Dear Honda,

I recently was caught in a heavy downpour of rain then snow and the wipers could not keep up with the amount of rain that was hitting the windshield. We were forced to go below the speed of the traffic around us and pull to the side of the road untill the rain and snow slowed. Please increase the wiper speed of the ridgeline. the "FAST" speed on this truck was about the "MEDIUM" speed on our last truck (which was a 1998 Ford Expadition Eddie Bower) PLEASE CONSIDER THIS AS A SAFETY PRECAUTION!

thank you
Preston

I haven't had a problem with the wiper speed on my RL at all. I use Rain-x on the windows though, so i rarely have to turn on the wipers unless its a light rain.

I am with you Preston, I am in northern Cal , far northern cal, almost Oregon even , less than 100 miles away . Sometimes it just pours cats and dogs here and my wipers on the fastest almost can't keep up with the rain . We have had 75.1 inch's of rain so far this year , we are at 175% of normal , looks like we are the 3rd wettest year since 1889. I have not had the chance to try them in snow yet though .

On the flip side, I'd like a longer maximum interval for the intermittent wiper setting.

Preston, I love you signature. Add to it "never drive faster than your windshield wipers can clear the windshield."

On the flip side, I'd like a longer maximum interval for the intermittent wiper setting.

Drive slower. The slower you drive, the longer the interval...
... or so it says in the manual.

From page 72:

"The length of the wiper
interval is varied
automatically according to the
vehicle’s speed.
Vary the delay by turning the
INT TIME ring. If you turn it
to the shortest delay, the
wipers change to low speed
when the vehicle speed
exceeds 12 mph (20 km/h)."

So does this mean when you turn it to the longest delay, and you slow down, the interval gets longer? I guess Honda's engineers believe that "running thru a downpour will get you wetter than walking thru one". :p

Sounds like a job for "The Mythbusters". :rolleyes:
Anyone got their number? ;)

I guess Honda's engineers believe that "running thru a downpour will get you wetter than walking thru one".

Sounds like a job for "The Mythbusters". :rolleyes:
Anyone got their number? ;)
If I recall correctly, they have already tested this. Unfortunately, I don't recall the outcome. :)

Drive slower. The slower you drive, the longer the interval...
... or so it says in the manual.

From page 72:

"The length of the wiper
interval is varied
automatically according to the
vehicle’s speed.
Vary the delay by turning the
INT TIME ring. If you turn it
to the shortest delay, the
wipers change to low speed
when the vehicle speed
exceeds 12 mph (20 km/h)."

So does this mean when you turn it to the longest delay, and you slow down, the interval gets longer? I guess Honda's engineers believe that "running thru a downpour will get you wetter than walking thru one". :p

Sounds like a job for "The Mythbusters". :rolleyes:
Anyone got their number? ;)

I do not notice this nearly as much on the RL as I did with the TrailBlazer. My favorite thing about the TB was the rainsensing wipers. It was awesome. You just left the wipers on, and when it wasn't raining, they didn't go. When it would rain, they would vary their speed based on how much rain was on the window.

Drive slower. The slower you drive, the longer the interval...
... or so it says in the manual.

From page 72:

"The length of the wiper
interval is varied
automatically according to the
vehicle’s speed.
Vary the delay by turning the
INT TIME ring. If you turn it
to the shortest delay, the
wipers change to low speed
when the vehicle speed
exceeds 12 mph (20 km/h)."


I'm aware of this "feature" but they still can't be set to long enough
interval for my liking - even while standing still.

I posted a similar thread starter about 6 months ago and it dealt with the flip side comment of the slow intermittant setting being too fast. I wanted a slower speed to deal with very light rain/mist like conditions like my previous vehicle had about a half again slower setting. Much experimentation followed and the conclusion was that the slowest intermittant speed could not be slowed any more by driving slower. However, if you stopped, the intermittant stopped with you and did not start up again until you removed your foot from the brake. The fastest intermittant indeed acts like the slow non-intermittant setting when you drive normal speed. This is actually a pretty good feature as it too will almost stop at a traffic light situation as opposed to the slow always setting just burning up the windshield like old cars do.

I'm aware of this "feature" but they still can't be set to long enough
interval for my liking - even while standing still.

Awwwww.... all you guys from Indiana, PA are always hard to please!!

heh-heh! just kiddin', dude! :p

Yunz'r from just up the road! Good to have another Ridgeliner inna neighborhood!

At least it looks like we might not hafta use our wipers for a coupla days!

Welcome to the ROC! :D

oops! just noticed that you joined the ROC in March, too. Maybe it shoulda been you welcoming me? :)

Still good to have another "local guy" in the mix.

Gettin' a little off-topic tho,

later.

Frank

However, if you stopped, the intermittant stopped with you and did not start up again until you removed your foot from the brake. The fastest intermittant indeed acts like the slow non-intermittant setting when you drive normal speed. This is actually a pretty good feature as it too will almost stop at a traffic light situation as opposed to the slow always setting just burning up the windshield like old cars do.

First off... I agree that the wipers need some modification in future RL's. They don't pause long enough in "intermittent" and they could be faster on "high". But hafta disagree with you, Bill, in your thinking that it's a "pretty good feature" that they stop, or almost stop at a traffic light situation.

I've had to manually swipe my wipers BEFORE letting off the brake so that I could see oncoming traffic, and make sure that the traffic crossing my path was actually stopped.

I would prefer the option of having a steady, predictable swipe of the wipers, preferably to the beat of whatever tune I happen to be listening to at the time... heh-heh!... but you'd expect THAT from an old drummer, wouldn't you?!

Maybe THAT will be something that's offered in the future! Audio-controlled wipers! Come'on now! How many times have you watched the wipers dance across yer windshield and noticed that they were going to the beat!? ... or is it just me? :o

:)

I think it is just you. Just kidding, actually I know what you are talking about and if it is really pouring out, I will also do the manual swipe one time or not jackrabbit off the line and let the wipers catch up to me. I still think it is a bit better that the wipers do not run amok at a stop light, but in that odd instance like you are describing, I can see your point..

Bill,
If you're concerned about your wipers wearing out, or damaging your windshield from "running amok" while the windshield is semi-dry, maybe you should try the PIAA wiper blades being offered by Burtman Ind. (a sponsor of the ROC). Have you read the thread... ?

http://www.ridgelineownersclub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6612

The ARE quite expensive, but some have found that they are worth not having to worry about changing blades so frequently. I believe they are warranted for 5 years! (?) They're made of silicone and unless I read the thread wrong, they are actually conditioned by letting them run for around 5 minutes on a dry windshield!

They might even help with moving more water away more quickly, so the somewhat slow-motion of the RL's HIGH wiper setting isn't such an issue.
But I must say, however, that I haven't bought a pair, yet. I'll wait 'til mine break-down enough before I make the decision to apply my penchant for the "hi-tech" to my blades.
I use silicone (molding medical devices) every day at work, and can vouch for it's durability, so itsa "no brainer" in that regard. It's just the expense that's keeping me from running-out and buying them. I think they cost upwards of $40. :eek:

It's just the expense that's keeping me from running-out and buying them. I think they cost upwards of $40. :eek:
Eh, we own Ridgelines... cost is no issue, remember? :D
Compared to some of the accessories people are spending big money for, at least the $40 wipers offer some driving safety. More so then say, the $40 piece of carpet for the in bed cooler...:)

I'm also a firm believer in rain-x....fantastic product

the harder the rain the better it works!!!!! You have to see it to believe it

I was interested when that thread came out and there was a lot of discussion about the merits of these PIAA blades and another brand a member was touting. There was a vocal minority at that time that did not like the product and they were claiming messy streaky windshields gunked with silicon and not great peformance. That was enough to keep my $40.

I'm also a firm believer in rain-x....fantastic product

the harder the rain the better it works!!!!! You have to see it to believe it
Have to agree here. I too love Rain-X... Especially the line of washer fluid. Everytime I wash my window, I get a little more Rain-X... Love the stuff...

I was interested when that thread came out and there was a lot of discussion about the merits of these PIAA blades and another brand a member was touting. There was a vocal minority at that time that did not like the product and they were claiming messy streaky windshields gunked with silicon and not great peformance. That was enough to keep my $40. Good to know. That would not make me happy after spending $40. I'll just stick to my stock blades until they need changing and then make a game time decision...

As to the thread topic, I haven't found wiper speed to be an issue yet. Haven't had conditions to warrant fast wiper action. What I do find troubling, and this is embarassing, is I get easily confused as to which direction to turn my wiper intermitent dial to make them go faster or slower. For some reason I can never remember which way to turn them...:o

I haven't had a problem with the wiper speed on my RL at all. I use Rain-x on the windows though, so i rarely have to turn on the wipers unless its a light rain.

I do the same thing, water just rolls off.

Hate wipers - they annoy me.

Only use when it is absolutely necessary.

But then I'm in California .....

this is good we got some people with different views on this. what a conversation starter lol. thanks for replying:)

this is good we got some people with different views on this. what a conversation starter lol. thanks for replying:)

yeah... but is it being read by Honda? It'd be nice for a Honda rep to chime-in on some of these issues, now & again... :rolleyes:

I have been in a couple of real gullywashers, the wipers seemed OK to me, I seldom use the high speed. I was more concerned about hydroplaning, I still think the VSA may give the truck a little twitch when hydoplaning starts.
I have not tried it with VSA off, I will wait for the right time for that with no traffic arround.

I have used RainX in the past, I did like it most of the time but it does wear off. I was not aware of the ability to put it in the washer fluid.

The one complaint I did have is that it seemed to make the wiper blades chatter if you used them. It looked like you were commited to not using the wipers once you treated the windshield.

In SE Texas we get RAIN, hard, dumping rain and the fastest wiper speed is too slow. The Ridge has the slowest "fast" wiper speed I've ever seen.

Going to have to Rain-X the windshield, I guess. Been years since I tried it maybe it's better now.

Still and all the slooow "fast" wiper setting is the only fault I have found in my Ridge. Never had a moment of buyer's remorse --- except in hard fast rain storms.

You guys crack me up. There is a setting for everything in this truck and that is amazing. Now we have to discuss how fast/slow the wipers go?
Man I had 3 speeds on my old 92 Nissan. Fast/Slow/and OFF! I still think its the coolest thing the turn it forward for mist setting. Then someone else posted in "things you may not know about your ridge" that if you dont just turn it, but actually hold it the mist setting makes the blades go faster. How cool is that? I can't imagine the fast setting is all that slow, but I guess in a real downpour it could. I am a big proponent for Rain-x. One of the first things I did was wash wax the truck and applied rain-x. No problem with rain since.

Get Some Aquapel... It lasts months and works better then Rain-X.... I really enjoy it, especially on the side windows....

Never thought of posting here up until Saturday night when I thought the heavens were coming down! Sure enough, Preston is right....not fast enough to clear the driving rain.

Rain-X may work well most of the time but it also causes the light rain drops to shatter on the glass which results in micro-misting of the windshield thus making it harder to see thru on a bright day. Wiper shuddering also occurs on a fresh Rain-X-applied windshield which, from experience, has left me using this product on all glass & mirrors except the windshield. My $0.02

Wiper shuddering also occurs on a fresh Rain-X-applied windshield which, from experience, has left me using this product on all glass & mirrors except the windshield.
While I used to experience wiper shuddering on other vehicles after the wiper blades aged a little, I have not had it happen on the Honda blades.
My blades are now 16 months old and still are doing a great job. I have a replacement set waiting to go on but have no need yet. The RL sits outside 24/7 so the blades also get a lot of UV rays.