RainX Washer Fluid Affects Washer Level Sensor?

[VeeDubTDI]

Well there you go. Use the green stuff instead of the incompatible orange stuff. Problem solved until the temp drops below freezing.

 

[jbright]

I've never had any problems with the 'fill' light malfunctioning and I've been using many different kinds of washer fluid over the past five years, including Rain-X. However, this summer I refilled with a cheap fluid and the damned light came on. I read these threads, ran down the fluid and put in distilled water which did the trick. I refilled with fluid I got at the dealership and was fine until yesterday, when the last of the VW fluid ran out. I refilled with Prestone and the light is back on. I'm on my way to the dealership now. The light is an annoying feature anyway, coming on every ten seconds.

 

[tjsean0308]

I've been going full OCD and buying VW concentrate. I like how well it takes bugs off. We'll see how the claimed light frost removal goes this winter.

 

[Dimitri16V]

saw the sign at the local stealer warning customers about using RainX and claiming it will destroy the "sensor"

Crooks

 

[jbright]

After writing the above post I ran out the Prestone while I drove to the dealership. I bought some more VW concentrate and told the service guys about the problem. The concentrate mixed with some distilled water made the light go out instantly, just like before, and I've had no problem since. A couple of the service people seemed to know about the issue with Rain-X but didn't seem to want to talk about it.

 

[VeeDubTDI]

saw the sign at the local stealer warning customers about using RainX and claiming it will destroy the "sensor"

Crooks

Well, it won't "destroy" the sensor, but it will cost it in crap so that it no longer senses fluid.

 

[stanz]

Filled my 09 Jetta TDI this weekend with Rain-X for the storm on Tuesday. This wednesday morning came to work 16 degrees first time low level light came on, and stayed on for the forty mile trip. Does anybody have a cheat sheet for disabling through VCDS. Just brought two jug container from COSTCO, must be new formula. Have not had a problem before. Thanks...

 

[JB05]

I just replenished my fluid with more of the Rain-X and no light. I'll have to check to make sure the bulb is functioning.

 

[engineer626]

Follow up:

I drained the RainX into a vehicle without a washer fluid sensor and have been using the simple blue stuff since then. Didn't change the level sensor or re-clean the reservoir.
No more false low level indications and on a recent trip the low level indicator did come on when the level got low.

I suspect the cold had something to do with the false indications. I might try RainX again the summer. Maybe the warm weather of a fix in their formula will make things better.

 

[VeeDubTDI]

They went back to the old formula a couple of months ago.

 

[belome]

They went back to the old formula a couple of months ago.

I sent them a rather nasty email and they never responded, go figure. I'm surprised this didn't end up as a class action lawsuit. [or maybe it has]

 

[BlankThis]

Been running Rain-X De-Icer all winter. Works great and no sensor issues.

 

[2010TDI]

I have been getting the false positive on the low level WWF sensor as well. I was getting this in our 2010 Sportwagen before I was getting it in the sedan (have been running RainX in both of them since purchase). The Sportwagen popped up the error around the same time the radio died so I thought it could be a related electrical issue. A few months later the same thing happened on the sedan; the radio died while driving one day, a few days later the WWF warning came on and stayed on.

It is easy enough to keep the tank full so I have not worried about it; it was not until today that I started looking into the sensor issue to see if other people have also seen a correlation with the radio failures that I saw comments about a potential RainX issue. I guess I'm either going to let my tank run out and see if the light goes away with some tap water in there, or I will just disable the sensor in VCDS as others have done.

I’m also now getting an Intake Manifold Flap error and a Passenger Side Airbag Sensor Error on the sedan so I’m starting to judge these (electrical) issues a little more harshly now.

 

[Das]

Been running rainx for 2 1/2 years never had a low sensor issue at all.

 

[BMC]

Rain x washer level sensor - easy fix

I have been dumb enough to put rain x in 3 tdi's. All 3 low level lights came on.
After reading all the threads , I purchased some new sensors and planned on changing them out. I decided it was some kind of coating left on the sensors at the bottom of the tank. So if draining and refilling does not fix your problem, try draining and refilling with " blue fluid" and then try getting a long flathead screwdriver with a sharp edge. Use it to scrape the electrodes inside the tank a bit. Takes 2 secs and so far I am 3 for 3 and it's been at least a year with no recurring issue.

I no longer use the Orange stuff or any other of rainx's products.

 

[InSaNeBoY]

I've been using it in my MK4 jetta wagon and B5.5 Passat wagon (been using it since about 2005 in various cars) no false empty tank lights. Light only comes on when its nearly empty...

even temperature has not effected it, -16F this winter, no washer fluid low warning lights. Only warnings I got when it was that cold was the TCS light on the TDi.

-sam

 

[euro2fast4u]

Ive ran the orange and green stuff since new.

light has come and gone with out warning. It does seem to be affected by temperature.

IE if above 95 degrees the light goes off. Though sometimes it doesnt.

Not consistent enough for me to diag beyond just the fluid affecting it.

 

[79TA7.6]

I have been using Rain-X since mid 2000's on various different cars. Got my 2003 Jetta in 2007 and have been using it ever since. The last jug I bought was a slightly different color than all the rest I had bought, still had a jug for our other rigs, and less than a week later my low level light came on. Has been on ever since.

 

[euro2fast4u]

Light has been recently working like normal again.

 

[Dimitri16V]

My level sensor is always reading low after using RainX
All you have to do is , remove it and clean it . It is no "sensor" in the traditional sense , just two pins making continuity through the fluid

 

[rhr1960]

Cheap and easy fix for windshield washer level sensor light problem

Just a reminder, for those of you still experiencing the Rain-X windshield washer reservoir light problem. The kosher salt treatment described below worked beautifully. The warning light has never come back on unless reservoir level truly was low, so there was no need for further action with vinegar, etc.

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.

 

[JETaah]

Just fixed a no-fluid symptom with a scotch brite-ing session of the sensor terminals.
There was definitely a thick film on the probes.

With such an inconsistency of failure among users, I wonder if Rain-X plus an occasional dose of a different washer fluid formula fouls the probes.

 

[mrGutWrench]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dimitri16V View Post
saw the sign at the local stealer warning customers about using RainX and claiming it will destroy the "sensor"

Crooks

Well, it won't "destroy" the sensor, but it will cost it in crap so that it no longer senses fluid.

But that means that you have to pay shop prices for them to replace it "since it's obviously not any good anymore" right???

 

[mrGutWrench]

Just fixed a no-fluid symptom with a scotch brite-ing session of the sensor terminals.
There was definitely a thick film on the probes.

About 8 years ago, my low-fluid light started beeping although the reservoir was nearly full. I filled it full and the light/beep went out. Someone on these forums said that that was a symptom of the terminals being dirty. I took a piece of wood (I think it was a chopstick from the take-away) and gave the terminal a bit of a rub. I've never had a problem since.
('03 Jetta Wagon, 390K+ miles now).

With such an inconsistency of failure among users, I wonder if Rain-X plus an occasional dose of a different washer fluid formula fouls the probes.

Being cheap, I often top off the reservoir a bit with plain water in the summer (plus in NC freezing weather season is shorter than up Nawth). If other people are doing this, I wonder if trace impurities in added water makes a contribution to this too. All I know is that 90 seconds (including opening the hood and flipping open the cap on the reservoir) of scrubbing the contacts fixed this problem for me.

I've used the Rain-Ex stuff for years, no problems.

 

[xny556cip]

Crazy fix but true! I emptied my reservoir,half filled with cold tap water,then added two teaspoons of salt diluted in boiling water.left it overnight.
Next day I used an old electric toothbrush dipped into the reservoir to brush the clean looking sensor.Voila ! The light vent out ,and has stayed of for 50 miles so far.
You could try the same using a good bottle brush.
I have 250k on my Golf and only had this issue since last winter( using orange fluid for the first time)