Can the New Regal be modified with automatic wipers?
4 Answers
The New Regal can be modified with automatic wipers. It requires replacing the front windshield, the rain and light intensity sensor along with its wiring harness, as well as the interior rearview mirror and its base. Wiper activation method: The rear wiper and front wiper switches are located together, which means pressing the control lever on the right rear side of the steering wheel. To control the rear wiper, first push the lever toward the front of the car, then adjust the wiper speed by moving the lever up and down to set the desired working speed level for the rear wiper. Replacement method: Lift the metal wiper arm away from the windshield and hold it steady in a position perpendicular to the windshield; remove the old wiper blade by separating it from the metal arm; press the tab to insert the new wiper, gently twisting the new blade; until the hook clicks into place to secure it, then lower the wiper back onto the windshield.
I've seen many new Regal owners share their experiences with retrofitting automatic wipers. Actually, it mainly depends on your car's configuration. If it didn't come with a rain sensor from the factory, you'll need to replace the whole set. The rain-sensing area on the windshield requires special treatment - ordinary glass can't detect rainfall. I've seen fellow car enthusiasts achieve great results after replacing the glass and installing the sensor, with automatic activation during rain being very convenient. Before modification, make sure to check if your controller supports this feature, as some base models require an additional control module. Wiring should be handled by professional technicians to avoid blown fuses from incorrect connections. After installation, remember to calibrate the sensor sensitivity - you can set different response levels for highway and urban driving conditions. Although it costs around 2,000 yuan overall, not having to manually adjust wipers in rainy conditions makes it worth the effort.
My friend had an automatic wiper system installed on his new Regal last year, and it's proven quite practical. The principle involves mounting a rain sensor on the interior side of the windshield that uses infrared to detect raindrop density and control wiper speed accordingly. The aftermarket shop he chose specializes in Buick models and quoted him 2,300 RMB for the job. The actual installation required replacing the original windshield since standard glass lacks the rain-sensing coating. The most critical part was wiring it to the designated port on the body control module. Now when driving in rain, he barely needs to touch the wiper stalk - light rain triggers slow wipes while heavy downpours activate faster wiping, all intelligently automated. It's particularly convenient for night driving as it eliminates distraction. The only drawback is slightly reduced sensitivity during winter frost, requiring manual override.
Automatic wiper modification is completely feasible for the new Regal, but three key points must be considered. First, check if the vehicle's BCM controller has reserved interfaces—no interface means wasted effort. Second, select the correct sensor model; mismatched ones may trigger randomly. Finally, have professionals install the windshield and wiring to avoid leaks. After modification, the wipers offer three adjustable levels, responding to rainfall from drizzles to downpours. The automatic acceleration during summer storms is particularly practical, significantly improving driving focus. However, occasional misjudgments in foggy conditions may require manual intervention. The overall modification cost ranges between 1500-3000 yuan.
