jobs. Here's a quote from a post I made in another thread about replacement windscreens

In every walk of life you get a bad fitter, and even good fitters have bad days, and/or can be unlucky. I've had cars come back leaking after I've fitted a screen to them, and I think of myself as a good fitter. It's just life. I've probably fitted in excess of 15,000 windscreens, and have maybe 5 or 6 "leakers" a year on average, which is 50-60 over ten years - let's call it 100 just to round it off. Sounds like a lot right? It's actually not even 1%.

I pride myself on being a good fitter; I've been doing it long enough, am still happy to learn everyday and don't think I'm a know it all, and actually care about the job I'm doing (of course there are some that couldn't give a toss, and just slap it in regardless; I actually do care about doing it, and do the best job I possibly can, often taking much longer on a car than is normally needed just to make sure it's as perfect as I can get it). But from time to time, a problem presents itself, and accidents happen.

Regarding the rain sensor falling off, I'd need to know if it's the sensor that's fallen off the bracket, or the bracket that's come away with the screen. Because if it's the latter, it's not the fitters fault, that's a faulty product. I had a brand new C Class Merc on today, and did a great job replacing it. However, when I went to clip the scuttle into the tracking that comes glued to the bottom edge of the glass, the tracking twisted and bent. That's a faulty product, and completely out of my control. I spent a further 10 mins attempting to get the scuttle to sit in the tracking, but short of pulling it off the screen - which wouldn't achieve anything, since then it wouldn't hold the scuttle to the bottom edge of the screen - there's nothing I can do. So I showed the customer, explained, apologised (even though it's not my fault) and then pushed through a DMR report on it, and we'll be changing the screen for him next week to rectify it.

Anyway, if the bracket has come off the glass, it's easily fixable by a windscreen tech. It takes about ten mins, and can be bonded on using mirror boss glue (two part liquid and spray activator glue, used to glue the metal bosses that mirrors fit to). I've done it plenty of times; ironically, the last time was on an RX... If it's the sensor itself come off the bracket, you'll be able to fix it yourself, or just take it into the branch that did the work for you and they will remount it.

As for the sensor not working, it's entirely possible it's as simple as the "gel" missing from the sensor (if memory serves me correctly, the sensor on the LS has a rectangle of a gel like substance (not liquid gel, but more of a gum like gel) that sits between the sensor and the screen. If this isn't replaced, and I've seen it overlooked or missed several times, then the sensor won't work.

Lexus are right; the sensor cannot be calibrated, because that wouldn't do anything. It can be activated or deactivated by the ECU. Merc's have a problem whereby if the sensor is removed from the screen and the ignition is turned on, the ECU thinks that it isn't working when it does a system check, so it deactivates it. Likewise if the sensor is unplugged and the ignition is turned on. This can only be reactivated by Merc by having a dealer plug a computer into the ECU and turning it back on.

From memory, this doesn't affect Lexus', but to be on the safe side, I never unplug any sensors, or turn ignitions on until the sensor is reseated on the new screen on any car...

Hi Matt - thanks for your note about my sensor that falls off. It is the plastic cover that keeps falling off mine - the piece of gel you describe is stuck to the screen but does not look new. I will take a trip to auto you know who when I find some time.

I can see you have a great deal of experience and are pretty good - my problem is I have had trouble every time my 430 has had to have a new screen. last time was not a water leak it was a loose and creaking installation (3 goes to get right). I can see that in cold weather this could be a problem if you are doing the job outside. So I discussed this with the latest fitter and he said no problem I have had the cement warming up on my heater vents for a while and he was correct. So for fun he put the wipers back on incorrectly and my rain sensor does not work - this is not bad luck it is lack of care.

You can imagine after the screen replacement every bump and rattle had me looking for a windscreen creak.

Thanks for your really helpful and useful post Matt you have restored my faith in screen fitters.

Bren

[Bluesman]

As a windscreen fitter of ten years, problems do arise now and again. Sadly, you only ever hear about the problem jobs on places like car forums or review sites, and not about the thousands of perfectly fine jobs. Here's a quote from a post I made in another thread about replacement windscreens

In every walk of life you get a bad fitter, and even good fitters have bad days, and/or can be unlucky. I've had cars come back leaking after I've fitted a screen to them, and I think of myself as a good fitter. It's just life. I've probably fitted in excess of 15,000 windscreens, and have maybe 5 or 6 "leakers" a year on average, which is 50-60 over ten years - let's call it 100 just to round it off. Sounds like a lot right? It's actually not even 1%.

I pride myself on being a good fitter; I've been doing it long enough, am still happy to learn everyday and don't think I'm a know it all, and actually care about the job I'm doing (of course there are some that couldn't give a toss, and just slap it in regardless; I actually do care about doing it, and do the best job I possibly can, often taking much longer on a car than is normally needed just to make sure it's as perfect as I can get it). But from time to time, a problem presents itself, and accidents happen.

Regarding the rain sensor falling off, I'd need to know if it's the sensor that's fallen off the bracket, or the bracket that's come away with the screen. Because if it's the latter, it's not the fitters fault, that's a faulty product. I had a brand new C Class Merc on today, and did a great job replacing it. However, when I went to clip the scuttle into the tracking that comes glued to the bottom edge of the glass, the tracking twisted and bent. That's a faulty product, and completely out of my control. I spent a further 10 mins attempting to get the scuttle to sit in the tracking, but short of pulling it off the screen - which wouldn't achieve anything, since then it wouldn't hold the scuttle to the bottom edge of the screen - there's nothing I can do. So I showed the customer, explained, apologised (even though it's not my fault) and then pushed through a DMR report on it, and we'll be changing the screen for him next week to rectify it.

Anyway, if the bracket has come off the glass, it's easily fixable by a windscreen tech. It takes about ten mins, and can be bonded on using mirror boss glue (two part liquid and spray activator glue, used to glue the metal bosses that mirrors fit to). I've done it plenty of times; ironically, the last time was on an RX... If it's the sensor itself come off the bracket, you'll be able to fix it yourself, or just take it into the branch that did the work for you and they will remount it.

As for the sensor not working, it's entirely possible it's as simple as the "gel" missing from the sensor (if memory serves me correctly, the sensor on the LS has a rectangle of a gel like substance (not liquid gel, but more of a gum like gel) that sits between the sensor and the screen. If this isn't replaced, and I've seen it overlooked or missed several times, then the sensor won't work.

Lexus are right; the sensor cannot be calibrated, because that wouldn't do anything. It can be activated or deactivated by the ECU. Merc's have a problem whereby if the sensor is removed from the screen and the ignition is turned on, the ECU thinks that it isn't working when it does a system check, so it deactivates it. Likewise if the sensor is unplugged and the ignition is turned on. This can only be reactivated by Merc by having a dealer plug a computer into the ECU and turning it back on.

From memory, this doesn't affect Lexus', but to be on the safe side, I never unplug any sensors, or turn ignitions on until the sensor is reseated on the new screen on any car...

Hi Matt - thanks for your note about my sensor that falls off. It is the plastic cover that keeps falling off mine - the piece of gel you describe is stuck to the screen but does not look new. I will take a trip to auto you know who when I find some time.

I can see you have a great deal of experience and are pretty good - my problem is I have had trouble every time my 430 has had to have a new screen. last time was not a water leak it was a loose and creaking installation (3 goes to get right). I can see that in cold weather this could be a problem if you are doing the job outside. So I discussed this with the latest fitter and he said no problem I have had the cement warming up on my heater vents for a while and he was correct. So for fun he put the wipers back on incorrectly and my rain sensor does not work - this is not bad luck it is lack of care.

You can imagine after the screen replacement every bump and rattle had me looking for a windscreen creak.

Thanks for your really helpful and useful post Matt you have restored my faith in screen fitters.

Bren

We will all have to make sure that there is only one screen repairer we allow to do our cars and that is you Matt. Mike

[ManicMark]

Thats handy mat where are you in Essex. Is it a large insurance approved company you are with.Like anything good workmanship is hard to find .

[matt-c]

Bren - the plastic cover, hate to say it, may have had a tab broken on it, which is why it keeps coming off. If this is so, then the replacement company should buy you a new one. As for not working even though the gel is there (it won't be new, as we're never provided replacements for it; it's classed as a reuseable part - essentially, because it is), that is a strange one, and may need to be put on diagnostics to find out why.

Granted, in the non summer months, this job can be a nightmare. The rain is a major problem - water and glue don't mix. Same goes for snow. Sadly, even though I always explain this to the customer before starting a job on a day that it's been raining and looks like it will continue to - and even when I arrive and it's currently raining - many of them refuse to accept my warning is for their benefit, and rather think I'm just trying to get out of doing the job. Usually met with "Well, it's not raining much" or similar. I then explain that if they want me to fit it despite my warning, then I will do, but there will be no warranty offered on it should it leak, or worse, no compensation offered should they have an accident and are injured as a result of the screen not being fitted correctly. This usually gets the message home ;) Cold can also give problems with the glue, which is why the tech mentioned about keeping it on the dash vents. Personally, I don't do this as all it does is localise the heat to one particular part of the "sausage" (the glue "tubes" are foil wrapped sausages), but instead I keep the whole box of glue (12 tubes) in the passenger footwell, with the heater on, and my spare fleece covering them. This traps the heat in, and warms them all the way through.

Creaking is to be expected on most cars after installation, on newer cars, it's a more and more common trend to but the inside trims (roof lining, a-post trims, dash) right up to the glass so it's touching. Problem there is many of these cars have leather, or faux leather plasticy covered trims, which when they rub against the glass, will make creaking noises. Fitters are reluctant to fit the screen so it sits slightly higher, as the customer - who's never looked around the screen before in their life, but as soon as they've had a screen fitted suddenly becomes an expert - claims it's fitted incorrectly as there's a "gap". Add to that, the fashion with new cars is to have the "floating glass" look (no trims around the edges of the glass on the outside, and the gap around the edge of the screen and the body work getting so much smaller with each generation of new model (honestly, the A5 and A6 Audi's have a ~2mm gap between the edge of the glass and the roof on the outside!) that you have to fit the screen at the bang on height otherwise it just looks wrong. On cars with exterior trims, such as the IS200, or Yaris, Avensis, etc, creaking is to be expected from the exterior trim also - especially since in most cases a new trim is fitted, and this is harder and less supple than the original as it hasn't "weathered" in

The things you really need to look out for are leaking (obviously), and windnoise. Windnoise usually comes from incorrect glue line (ie if it has a gap, wind whistles in) and from incorrectly fitted exterior trims (including scuttle); wind gets in and around them and makes noise over x mph.

It's why if at all possible, I'll push for a repair (on a stone chip) rather than replacement. I understand that it doesn't look as pretty, but it means that none of the original trims, scuttle, sensors, wipers, scuttle, etc etc have to be interfered with, meaning nothing can go wrong. I've repaired two stone chips on my own screen on my IS, and countless others on cars I've had before, rather than replace the screen - even though I'd love a new screen because mines weathered and pitted. But I won't change the screen until I need to, but rather repair it where possible.

Bluesman - thanks, but I do enough mileage as it is! Maybe I should start my own company, specialising in Lexus/Toyota only screens, and just do Owners Club members cars? :D (actually, doing Owners Club members cars is one of the jobs I hate the most - I once attended a job for a member of the Ford RS Owners Club with a Focus RS, who preceeded to tell me that he only wanted a Ford dealer screen because "patent part screens (the ones we use - his words) don't have as many heater elements as the dealer screens". I then watched him count each and every heater element in the screen I'd brought (a non dealer screen) only or him to have to recant that statement when he realised it had the same amount of elements. He then stood over my shoulder the entire time, hawk eye'ing me, and reacting to every "crack" noise as I stripped the car down and refitted. People - cars make cracking noises when you take things apart; it doesn't mean I've broken anything!!! Wipers make the most awful "CRACK" sound when you pop them off the spindle - this usually sends OC members franticly looking for something I've broken. Sometimes I like to wind them up by muttering a discreet, but just loud enough to hear, "oops" while under the bonnet :D

(ps, I'm not tarring all OC members as the above - thankfully it's the minority, not the majority. But there are some serious plums out there. Rest assured, after 10 years, 15,000+ windscreens, and working on nearly every make and model of car on the roads, I do kinda have an idea of what I'm doing ;) )

[matt-c]

Mark - J7 M11. It is a large organisation, but I don't like to type out the name in most cases. The internet is a big place, and many people watch ;)

[brendangeorge]

Bren - the plastic cover, hate to say it, may have had a tab broken on it, which is why it keeps coming off. If this is so, then the replacement company should buy you a new one. As for not working even though the gel is there (it won't be new, as we're never provided replacements for it; it's classed as a reuseable part - essentially, because it is), that is a strange one, and may need to be put on diagnostics to find out why.

Granted, in the non summer months, this job can be a nightmare. The rain is a major problem - water and glue don't mix. Same goes for snow. Sadly, even though I always explain this to the customer before starting a job on a day that it's been raining and looks like it will continue to - and even when I arrive and it's currently raining - many of them refuse to accept my warning is for their benefit, and rather think I'm just trying to get out of doing the job. Usually met with "Well, it's not raining much" or similar. I then explain that if they want me to fit it despite my warning, then I will do, but there will be no warranty offered on it should it leak, or worse, no compensation offered should they have an accident and are injured as a result of the screen not being fitted correctly. This usually gets the message home ;) Cold can also give problems with the glue, which is why the tech mentioned about keeping it on the dash vents. Personally, I don't do this as all it does is localise the heat to one particular part of the "sausage" (the glue "tubes" are foil wrapped sausages), but instead I keep the whole box of glue (12 tubes) in the passenger footwell, with the heater on, and my spare fleece covering them. This traps the heat in, and warms them all the way through.

Creaking is to be expected on most cars after installation, on newer cars, it's a more and more common trend to but the inside trims (roof lining, a-post trims, dash) right up to the glass so it's touching. Problem there is many of these cars have leather, or faux leather plasticy covered trims, which when they rub against the glass, will make creaking noises. Fitters are reluctant to fit the screen so it sits slightly higher, as the customer - who's never looked around the screen before in their life, but as soon as they've had a screen fitted suddenly becomes an expert - claims it's fitted incorrectly as there's a "gap". Add to that, the fashion with new cars is to have the "floating glass" look (no trims around the edges of the glass on the outside, and the gap around the edge of the screen and the body work getting so much smaller with each generation of new model (honestly, the A5 and A6 Audi's have a ~2mm gap between the edge of the glass and the roof on the outside!) that you have to fit the screen at the bang on height otherwise it just looks wrong. On cars with exterior trims, such as the IS200, or Yaris, Avensis, etc, creaking is to be expected from the exterior trim also - especially since in most cases a new trim is fitted, and this is harder and less supple than the original as it hasn't "weathered" in

The things you really need to look out for are leaking (obviously), and windnoise. Windnoise usually comes from incorrect glue line (ie if it has a gap, wind whistles in) and from incorrectly fitted exterior trims (including scuttle); wind gets in and around them and makes noise over x mph.

It's why if at all possible, I'll push for a repair (on a stone chip) rather than replacement. I understand that it doesn't look as pretty, but it means that none of the original trims, scuttle, sensors, wipers, scuttle, etc etc have to be interfered with, meaning nothing can go wrong. I've repaired two stone chips on my own screen on my IS, and countless others on cars I've had before, rather than replace the screen - even though I'd love a new screen because mines weathered and pitted. But I won't change the screen until I need to, but rather repair it where possible.

Bluesman - thanks, but I do enough mileage as it is! Maybe I should start my own company, specialising in Lexus/Toyota only screens, and just do Owners Club members cars? :D (actually, doing Owners Club members cars is one of the jobs I hate the most - I once attended a job for a member of the Ford RS Owners Club with a Focus RS, who preceeded to tell me that he only wanted a Ford dealer screen because "patent part screens (the ones we use - his words) don't have as many heater elements as the dealer screens". I then watched him count each and every heater element in the screen I'd brought (a non dealer screen) only or him to have to recant that statement when he realised it had the same amount of elements. He then stood over my shoulder the entire time, hawk eye'ing me, and reacting to every "crack" noise as I stripped the car down and refitted. People - cars make cracking noises when you take things apart; it doesn't mean I've broken anything!!! Wipers make the most awful "CRACK" sound when you pop them off the spindle - this usually sends OC members franticly looking for something I've broken. Sometimes I like to wind them up by muttering a discreet, but just loud enough to hear, "oops" while under the bonnet :D

(ps, I'm not tarring all OC members as the above - thankfully it's the minority, not the majority. But there are some serious plums out there. Rest assured, after 10 years, 15,000+ windscreens, and working on nearly every make and model of car on the roads, I do kinda have an idea of what I'm doing ;) )

Thanks Matt more really good stuff - you are right about doing jobs for OC memebers and friends - I have been stuck fixing two computers over the last couple of weeks. OK I am an engineer (comms) but have never learned to so no when somebody says you know all about computers don't you :) At work it is all on the clock with satisfaction guarranteed - provided you let the clock run :)

Great advice is all I need no house call required.

Cheers

Bren

[ManicMark]

Mark - J7 M11. It is a large organisation, but I don't like to type out the name in most cases. The internet is a big place, and many people watch ;)

Thanks Matt not far from me then, When my screen goes I will be in contact Thanks again Mark

[Bluesman]

Matt your Ford RS Focus customer is a product of all that is bad in this country which comes from constantly being ripped off and putting up with cowboys in all sorts of trades and services. If the country was full of tradesman such as yourself then there wouldn't be people like Mr Focus RS. Mike

[matt-c]

I disagree. I think he's a product of the internet, and thinking he knows more than he actually does. The problem is, people read a lot of crap on the internet, then spout it back, usually even more incorrectly, as truth, and think they've educated themselves in the process. Sadly, when it comes to car clubs, *some* think this puts them a cut above the rest of the motoring population, because they have a vested interest in their cars. This is often backed up by them being able to tell you the dates that such and such a diff was used, and what material the valve springs were made of in an engine from 1973.

[Bluesman]

I disagree. I think he's a product of the internet, and thinking he knows more than he actually does. The problem is, people read a lot of crap on the internet, then spout it back, usually even more incorrectly, as truth, and think they've educated themselves in the process. Sadly, when it comes to car clubs, *some* think this puts them a cut above the rest of the motoring population, because they have a vested interest in their cars. This is often backed up by them being able to tell you the dates that such and such a diff was used, and what material the valve springs were made of in an engine from 1973.

Well its another point of view. Mike

[brendangeorge]

Success - I took Matt's advice and went round to Auto G's fancy new unit in Northmapton and they sorted out my rain sensor - it is no longer hanging by its wire and it works. As Matt said they should have put a new gel pad in (didn't look new to me) - the guy who fixed it said it was not fitted correctly during the replacement - a glue problem as advised by Matt.

I am now happy and will only be happier if we smash the sheep botherer's in Cardiff tomorrow - yes I will be there and will be driven home by a couple of botherer's - I hope :).

Bren

[matt-c]

Good to hear :)

[matt-c]

Just thought I'd add a couple pics. The car is actually a Rav4 but the sensor isn't hugely dissimilar to those on later IS' and other Lexus'

The sensor;

The gel pad (excuse my grubby hands - ran out of blue gloves!)

And the gel pad in place;