rain sensor e46 f/l

[Hoffi]

Hi
This is the next fixit for my e46.
My rain sensor seems to have broken glass between the sensor and the windscreen. (i believe this is why its not working) can i remove the sensor without removing the windscreen, and if the sensor is faulty would you recomend getting a new one or taking a chance with a second hand one. I have tried to remove the plastic housing around the rearview mirror but stopped cause i don't know wher the clips are and i don't what to break them. (getting a haynes manual soon. unless there are better recomendations)

 

[freerider]

Hi
This is the next fixit for my e46.
My rain sensor seems to have broken glass between the sensor and the windscreen. (i believe this is why its not working) can i remove the sensor without removing the windscreen, and if the sensor is faulty would you recomend getting a new one or taking a chance with a second hand one. I have tried to remove the plastic housing around the rearview mirror but stopped cause i don't know wher the clips are and i don't what to break them. (getting a haynes manual soon. unless there are better recomendations)

What model yr is your car? I have a haynes manual for sale that covers up to 2003.

I believe the culprit here is a shoddy windscreen installation, the guys in the states often complain about rain sensor not working after having a glass-fit type place put a new screen in. Can you not take it back to where the windscreen was fitted?

 

[netercol]

the cover around the sensor and rear view mirror just clips apart, the electronic part of the sensor has two sliding plastic pins that lock it to the purple lens glued to the w/s. 99% sure your problem is the lens is glued back shoddily...

the ideal fix is that the w/s should be replaced with a rainsensor w/s because they come with the sensor lens already glued in place.

but a lot of times the w/s gets replaced with a cheaper one without the lens glued on, in which case the sensor has to be glued back in place by whoever.

this is tricky, because there must be NO diffraction between the lens and the glass, else the sensor cant "see" the surface of the w/s , and so sense water drops on the surface. so double sided tape ect will not work, only thing i have found to work, (fixed mine this way) is to use clear silicone and then squeeze it till a thin layer is left between window and lens, but not too thin else the silicone cracks..

also very important, you need a clear silicone that is acid free! else it will eat the plastic lens.. when all this is done, the sensor has to be re-initialized with inpa or other, and voila, a functioning rain sensor.

 

[Hellas]

I remember a raid sensor w/s was like R8000 2 year ago...

 

[Hoffi]

Thanks will try fix it myself. R8000 bit steep for my dwindeling pocket. the windscreen was replaced before i bought the car. Didn't notice the rain sensor wasn't working untill about 2 weeks ago. but will try netercol's method. if its still not working i havn't lost anthing.

My car is a 2004 model aqccording to real oem.

 

[Hoffi]

i just re-fitted my rain sensor as per method Netercol. seems to be working:thumbsup: didn't have to re-initialized though. i'm happy now prolems fixed. let the modding begin.:clap:

 

[netercol]

lol, glad it worked :thumbsup:

 

[Hoffi]

thanks for the help man...:thumbsup:

 

[Stiffler_PE]

Sorry to hi-jack thread... i have 2003/09 e46 318i F/L

@ freerider - Does your Haynes cover this model and if so is it still available and most importantly can i afford it

Cheers