Hey everyone.

My '03 MCS had the rain sensor & I loved it. My '06 (w/o the factory rain sensor or convenience package) is now in need of a windshield replacement & I am curious if I install a windshield w/ built in rain sensor, will it work?

Is there still a harness plug in the headliner on non-rain sensor equipped cars?

If so, just plug it in and go?

Do I need a different wiper stalk?

And/or, does the computer need to be told that there is now a rain sensor on the car?

Thanks ahead of time!


ZM

 

I don't know about the 06 but on my 03 I looked into adding a rain sensor as it didn't come with one and I would need to order the complete (over $2000) wiring harness to be able to plug it in. At present there is no plug available. Also there must be a control unit with the wiper motor too, you'd think? Let me know if you come up with a way to do this though, I'd still consider trying to do it.

 

I read the owners manual and found that the main wire in the K-bus system is a white, yellow, red wire. There is one coming out of the sun roof control module up in the headliner. Can you connect a wire from the rain sensor control module to this white, yellow, red wire and tap into the K-bus? The way I read the K-bus is that all modules hear all signals but only act on the ones for their unit. So theoretically (the catch?) if you tap into the main wire the EWS and other units responding to the rain sensor will work. My question besides will this work is, is there anything you need to change because the way it is set up from factory is to work without the rain sensor to allow it to work. I am tempted to put the windshield in, because I already have one and wire in a rain sensor and see what happens. I live in the Seattle are and intermittant rain is fairly constant...

 

How about the windshield wiper stalk/switch. There is an auto position if you have rain sensing wipers.

 

Did anyone ever figure this one out for sure? Thanks.

 

My MINI mechanic said it's not as simple as plugging into a harness in the headliner for non-rain sensor cars--kind of what you guys were saying.

Would have to replace a bunch of wiring & module stuff in the headliner. Think I'll skip on that.