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Wipers turning on randomly
Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2018 8:25 am
by madjam6rc
As the subject line say, my wipers occasionally work/sweep without being activated. The lever is in the rest position but it intermittently goes in to 'intermittent' mode, randomly coming on. Anyone else experienced the same and able to somehow stop this?? Thanks
Re: Wipers turning on randomly
Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2018 11:47 am
by cheba
It happens to me rarely, a handful times a year. The wiper stalk is in "Off" mode but for some reason the wipers just spontaneously do a single wipe. I have no idea why it happens.
Re: Wipers turning on randomly
Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2018 4:35 pm
by veteran
I find, on my Polo 6C 2017, that positionally there's so little difference between stalk position 'wipers off' and stalk position 'wipers automatic' (intermittent)' that, after a session in the rain, I'll quite often forget to put the stalk back to 'wipers off'. In other words, I often subconsciously think my wipers are set to 'off' when in fact they're not. This then means that if the rain detection sensitivity switch on the stalk is set near maximum, any slight drop of rain or mist at some later time is enough to cause a single, or sometimes double, wipe. I then realise my fault and correct it by properly cancelling the stalk position. Are you sure you're not in that very same situation? Check that your stalk is truly in the 'wipers off' position when the wipers are supposed to be off, and if you've a rain sensitivity switch try putting it to a less sensitive position.
Re: Wipers turning on randomly
Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2018 8:39 pm
by cheba
Yes, I am 100% sure it's not the same situation. What you describes happens sometimes to me too (more often than the random wiping), but I can easily see whether the stalk is in the "Off" position or not, by using the spokes of the steering wheel as a frame of reference.
Also, a couple of times where this random wiping has occurred, I have made sure that the stalk was in the "Off" position by pushing it downwards. It then went into the "single wipe" mode and then sprung back to the original position.
Re: Wipers turning on randomly
Posted: Fri Aug 31, 2018 12:35 am
by madjam6rc
I don't have rain sensitive/auto wipers and, yes, the wiper arm is in the off position when the blades randomly sweeps. Very strange. Not done it today though.
Re: Wipers turning on randomly
Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2018 7:18 am
by madjam6rc
Doing it permanently now and doing my head in!
Re: Wipers turning on randomly
Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2018 7:18 pm
by Pete_Oz
My daughter's 2014 Polo had this exact problem. Fault diagnosed as being the wiper stalk needing replaced. Fixed by stalk replacement (and a £150+ bill!!)
PS - seems to be a common problem if you do some googling. Hopefully you're under warranty (if not maybe worth a call to VW customer services to see if they'll help with the cost)
Re: Wipers turning on randomly
Posted: Fri Sep 14, 2018 9:46 am
by madjam6rc
Interesting to hear, thank you. Mine's booked in for next week. Thanks again
Re: Wipers turning on randomly
Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2018 5:17 pm
by RUM4MO
Any update on that repair, what was the root cause and cost if you paid?
Re: Wipers turning on randomly
Posted: Sun Sep 23, 2018 9:16 am
by madjam6rc
Hi. Due in for inspection on Tuesday. Will report back. Thanks.
I just get used to it now

Re: Wipers turning on randomly
Posted: Sun Sep 23, 2018 12:37 pm
by RUM4MO
Thanks for getting back, I'll wait patiently for your update!
Re: Wipers turning on randomly
Posted: Tue Sep 25, 2018 8:10 pm
by madjam6rc
Car in for 2 days so will report back again soon. Incidentally as I was booking in the service manager said he'd had another Polo booked in with exactly the same issue.
My aircon's making funny/gassy noises too. Again, this is another common problem (according to service manager) and prior to my ownership the previous owner had a big aircon issue sorted too. And also my interior lights come on randomly too.
Clearly aliens.
Re: Wipers turning on randomly
Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2018 9:59 am
by RUM4MO
Good, Good!
Air Con issues with this version of car ie, Polo, Ibiza and Fabia, there was internet forum talk of the compressor manufacturer, I've forgotten that company's name, accepting that some or many compressors were being shipped with some manufacturing debris/swarf still inside the body, so in use some of these compressor became noisy and failed. I can only think of one supplier of compressors to VW Group so I don't want to offer up that name in case it is wrong.
Gassy noises usually means it has become "short of gas" due either to normal leakage across seals or flexible sections of piping, or a part of it, typically the condenser has suffered stone damage as it is very exposed at the front of the car.
Personally, I'd be surprised at the age your car is that the loss of refrigerant is due to "normal leakage" (you have to understand that the system's O-ring seals and flexible piping are made of a material that this refrigerant can migrate acoss very slightly - an industry wide problem), but some people have had to get their systems recovered, checked for leakage and recharged - though I would give that work to a mobile proper Air Con guy who lives by his good name and not someone in a dealership that has received just enough basic training and certification to work of air con systems for customers with enough money to pay for mistakes.
Re: Wipers turning on randomly
Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2018 10:39 am
by iichel
I believe you'll find that to be the company "Sanden"

They are one of the companies making aircon compressors, besides Bosch, Denso and Continental.
Re: Wipers turning on randomly
Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2018 11:18 am
by grpolo
I have the exact same problem on my Polo 4 years now, and the VW official workshop is unable to troubleshoot and repair the problem. If anyone has any information on the matter or has managed to fix the problem please reply.
The wipers work at full speed for 2 or 3 wipes and then stop, this happens randomly while driving or idling. The problem can repeat one time every month or sometime as long as one time in 8 months.
i do not have a rain sensor...