Volkswagen Polo Quiz
Lights and vision

Rain/light sensor

In this manual: Lights and vision
Vehicle exterior — 4Vehicle interior — 8Instrument cluster — 14Before setting off — 14Opening and closing — 35Sitting correctly and safely — 46Lights and vision — 26Transporting items — 29Practical equipment — 20Starting the engine, changing gear and parking — 34Driver assist systems — 18Air conditioning system — 8At the filling station — 14In the engine compartment — 24Vehicle care and maintenance — 66Practical tips — 2In an emergency — 5Manual opening and closing — 6Vehicle toolkit — 4Hubcaps — 4Changing a wheel — 9Breakdown set — 7Fuses — 4Changing a bulb — 13Starting the engine with jump leads — 4Tow-starting and towing — 7
3steps
~18min
2/5difficulty
Done 0 of 3

Fig. 75 Windscreen wiper lever: setting the rain/light sensor Ⓐ

Fig. 76 Sensitive surface of the rain/light sensor

First read and observe the introductory information and safety warnings

When the rain/light sensor is activated, it automatically controls the frequency of the wiper intervals, depending on the intensity of the rain . The sensitivity of the rain/light sensor can be adjusted manually. Manual wipe .

Push the lever to the desired position :

  1. The rain/light sensor is deactivated.
  2. The rain/light sensor is active – automatic wipe when necessary.

  3. Setting the sensitivity of the rain/light sensor:

    • Switch to the right – high sensitivity.
    • Switch to the left – low sensitivity.

The rain/light sensor will remain active after the ignition is switched off and back on again and will function again if the windscreen wiper lever is in position ① and if the vehicle is travelling at speeds higher than 16 km/h.

Changes in the activation of the rain/light sensor

Possible causes for faults and misinterpretations relating to the sensitive surface of the rain/light sensor might include:

  • Damaged wiper blades: a film of water or smears caused by damaged wiper blades can increase the length of time for which the wipers are switched on, shorten the length of the intervals between wipes, or cause the wipers to run continuously.
  • Insects: insects hitting the surface can cause the wipers to be activated.
  • Salt deposits: in winter, salt deposits can cause the wiper to continue to wipe the windscreen when it is almost dry.
  • Soiling: dry dust, wax, windscreen coatings (lotus effect), or detergent deposits (from an automatic car wash) can cause the rain/light sensor to become less sensitive and react too slowly, or prevent it from reacting at all.
  • Crack in the windscreen: a wash cycle will be triggered if the rain/light sensor is on when the windscreen is impacted by a stone. The rain/light sensor will then register the reduction in sensitivity of the surface and adjust accordingly. The size of the crack could affect the way in which the sensor activates the wipers.
The rain/light sensor cannot always detect every rain shower and activate the windscreen wipers.
  • If necessary, switch on the windscreen wiper manually if the water on the windscreen restricts the field of vision.

Clean the sensitive surface of the rain/light sensor (arrow) at regular intervals and inspect the wiper blades for damage.

We recommend that you use an alcohol-based glass cleaner to remove wax and polish.

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A quick Volkswagen Polo quiz: every answer comes with an explanation and a link to the manual page.