RainX Washer Fluid Affects Washer Level Sensor?

jayb79

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Exeter,NH
I recently had this problem in my golf. I have been using the additive and think I have been putting to much in. I had lots of silicone goo in the tank, used ISO-alcohol to clean it out now its fine. I did notice that the goo had collected up against the side were the fuel filter is. It seems like the heat from the fuel may be reacting with it. I do lots of high speed hi-way driving(2, 2 1/2 hours at a time)
 

ctnatureboy

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Suffield, CT
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mk7 Golf R 6MT
I manually apply the concentrate to my windshield AND use the washer fluid consistently for 10 years now. Never an issue AND with all the slick on my windshield I think it gives me the same mileage bump as Ga$pods!
 

eb2143

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I recently had this problem in my golf. I have been using the additive and think I have been putting to much in. I had lots of silicone goo in the tank, used ISO-alcohol to clean it out now its fine. I did notice that the goo had collected up against the side were the fuel filter is. It seems like the heat from the fuel may be reacting with it. I do lots of high speed hi-way driving(2, 2 1/2 hours at a time)
Interesting...so if the new and improved RainX de-icer formula, which I believe is advertised to have "improved water beading," has increased siloxane content, maybe others are seeing the same effect as in your case with the higher concentration of RainX additive. A conductive sensor isn't going to work if it's coated in gunk.

In that case, cutting the "improved" formula with distilled water (? and some alcohol or antifreeze) might guard against the siloxane goo/precipitant.

This would be a great time for a chemist to chime in.
 
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motorhead426

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2002 Jetta TDI - Auto
Just had my 2012 passat in the dealer for a low washer light on the dash. Apparently rain x doesn't contain enough electrolytes for the 2 sensors at the bottom of the bottle to make a electrical connection. If the connection is broken, then it trips the light. I'd still rather have the low light on with rainx than the alternative.
 

NB_TDi

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Just had my 2012 passat in the dealer for a low washer light on the dash. Apparently rain x doesn't contain enough electrolytes for the 2 sensors at the bottom of the bottle to make a electrical connection. If the connection is broken, then it trips the light. I'd still rather have the low light on with rainx than the alternative.
 

hskrdu

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That's why I always add Gatorade to my windshield washer fluid. I use the endurance formula, since it has twice the electrolytes, and the orange matches the color of Rain-X perfectly.

 

eb2143

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Just had my 2012 passat in the dealer for a low washer light on the dash. Apparently rain x doesn't contain enough electrolytes for the 2 sensors at the bottom of the bottle to make a electrical connection. If the connection is broken, then it trips the light. I'd still rather have the low light on with rainx than the alternative.
Hmm. I think the issue with silicone additives precipitating and coating the inside of the tank is the more likely explanation, but maybe the combination of distilled water, methanol, and siloxanes has a low enough conductivity to trip the sensor. You would think it would be calibrated to avoid this given that it's only supported to trip when AIR separates the probes (~zero electrical conductivity). Maybe you should test your dealer's theory by adding some salt (OR Gatorade :) ) to your tank.
I took a look in my tank after running it low. No residue. No discoloration of the plastic. Probes squeaky clean. This with two fills of the "new and improved" RainX all-season formula. Never used the De-icer formula and will hold off.
 
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snakeye

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Obvioulsy I don't drive the mileage that you do, but I can't imagine going through a gallon a day. Are you using WWF for other purposes? I really just spray the window to clean off drying road salt spray from other vehicles. The rain-x has little value here, it's advantage is allowing rain and snow to slide right off the windshield, making visibility better and reducing (or eliminating) use of the wipers under those conditions. I'm that car at higher speeds driving w/o the wipers on. It does fine when used to "clean" the windshield, but any spray can accomplish this.

I only pay $1.99 to $2.49 for Rain-X WWF at Walmart. If you wouldn't pay "whatever" it costs, than it seems you are wedded to Aquapel and aren't interested in a comparison. That's fine. I don't have allegience, and will be happy to try Aquapel and compare. There's no other way to really know what works (and what doesn't) and what I prefer. Same is true for tires and oils and everything else that people get attached to.



I followed the directions?:) My bottle of Rain-X "original" is so old, it has a paper price tag on it! I use it once a year, once the temps have reached the warmth indicated on the box, and it gets shared by both our TDIs. It takes very little to wax the windshield, and I think I still have a quarter bottle remaining. I also have a bottle of Rain-X "anti-fog," but I found it doesn't have much impact on the interior. It works well for motorcycle faceshields, and crewman goggles/eyewear used in combat.

I previosuly used Rain-X original with other WWFs, but the wax only lasts half as long. Again, the blue stuff seems to eat away at it. Maybe Aquapel resists this since it's fluorinated, where as Rain-X is silicone based?



I agree on the Bosch Icons, but I'm still using the original VW wiper arm and blade, the OE with the wind-assist blade on the driver side. Why? Because I wanted to do my own comparison. I bought two passenger side Icons on sale, and each of our TDIs received them. Then, I put a new rubber insert on the driver side to have a level playing field. The Icons are nice, but a bit pricey for the performance compared to OE- and every day, with every wipe, I have a perfect side by side comparo going on.

For whatever reason, the Rain-X WWF allows the rubber inserts of both blades to last longer than any other WWF I've used. The cheap blue stuff seems to dry them out terribly quick, and they get stiff. I (used) to have to treat them with Aero303 to maintain the soft rubber. The cheap blue WWF (various brands) seems also to make the other rubber and plastic near the windshield dry out or fade, too. Maybe it has more alcohol in it? If I use blue WWF in a pinch, I find I'm out treating all the rubber and plastic with Aero303 after a few weeks.

I'm looking forward to the Aquapel comparison. It's fun to see how well things work, and how they compare amongst others. Even in the same line of products, some seem to work well, and others less so. I'm not a fan for Rain-X wiper blades, waxes, or other sprays, although I guess now they are all part of the Shell group, which makes many auto products (including Rotella T6, etc).
I'll admit I kind of have an ocd problem when it comes to keeping the windshield clean, and I could definitely use less fluid, but when conditions are right, I really have no choice but to use large amounts. Salty water mist on a warm windshield dries almost instantly and needs to be washed off very often.

I've tried both Aquapel and Rainx, and Aquapel is by far the better product. I followed the instructions for rainx properly; I even steel wooled the windshield to make sure it was clean before its application, but it just didn't last long at all. You should try Aquapel, I'm sure you'll like it. You can read comparisons online, it's by far consisted the better product.
 

hskrdu

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I'm a bit rigorous about clear vision, too! Even when the wiper cleared areas are clean, I'm often out there cleaning the whole windshield with Clear Vue (which I think is NLA), just to eliminate salty triangles. I'm looking forward to trying the Aquapel, although I may stick to RX WWF, just beacause the "blue" stuff seems to dry all the plastic and rubber out. How much should I look to pay for it? I didn't see any at the local auto parts store. If you're into clear vision from your rear window, check out my Audi Avant wiper and twin sprayer mod -I should be finished by the end of the March, and I'll post a how-to.
 

ctnatureboy

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OK. I'll eat my hat AND my words. After 10 years running Rain-X in the mk4 with no issues I thought nothing of using it in the new JSW. After my post on Thursday this was just a nuance that other people had to deal with, then last night my WWF lamp came on and the tank was still full. Backtracking the events the first bottle of new formula was introduced less than a week ago. I'll be running it out and refilling with the official VW concentrate-based stuff to see where that gets me.
 

snakeye

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I'm a bit rigorous about clear vision, too! Even when the wiper cleared areas are clean, I'm often out there cleaning the whole windshield with Clear Vue (which I think is NLA), just to eliminate salty triangles. I'm looking forward to trying the Aquapel, although I may stick to RX WWF, just beacause the "blue" stuff seems to dry all the plastic and rubber out. How much should I look to pay for it? I didn't see any at the local auto parts store. If you're into clear vision from your rear window, check out my Audi Avant wiper and twin sprayer mod -I should be finished by the end of the March, and I'll post a how-to.
I used to get aquapel from the vw dealer near my place for around $11, until a friend of mine bought some in bulk and re-sold them for $5 each.

Don't know how it'll work on a windshield that already has rainx applied to, though. Might need to let that wear off first.
 

ctnatureboy

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That settles it (for me anyway). I ran the Rain-X out of the tank and refilled with the VW concentrate. Light went out immidately.
 
Joined
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me too

I just noticed this thread, since ive used rainx for years and years without issue. I filled up my wifes jsw 2 weeks ago. I asked her if her wiper fluid light was on... she says, "yeah... couple weeks now, must need some more"

went down to the garage to find the bottle.. yup. dark orange de-icer.:rolleyes:

I used it in my A3, and was getting the warning on below freezing mornings, but after parking in a heated garage during the day, no warning. Thought it was icing up!:p

will try sidewalk ice melter in the tank and report back. or gatorade. but that stuff is too good to waste on the car.:)
 
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Sabres11

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upstate NY
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2012 Sportwagen
So, have any of the "fixes" - adding gatorade, salt, etc worked? I put in Rain-X last weekend and now my light won't go off. Was planning on pulling the sensor to clean the electrodes to see if that works but would like to know if I should try a "fix" first. BTW, I drained the orange Rain-X today and put in blue fluid.
 

DieselRacer

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That settles it (for me anyway). I ran the Rain-X out of the tank and refilled with the VW concentrate. Light went out immidately.
So the consensus is Rain x sucks and oem wins every time, I use oem on VW cars always call me crazy... Brakes oem, belts, filters, oem, and washer fluid oem, lol...:D
 

hskrdu

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The OEM does work great at drying out all the rubber and bleaching the plastics! I'll stick with my RX, but I'm stubborn.
 

WallaceMI

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Sep 30, 2012
Location
Royal Oak, MI
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JSW
I have the same problem. My fluid was low and added RainX and a day later the light came on even though the fluid container was full.

Can you tell where the windshield fluid sensor is located? Pictures? Any recommendation on another fluid (instead of RainX)?
 

jima1

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Virginia
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I used to get aquapel from the vw dealer near my place for around $11, until a friend of mine bought some in bulk and re-sold them for $5 each.
Don't know how it'll work on a windshield that already has rainx applied to, though. Might need to let that wear off first.
Amazon gets the price of Acquapel down to $5 each for packages of 6, even a bit less for larger packages.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004NFXA7I/ref=oh_details_o01_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I like the way it works, seems like a winner if it really lasts for a few months.
 

hskrdu

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Can you tell where the windshield fluid sensor is located? Pictures? Any recommendation on another fluid (instead of RainX)?
The sensor is near the bottom of the WWF tank, on the side. When there is no fluid between the two metal prongs that enter the washer tank, it reads as low/empty. One theory in the past has been that RX formula lacks the ability to send enough current for the sensor to read full, especially when cold.
 

motorhead426

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Hmm. I think the issue with silicone additives precipitating and coating the inside of the tank is the more likely explanation, but maybe the combination of distilled water, methanol, and siloxanes has a low enough conductivity to trip the sensor. You would think it would be calibrated to avoid this given that it's only supported to trip when AIR separates the probes (~zero electrical conductivity). Maybe you should test your dealer's theory by adding some salt (OR Gatorade :) ) to your tank.
I took a look in my tank after running it low. No residue. No discoloration of the plastic. Probes squeaky clean. This with two fills of the "new and improved" RainX all-season formula. Never used the De-icer formula and will hold off.
They did add some salt to the fluid and the light stayed out for over a month, until the bottle would take about a gallon of new fluid. I refilled with the same rain x fluid yesterday and the light is still on. I wonder if this can be disabled in VCDS?
 

maniago

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Bowie MD
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2013 TDI Passat with the same problem here with the Rain-X. Light came on right after put the stuff in. Left it on all the winter, and just finished it. I put in some cheap target blue stuff, and it was slow to come on, but did none the less after a few minutes. I pulled my tank (its a cake job - pull the fender liner and all its screws - tanks is in with 2 bolts, 2 nuts. The washer pump and the sensor are just pushed in with rubber bungs - easy to wiggle out), washed it out with soap and water, cleaned the prongs with soap and water, and filled the tank up half way with tap water to test out. No light. Yeah. On to the next PITA - DSG oil change....boo.
 

rhr1960

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Jun 16, 2014
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Connecticut
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B5 Audi S4
So far so good with no extreme measures required...

I dumped 2 tablespoons of kosher salt into my reservoir that was still almost full with Rain-X and the warning light went out within a couple of minutes. I ran this "saline solution" through my washer system (both windshield and tailgate spritzers) for a bit and then flushed whole system with tap water, making sure to get the garden hose way down to bottom of reservoir. Finally, ran a lot of tap water through the system, rinsed all of the salt residue off of the exterior of the car and called it a day. So far so good, without even having had to burrow under the fender liner to remove and clean the contacts.

Looking back, I probably am lucky that I didn't damage the contacts with the end of the hose, so that's something you should be careful about.

If the light comes back on, my next step will be to try a mild vinegar and water solution, letting that percolate for 24 hours or so then running it through the washer system with the hope of dissolving and evacuating the Rain-X residue that presumably remains.

As for what to use next Winter, guess I'll monitor the situation via Google. If Rain-X folks are smart, they will have retreated to the original formula by then and publicized that fact.
 

rhr1960

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I spoke to the Support folks at Rain-X...

I just got off of the phone with customer support at Rain-X and then at ITW Global Brands, their parent company and the folks who are only responsible for manufacturing the product according to the specifications given to them by the Rain-X brand team.

ITWGB are aware of the problem and waiting for the Rain-X brand team to decide what formula to use this coming Winter. The customer support lady said their hope is that the Rain-X brand team will decide to go back to the old formula or eliminate the problematic ingredient (she referred to it as an emollient). She said that we will be able to tell if they have changed it because the color will revert to the original lighter color.

The very helpful lady at ITWGB also said that they went back to the older formula for the green Summer "flavor" of Rain-X so it should not present these same sensor problems.
 

VeeDubTDI

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rhr1960, thanks for the information. Just for clarification, you're saying that the green Rain-X has reverted back to the old formula that does not insulate the electronic probes?
 

hskrdu

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For those with a Mark IV, who don't want to disable the low WWF chime, the removal and cleaning of the washer fluid level sensor takes only 15-30 minutes (incl removal of the fluid reservoir) and doesn't require removal of the bumper. Takes even less time if you run the fluid low and just pull the sensor.
 

KLXD

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Couldn't you bend the sensor prongs closer together? Never looked at them but I assume it's similar to the coolant sensor.
 

hskrdu

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If the type of wwf used prevents a current between the prongs, moving them closer may not solve the issue (if able to do this w/o damage to the sensor). Even cleaning them (after using a wwf that coats them) may be temporary. In one car I turned off the chime, in the other I removed the sensor, cleaned with an alcohol wipe, and reinstalled. The false low wwf alarm has not come back yet.
 

rhr1960

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rhr1960, thanks for the information. Just for clarification, you're saying that the green Rain-X has reverted back to the old formula that does not insulate the electronic probes?
VeeDub - That's what the lady told me. Current production of the green "flavor" uses the original formula.
 
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