Rain Sensor Retrofit WITHOUT Screen Change!!!

[smiddyboy1]

I'm sure this post will interest a few of the people who have attempted to
retrofit a rain sensor, or even those who are thinking of doing it.

There are soso many posts and questions regarding it. Here is a few of them
Link 1
Link 2
Link 3
Link 4
Link 5

I've read literally hundreds of posts and the general consensus was that without the correct lense a new screen is the only way forward,
but not now!!!! An MBCLUB Exclusive :bannana:

A new screen was never really an option for me as I've saw some of these guys at work plus the charge of an excess for my "cracked windscreen", and there was nothing wrong with the screen in the car as it stands.

I met with Wully and both of us got our heads together and pulled together
our contacts some of which were in the glass industry. Long story short there was a few emails back & forth and finally a contact in Spain was able to supply these:

(Light sensors for C class both pre & post facelift)

This was the lense I had

This is what I have now, WITHOUT a new screen

Removing the old lense was the scary part, when I was doing it all I was thinking was I'm gonna end up with a new screen after I break this one!!! But thankfully it all went ok in the end with a little patience and a lot of breaks to compose myself.

This stuff was mega tuff

And after I cleaned the screen with IPA

Then it was time to fit the new combined sensor, basically you have one shot at this and it went ok with only one very small air bubble on the screen but its not in line with the rain sensor so should be fine.

Finished results are

This part didn't need to be changed but it was so much easier to remove it as it then allows more access to remove the light sensor

Just need to get the wiring loom and fit this

Wully got the last loom in the country (Thanks Wully ) and it's on back order from Germany so when I get that its just a bit of coding to be done and the rain sensor is done- Simples!

Wully has coded his sensor and has been praying for the rain all day so we've got him to thank for the washout today, but has reported that it all works as intended! :bannana:I'm sure he will be along next with his write up.

 

[Wully]

Now i wonder if it's going to rain tomorrow!

Remember when i had this:-

 

[whitenemesis]

Excellent result

Are you going to share the supply of parts info for the more brave members?

 

[smiddyboy1]

Excellent result

Are you going to share the supply of parts info for the more brave members?

Of course I will , thats the point of the forum and me doing the write-up
The only thing being is the guy who got us them doesn't want the hassle that comes with it, he's pretty much up to his eyes with work and is mainly out doing mobile fitting.
I did ask him at the time would he be able to get more should anyone else want one, his answer was yes as long as I did the posting etc... So if anyone wants one let me or Wully know and we will see what we can do.

 

[LimitedSlip]

Great stuff

 

[smiddyboy1]

Update

Finaly got the wiring loom from the dealers

And it comes with these connectors already on it

The Blue 3 pins is fine and connects to the OCP, the Black 4 pins plug with 3 wires connected has to come off and replaced with a 3 pin plug (Part No A029 545 55 28)
The wires on the loom are already crossed over in pins 2 & 3 but when you change the plug swap the 2nd & 3rd pins so that the wires are straight through.

So you should now be left with this

From left to right the wires should be
Pin 1 Red
Pin 2 Brown
Pin 3 Violet
But as long as the pins aren't swaped it shouldn't make much difference.

Pin 1 live
Pin 2 Ground
Pin 3 Signal
I initally plugged it in with the pins 2 and 3 crossing over and got a fault code, swapped them over and everything was fine.

The plug connectors have numbers on each pin should you can't really make a mistake there.

The loom was then plugged into the spare connector of the OCP (Violet)

And after a bit of coding it seemed to work but I was testing it with spraying water from a bottle and it didn't seem to be working properly.
Yesterday was sunny so I couldn't test it but today was a different story. The wipers would wipe once, twice, come on constant and stop all depending on the amount of rain hitting the screen. So everything is working as it should. I just wanted to make sure before I posted the update.
The wiring loom is from a pre-facelift model. The loom for the facelift comes as a complete roof harness and costs circa £30 and would need to have the roof lining down at the front to swap the loom over whereas the loom I bought cost £7 and worked perfectly.

I hope this help anyone who is planning on retrofitting the Rain Sensor.

 

[merc-c]

Cheers Guys
what is the cost for all the parts

 

[dieseldave]

Excellent

I would be up for a rain sensor, but I can't PM massage as I have less than 30 post count. Could you PM me with some contact details. Many thanks

 

[Administrator]

Cheers Guys
what is the cost for all the parts

Excellent

I would be up for a rain sensor, but I can't PM massage as I have less than 30 post count. Could you PM me with some contact details. Many thanks

Smiddyboy1 has been approved to post his contact details up

 

[smiddyboy1]

Anyone can contact me by PM or [email protected]

 

[Stefan West]

Retrofit rain sensor on CLK350 cab W209

Hello,

I have a CLK350, W209, 2006. Anyone that know how to retrofit Rain Sensor?

I have some "optics" glued to the vindscreen but I don't know whether it's for rain sensor or for opening a garagedoor. I have 3 button on the rear mirror to operate the garage opener but I don't know if that is connected to the optics.

I have the optics shown to the left in this picture:

 

[Smatt]

The optics are nothing to do with the garage door opener. The optics on the left are for full rain sensing wipers
Therefore, it should be assumed that you already have rain sensing wipers!

 

[Stefan West]

Many thanks

Many thanks. Any idea why my rain sensor is not working then. When I turn my wiper to the first position, the wiper makes "one turn" and then nothing.

 

[negr@]

Hey. Very good job.
I wanted to install the rain sensor
Where you bought the rain sensor / light in Spain?

I modified to do in the cable

I have not quite clear
thank you very much

 

[B7YEN]

I have the right screen with the rain and light sensor combined. but only have light sensor 4 pin plug can i change the sensor? to upgrade?

any one able to advise

 

[aonghais]

As a new member I am looking for information regarding what method is best to remove the existing sensor.Is a thin sharp knife and much care OK? Also, what solvent is best for removing the residual glue after removal and before installing the new lens system.I would appreciate any help-smiddyboy1's pictures are a great help. Thanks in advance.

 

[whitenemesis]

From someone who has done this (not me) ...

"The sensor is glued with an extremely sticky rubbery type glue..
I sharpened a ½” bevel edged chisel and then got some duck oil..
My idea was to spray the duck oil and then slice through the glue in stages.. Without the duck oil the glue kept re attaching itself..
If you are going to try my method the as you slice under the plastic mount pull away from the screen. You need to try not to put excess force on the actual glass with the corner of the chisel…"

 

[aonghais]

retrofit rain sensor

Thanks for your input White Nemensis, I have managed to remove the old light sensor,have acquired the new sensor pack and the new lens and am now awaiting information from smiddyboy1 on the 3 pin plug and loom to install the new system. Interestingly,with the old light sensor removed, apart from an alert on the dash about the autolights being deactivated, if I select auto the dip beam comes on and I can then call up main beam and it all switches off when the ignition is turned off.Fascinating! Regards,Ian

 

[aonghais]

Having installed the lens unit and sensor for the combined Hella RLS I found when my contact was trying to code it that we were continually getting "rain sensor open circuit" and then it all failed to initialise.I had swapped pins 2 and 3 on the sensor as per Smiddyboy1's post 6 but it still wouldn't initialise.It seemed to be talking to the sensor because it gave actual readings of 1.2 and 0.8 for the light sensor bit of the RLS but still wouldn't code.My car is a July 2007 C180K estate.Does anyone have any gen which could help me get it to work please?

 

[aonghais]

Further to my post 19 above,I did leave the old light sensor lead connected in the OCP because it seems to be feeding the passenger vanity mirror light as well. Should Imhave disconnected this lead?