(2020) Why is the Auto wiper and Intermittent wiper function the same setting? [rant]

[GoFrogs]

I had the privilege of driving a 2020 CX-5 Grand Touring as part of my dealer's courtesy vehicle program while my car (a Gen 1 2016 Touring) was in for service to diagnose why a new battery wouldn't hold a charge. Almost got a CX-5 Diesel loaner, but apparently the dealer doesn't want customers putting fuel into the diesel for the off chance the wrong juice goes in the tank...go figure .

Overall, the 2020 CX-5 was nice, but I did notice one thing that perturbed me to no end, and that was the fact that the Intermittent Wiper feature is also the Auto wipers setting as well. So, while driving in the rain, with the switch/stalk set to "Auto" and the dial set to the slowest speed (" - "), I kept getting wiper swipes every 1-2 seconds becase the car "thought" rain drops bad -- swipe, swipe, swipe. Sooo frustrating ....and a supporting argument to my belief that some features in cars should not have an automatic feature.

When I want Intermittent Wipers, I want intermittent wiping - one swipe every 15 seconds, or one swipe every 7 seconds. It is my choice to select the swipe frequency based on what I want for the given precip condition. But, I don't have this control with "Auto" being the intermittent setting on the 2020 GT (or higher trims). So, why even include a dial that gives the owner a +/- swipe frequency control when the owner cannot control the "Auto" feature? Dumb, I tell you; just dumb.

If there is a Mazda engineer reading this, the better thing to do is to put the "Auto" wipe feature as one of the selections on the intermittent swipe frequency dial; either before the full "-" position or after the full "+" position. That way, the driver can control the swipe frequency OR put the wipers in "Auto".

Overall the new CX-5 is nice and posh compared to my lowly 2016; however, simple features such as this auto wiper thing really appreciate my somewhat plebeian CX-5 Touring.

That about does it for this rant. I'm sure there are a few other things about the new CX-5s that would perturb me just the same, but this wiper thing is what stood out the most in my brief time with the new vehicle.

[/rant]

 

[Buzzman12]

You can turn off the auto wiper (rain sensing) feature in the infotainment system.
I did that after I bought my car. I hated it.
Now the intermittent dial works just like you want it to.
Simple.

 

[wlong01]

You can turn off the auto wiper (rain sensing) feature in the infotainment system.
I did that after I bought my car. I hated it.
Now the intermittent dial works just like you want it to.
Simple.

Yep, that's the first thing I did when I left the dealer lot.

 

[CobraSJP]

Damn, you are easily upset! Did the auto wiper function really tweek you enough to come on an internet forum and rant? I feel sorry for your SO, if you even have one.

 

[youri]

Also missed the point that when on auto that the + and - setting controls the sensitivity of the system, it actually has a function.

in the end, i understand that people may not like it. It's up to personal preferences, but I don't think it is a design fault. the reverse opinion would be true, why do you need to set it manually and fiddle with it to find the perfect timing when the car can do it on its own? it s all a matter of preferences

 

[GoFrogs]

Yep, that's the first thing I did when I left the dealer lot.

I looked in the menu(s) and there were a lot of features grayed out/unselectable in the courtesy car I was given. It is good to know that you can deactivate it.

Shoot, the car I had might have been a Touring, but it had the Bose, LED headlights, heated leather trimmed seats w/suede inserts, but no fog lights and no NAV, no SirXM.

Skyactive-G and cylinder deactivation was there which was neat to see then it was 4 vs 2 cylinders.

But, why even make them the same in the first place. Make the Auto feature selectable on the +/- dial vs having to go into the infotainment menu(s), find it and turn it off. needless complexity where needless complexity is not needed.

thanks for chiming in.

 

[GoFrogs]

Damn, you are easily upset! Did the auto wiper function really tweek you enough to come on an internet forum and rant? I feel sorry for your SO, if you even have one.

Yes. My SO has her peeves too (been married 21 years; 22 this July believe it or not), but they usually aren't car related. She leaves all the car things to me. My other car is a WRX (Base). It too frustrates me on many things, but most of them are inherent Subaru things; however, I still scratch my head and ask "why did they do that?" Had a 2004 VW MK4 GTi before that. German engineers have a warped sense of humor.

As long as whaky features like this wiper design are defeatable, I'm cool with it. But it boggles my mind why complexity has to be engineered in instead of things just being made functional and simple from the get go...you know, work/engineer smarter, not harder.

In the end, the 2020 was nice and comfortable compared to our 2016. the 2016 is more "raw" whereas the 2020 is more refined and definitely plays a class above.

 

[GoFrogs]

Also missed the point that when on auto that the + and - setting controls the sensitivity of the system, it actually has a function.

I didn't have the car long enough to dive into the finer points or the owner's manual. another good thing to know. Is "-" less sensitive and "+" more sensitive?

 

[youri]

Is "-" less sensitive and "+" more sensitive?

That’s correct according to the user manual, ( but i am not sure it is implemented that way, it is the kind of things that my brain never remember and sometimes i feel like the logic is reversed, but that’s probably just me).

The auto system isn’t perfect, but the one in my 2018 CX-9 is way better than the one in my 2010 mazda 3. The one in my mazda 3 is not sensitive enough and almost always wait too long between swipe (not sensitive enough).

(also, the type of rain seemed to have an effect.My mazda 3 isn’t sensitive enough here in canada, but when it was in England it worked perfectly ( i shipped the car there).