'14 Windshield Wiper Intervals

[jordan_tm]

I've looked all over the internet for this, but since it's not exactly a huge issue I've yet to find anyone with a similar problem.

When my windshield wipers are flipped on to the slowest notch and set to 'mist' they operate as if they were set to 'High' on the intermittent switch. Likewise, when the switch is set to 'High' they operate as if they were on 'mist'.

I bought my SR5 4Runner brand new and I just recently started noticing this. It seems as if the intermittent switch is reversed or something. There's also an annoying 'click' noise that occurs when set to the lowest wiper setting. I wasn't sure if that was a built-in timer for that particular interval or not. Has anyone ever run across this before? Thanks.

 

[tamerunner]

If I remember correctly this was mentioned before. It's not backwards, just the way its identified is. It's different from every other vehicle out there.

 

[jordan_tm]

Oh ok. Kind of funny that they let something like that slip in the production process. Guess it's just something I have to deal with then.

 

[ToyotaDoodz]

Oh ok. Kind of funny that they let something like that slip in the production process. Guess it's just something I have to deal with then.

It's not a slip. It's clearly defined that way on the graphic in the owners manual. I agree, at first glance it does seem backwards but that's the way Toyotas are. My 03 was that way and our Camry hybrid is that way as well.

 

[jordan_tm]

Ok I understand what you're saying now.

I'll take a closer look at mine. It will be a couple of weeks unfortunately, this past weekend I was driving home and a deer ran into the passenger side of my 4Runner . I've made one payment on it and now it's in the body shop. The hit was so hard that it even deployed the side curtain airbags on the passenger side.

 

[Jeff614]

In for a whole week of rain here in NOVA and did a double take when I really examined the wiper control arm today.

It def. seems reversed from most other vehicles, is it a Toyota thing? Last Toyota in my family was the parents "egg" van and was too young to remember how it was on that.

Only finally noticed it today after almost a month of owning the rig.

No ticking here though and wipers were on almost literally all day.


- Jeff

 

[jordan_tm]

I had an '06 Tacoma before this and it was not like that either.

And the ticking stops once I knock it down to the second notch. I'm due for an oil change in a month or so, I'll bring it up when I take it in.

 

[dekeman]

This almost belongs in the "What you didn't know about your 4R" thread.
Just noticed this today too! Wide = fast. Narrow = slow.
Bet Australians love this.

 

[whbrittain]

I've looked all over the internet for this, but since it's not exactly a huge issue I've yet to find anyone with a similar problem.

When my windshield wipers are flipped on to the slowest notch and set to 'mist' they operate as if they were set to 'High' on the intermittent switch. Likewise, when the switch is set to 'High' they operate as if they were on 'mist'.

I bought my SR5 4Runner brand new and I just recently started noticing this. It seems as if the intermittent switch is reversed or something. There's also an annoying 'click' noise that occurs when set to the lowest wiper setting. I wasn't sure if that was a built-in timer for that particular interval or not. Has anyone ever run across this before? Thanks.

I recently traded in my 2007 4runner and even though the intermittent wiper switch operates in the same direction, the graphics are reversed. Pretty sh%&^^y for a $40,000 automobile.

 

[philsey]

[MENTION=48772]Jesse1983[/MENTION] Think you can find us a "1st world problem" emoticon?

 

[classic72]

The clicking you are referring to, I have no idea. I would take it to dealer.

But yes, if you are referring to wiper speed, wide=fast. Doesn't bother me. My rovers had switches in the center consoles, not the doors, and for years I never understood why Toyota's door locks were always reversed from others cars I had been in (e.g. up was lock and down was unlock). I don't consider it "sh%&^^y"... just not standard to what one might think. Perhaps the wider bar means more power to the Toyota engineers! :biggrin1:

"Eccentricities" of non-domestic cars.

 

[1engineer]

You guys need to use your imagination for a moment: how would YOU label something that moved left to right and you had to use a rotary switch that moved forward and reverse? Yeah its tough lol. I have designed components that moved and needed to be controlled and labled and its not as easy as it seems lol. What. Might be intutitave to you is not for someone else.

 

[NoDak]

too add to this, the rear wiper interval operation is kinda weird.

1st cycle, it wipes back and forth 3 times.

after the 1st cycle, it wipes 1 direction, stops for x seconds, then wipes the other direction.

the x seconds can be set in techstream (I have mine set at max interval of either 3 or 6, cant remember)

 

[LakeRunr]

Resurrecting this because my 2018 is backwards too. Every other Toyota I've ever owned, including my 4th gen 2008 4Runner, works like this: spin the intermittent dial (top) away from you, and it goes to "long"/"wide" end of the graphic, indicating a "long" delay between wipes. The graphic on the 5th gen 2018 4Runner is exactly the same, in the same orientation, yet when spun to the "long"/"wide" end of the graphic, the interval is quick (spin it the other way and the interval is slow/long).

This is just a pure bug that Toyota hasn't noticed yet...they got it backwards in the body control module.

 

[DAW89446]

I bought my ‘18 SR5 last July and immediately found out two things about the wipers. First, the reversal, second, even on the longest interval, the wipers swipe way too often for sprinkles. I, too, thought something was wired wrong until I verifyed all was working as intended by consulting the manual.

My 2002 Tacoma TRD, which the 4Runner replaced, one rotated the switch forward to the widest lines for longest intervals, so was a 2003 Camry I also had. This seemed normal and logical to me.

On longest interval setting, swipes were timed fine for sprinkles on my Tacoma. The 4Runner makes about three swipes for every swipe the Tacoma made on the lowest setting. Maybe fine for Seattle or Portland, but not north central Nevada. The dealer had put new, old style wiper blades on it for the lot, which were noisy and irritating. I had enough and replaced them in a couple weeks with silicone impregnated Rain-X wipers, which took care of the racket.