So, onto my next "adventure" with this car .

Anyone has any idea why the intermittent mode for the wipers won't function properly?
The wipers work and in any mode, they don't skip a beat, but in the intermittent mode it feels like it wipes the windshield whenever she is in the mood.

I know there are different levels (slow/fast), but changing that doesn't really do anything.

As an example... Think of 0 as "pause" and 1 as "wipe" - and each is roughly a second.

On any car that I had so far with an intermittent wipe mode, on the fastest setting, it will be like this:
1 00 1 00 1 00 1 00 1 00 1 00... and so on...

On the XF, the fastest setting is more like this:
1 00000000000000 1 0000000 1 00 1 00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 1 0... and it randomly goes on ...

What do I need to look at to make this thing working properly again? Or that's how it is!? :|

 

Without wishing to sound rude, aren't you just describing "rain sensing" vs "intermittent" wipers here? They only wipe when there's rain on the windshield, rather than at a set interval, and the adjustment control adjusts the "sensitivity" of the rain-sensing rather than the time period in between the wipes. I certainly prefer them.

Not sure if all the XFs have rain-sensing rather than intermittent wipers but I'd imagine most do - you can see the sensor behind the rear view mirror when viewed outside of the car.

 

You don't sound rude at all - I'm sure I sounded pretty stupid when you read that !

I will be honest and say that I have no idea if this car is equipped with rain-sensing. If it is, than I guess that is what is malfunctioning, since when it rains and trying to use the (what I believed is) intermittent mode, is not really working even when the window is filled with droplets and I am unable to see trough the window - I usually have to pull on the wiper lever towards me to awake it.

You might be absolutely right.
Stupid question... how could I make sure that I do have this sensor?

Thanks!

 

All three of my Jags (2010 XFS, 2010 XFR and 2014 F-Type) have had rain sensing wipers and no "intermittent mode" as such, and I have a sneaking suspicion this is the same for all modern Jags.
And yes, IMHO the system is crap, most of the time it works in the exact reverse way it should no matter how I adjust the sensitivity - does nothing when there is water on the screen but wipes away like crazy when the screen is dry! I would much prefer the old fashioned adjustable intermittent wipe as described by the OP.

 

Most likely the sensor isn't properly attached to the windscreen. If the front windscreen glass has been replaced and the sensor wasn't properly refitted (eg an air bubble under it) then it won't work properly. You could ask a window glass shop to refit it for you
My 2010 XF SC has it and it works perfectly. Wipes when it rains, faster when heavy, never when dry!

 

Well, I guess I learned something more today - sorry for the silly post.
I have found an instructional video on YouTube from Jaguar and that guy was saying that I have them... so I guess I'm stuck with them.

I guess the sensor will be the one at the bottom of the rear view mirror - not "glued" to the windshield, but rather pointing forward at the road...

Are they really that bad... or is something wrong with mine and I should replace some relay or something!?

 

I have found this image on the "internets"... not mine...
It looks like the sensor is not the one glued on the windshield!? Or they both work together - (I noticed there is one "glued" to the windshield)!?

 

I don't think that's labeled correctly. It's the rectangular one 'glued' to the windscreen. Look it up on eBay to see a photo and compare with what you have.

 

Thanks - I'll have a look at it tomorrow morning... kind of late now .

 

Yep, definitely the one glued to the screen. Their operation is reasonably simple - rain drops reflect the infra-red light emitted from an LED, and the sensor picks up less light and so turns the wipers on. Things to look out for I guess are a dirty sensor or glass, maybe delamination of the glass, or maybe an issue with the connection of the unit itself?

 

Managed to have a look at the mirror and I think probably @BritCars was right - maybe the window was removed in the past and the mirror was glued back on wrong.
Took a picture - to me doesn't look clean and or properly done... but I could be wrong. What do you guys think?

 

Yes. That's the right sensor. And agreed unless the reflection is playing tricks in the picture it's not on right. If you get a bubble of air between it and the window it creates stray reflections and won't work. I had one on an old Volvo that didn't work for that reason

I would go talk to a local windscreen replacement company. They refit these all the time and they should work fine. Ask them if you can pay them to do it for you - I can't believe it will take them more than 10-15 mins given how fast they do a whole screen!

 

That 100% doesn't look right and is likely the cause of your issues. There's a specific sealant Jag recommend the usage of, someone may know it.

 

@BritCars - nope, there are no reflections on that image; half of it is black (left side - I assume sealant or something) and half of it doesn't seems to be covered. Should all be covered... or none!?
Seems to be two kind of sensors on there - one of the left and one on the right and between them there seems to be 4 rhombus shapes (no idea what they do).

@davetibbs - thanks for the confirmation. At least now I know what I have and where my issues are. Will this special sealant be anything like the ones on the German cars?
I know a shop where the specialize in German cars and I trust them to do a good job; been knowing them for years now.

Putting this on my list of things to fix on this cat - as soon as I get the chance to make the trip to them.

This car so far, I've been having it for a month and is like a gift that keeps on giving .
At least she is driving straight now (alignment was off on it, did one today).

 

It's all one sensor. Just part of it is fully affixed to the screen and part is coming off. The four rhombus shapes are part of the sensor

It's not a glue / paste that holds it on. It's a clear gel pad, made of silicon. It holds the sensor fully on the screen. Not reusable and I would bet your screen was replaced and they tried to reuse it

You can buy the gel pad - about $12. Google part number LJD3850AA and you can see them for sale eg on eBay. Not certain if that's the right one for your model but seems to be common to many jags. Find the right one, order and refit (see YouTube for videos!)
Or a glass repair place will be able to do it

 

Thanks!
If is that easy, maybe I will be giving it a try . For that price, I would not mind wasting 2 or 3 pads to learn something new..

 

It looks like the LJD3850AA is not the actual part number. This will be for the round pad...
Anyone knows the part number for the rectangular one!?

 

Well, as an update on this, if anyone cares, it looks like the gel pad for this type of sensor is not sold separately. It comes with the entire sensor .. for around $90CAD

Anyway, in the hope to make the existing pad work, I opened the trim pieces on the mirror and noticed that on the left side, the tab was not clipped in properly. Clipped the thing in and now the wipers are working as they should - the pad is properly pressed on the window.
Easiest fixed yet on this car . So... if your gel pad on the window looks anything like mine (below image), just make sure the thing is properly clipped.

 

Nice work!!