Rain sensing wipers in 2013 Passat TDI SEL Premium?

herbert68 · Dec 6, 2013

Last weekend I bought my new Passat from Chris Farnham at VW Langhorne, what an awesome buying experience, highly recommended!

Moving up from a 2010 Jetta TDI Sedan and few 100 miles later I am VERY happy with my new Passat!

I assume this car has automatic rain sensing wipers as it has the little black box on the windshield just behind the rearview mirror, but I can't figure out how to activate that feature, the manual is quite vague about wiper function.

Am I wrong in my assumption?

nord · Dec 6, 2013

VagCom will be your friend. See if anyone in your area has one. Dealers? I doubt that they would have a clue.

Owner's Manual? What a joke! Just a legal disclaimer with very little owner information.

VeeDubTDI · Dec 6, 2013

See this thread (all about rain sensing wipers): http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=377092&highlight=rain+sensing+wipers

mattfrayage · Dec 6, 2013

herbert68 said:
Last weekend I bought my new Passat from Chris Farnham at VW Langhorne, what an awesome buying experience, highly recommended!

Moving up from a 2010 Jetta TDI Sedan and few 100 miles later I am VERY happy with my new Passat!

I assume this car has automatic rain sensing wipers as it has the little black box on the windshield just behind the rearview mirror, but I can't figure out how to activate that feature, the manual is quite vague about wiper function.

Am I wrong in my assumption?

Officially UAE, Saudi and NAR Spec NMS passats do not support it... only South Korean spec SEL's made in Chattanooga do...
the dealer said that to me and i thought to myself WHY again do I ever even let them touch my car, went back home and turned it on via my VCDS cable

explain to me again how a car with the EXACT same parts has stuff turned off in one country and on in the next?!

herbert68 · Dec 6, 2013

Thank you all, this is helpful! I also would like to apologize, I should have searched before posting ... duh!

I also found this detailed description, seems easy to do with VCDS – if I had one and knew how to use it: http://www.myturbodiesel.com/1000q/b7/vw-passat-auto-wiper-activation.htm

Is anyone reasonably close to me and willing to help?

mattfrayage · Dec 6, 2013

herbert68 said:
Thank you all, this is helpful! I also would like to apologize, I should have searched before posting ... duh!

I also found this detailed description, seems easy to do with VCDS – if I had one and knew how to use it: http://www.myturbodiesel.com/1000q/b7/vw-passat-auto-wiper-activation.htm

Is anyone reasonably close to me and willing to help?

click on the little VCDS locator button in veedub's signature

VeeDubTDI · Dec 6, 2013

You can check out the VCDS locator link in my signature, or if you're ever in the DC area, stop on by!

mrmoto35 · Dec 6, 2013

VeeDubTDI said:
You can check out the VCDS locator link in my signature, or if you're ever in the DC area, stop on by!

You can add me to that list if you want.

Cypress, CA 90630
HEX-USB-CAN

herbert68 · Dec 6, 2013

Awesome, I'll check the VCDS Locator, thank you! A trip to DC may happen sometime later, early next year, I'll let you know.

Lightflyer1 · Dec 7, 2013

Just remember it doesn't always work reliably. Mine is on and is finicky sometimes. Left on a trip one time in the rain and it wouldn't activate. Had to pull over and shutdown/restart several times to get it to activate properly. Had to listen to the wife complain for a while. Worked fine the rest of the trip. For some reason the windows up function always seems to work, but not the wipers.

Rockwell · Dec 7, 2013

Lightflyer1 said:
Just remember it doesn't always work reliably. Mine is on and is finicky sometimes. Left on a trip one time in the rain and it wouldn't activate. Had to pull over and shutdown/restart several times to get it to activate properly. Had to listen to the wife complain for a while. Worked fine the rest of the trip. For some reason the windows up function always seems to work, but not the wipers.

This is the reason I'm sure. There would be too many complaints.

Salsaman06 · Dec 7, 2013

Lightflyer1 said:
Just remember it doesn't always work reliably. Mine is on and is finicky sometimes. Left on a trip one time in the rain and it wouldn't activate. Had to pull over and shutdown/restart several times to get it to activate properly. Had to listen to the wife complain for a while. Worked fine the rest of the trip. For some reason the windows up function always seems to work, but not the wipers.

Yeah I decided to turn off the rain sensing function because of this. Most of the time, they just didnt work they way they should have.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

javediqbal · Apr 20, 2020

I just got my 2013 TDI SEL premium, wanted to see if I can have help to get the rain sensing wiper activated. From this forum, it seems that VCDS is required. I am in the Chicago area, could I get help here. Of course please be safe out there.

Jetta_Pilot · Apr 22, 2020

Almost as soon as I got the car I activated the rain sensor function and it has worked flawlessly for me ever since.

Rain sensing wipers in 2013 Passat TDI SEL Premium?

herbert68

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nord

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VeeDubTDI

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mattfrayage

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herbert68

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