2017 X5 Torrential Rain - No Visibility

[440ijjj]

I was driving in some really torrential rain the other day on the Highway 85, in Atlanta, in my 2017 X5 and as I was driving, totally lost visibility. It seemed to me that where water was puddled on the ground on the highway, somehow the water was pushed onto my front window, and the amount of water that was propelled onto the window made me lose total visibility, which was very scary. Imagine a four or five second wall of water on your windshield.

I'm trying to figure out if this has happened to anyone else, or was a unique experience to my car, and if so, what might be wrong.

(On an aside, there was so much water I figured it had to have been coming from the other side of the highway going over the divider, but it happened again another time when I was no where near the divider. Also, I have been driving for 20 years in Atlanta, and have never had something like this happen to me in any other vehicle.)

Thanks for any help or ideas you can provide!

[sj22]

RainX will help, also pooling of water is worse on slow speeds I have noticed.

This is the issue with most SUVs where the front windshield is not as inclined as sedans.

[The Libertine]

Totally understand that what you experienced is unnerving. I’ve yet to experience a lack of visibility yet in my X5; however, it did occur in other vehicles I owned. The rain simply comes down too fast for the wipers to keep up.

[alphaod]

In addition to what was mentioned above…

I have switched my wipers to PIAA Aero Vogue silicone wipers on several cars with good results. It comes with silicone wipes you wipe on the windshield like RainX then subsequently the wipers leave a coating on the windshield with causes water to bead and roll off. Very nice. None of that pooling effect that you mentioned.

[hufington]

Originally Posted by sahiljain22

RainX will help

+1 For RainX. I mostly don't use the wipers in heavy rain or over 40 mph when using RainX. Also a big help when water is thrown toward the car by oncoming traffic.

[440ijjj]

Thanks to all for the responses.

I actually have RainX on the windshield, and this is more about water shooting up from the tires to the windshield than rain coming down, if that makes sense. It's almost like the car is pushing the water up to the windshield, but I can't quite figure out how it is happening. It's like a hose hitting the windshield, not rain, if that makes sense.

[sj22]

Check your drains under the hood for leaves? You can try using fender flares if it happens. They help somewhat.

[LocksmithNick]

Happened to me in my Benz work van a few weeks ago. I literally couldn’t see for a few seconds. It was wild.

[440ijjj]

Originally Posted by sahiljain22

Check your drains under the hood for leaves? You can try using fender flares if it happens. They help somewhat.

Yeah, nothing there. I guess I'm more wondering if this is normal for an X5 or something is messed up somewhere... It is my first SUV so perhaps they do this?

[440ijjj]

Originally Posted by LocksmithNick

Happened to me in my Benz work van a few weeks ago. I literally couldn’t see for a few seconds. It was wild.

Did the water seem to spray up from the ground?

[The Libertine]

Originally Posted by 440ijjj

Did the water seem to spray up from the ground?

Never experienced that phenomena; regardless of whether in a car or SUV. If the rain is coming down “torrentially”, there is bound to be spray from the road.

[kanvas]

That happens. If a car next to you drivers over a puddle, all that water gets lifted up and shot to your direction. Happened to me yesterday, but I had the wipers on AUTO. If you're on highway speed + the windshield detects a large amount of water suddenly fall on your windshield, the wipers will go on the fastest mode to clear all the water as quickly as possible. It also happened to me when I had the E53 X5.

Agreed on RainX. Such a good investment. Apply on all windows. During light rain on highways, you sometimes don't even need to use the wipers.

[Road Carnage]

What you are describing happened to me often in my previous E70 X5. The water seems to get thrown by the front wheels in a way that brings it over the hood and right onto the windshield. It was definitely unnerving the first few times it happened! Seemed to happen most often when I would go through a deep puddle. Our roads in PA are pretty lousy these days, on many of the smaller back roads the pavement develops two grooves where the tires naturally run and these grooves will fill with water during heavy rain storms. That’s when I usually noticed it.

As others have mentioned, Rain-X helps as does using auto rain sensing wiper mode.

[sloanbj]

Pull over if the rain is coming down too hard to see. Wait for it to clear before continuing.

[440ijjj]

Originally Posted by Road Carnage

The water seems to get thrown by the front wheels in a way that brings it over the hood and right onto the windshield.

Yes, exactly! Did you ever figure out what was going on. What's a bit odd is that not everyone experiences it. The highway in Atlanta is pretty great, so I'm surprised that it doesn't happen to more people, if it is not a defect in my car in some way. And that's what I need to find out. As it is, I don't feel safe driving in heavy rain any more...

[LocksmithNick]

Originally Posted by 440ijjj

Did the water seem to spray up from the ground?

It kind of felt like I had driven into a lake. Loud crashing water, couldn’t see anything. Didn’t want to hit the brakes in fear of getting rear ended, but also didn’t want to hit anything in front of me either. I just let off the gas and held the wheel straight and hoped everyone else did the same.

[440ijjj]

Originally Posted by LocksmithNick

It kind of felt like I had driven into a lake. Loud crashing water, couldn’t see anything. Didn’t want to hit the brakes in fear of getting rear ended, but also didn’t want to hit anything in front of me either. I just let off the gas and held the wheel straight and hoped everyone else did the same.

Yes, that was my experience too. I guess we will see if anyone else has experienced it and has any thoughts on what might have been wrong. I have to assume something is wrong, since it doesn't seem to happen to most people... At least that is my hope!

[Road Carnage]

Originally Posted by 440ijjj

Yes, exactly! Did you ever figure out what was going on. What's a bit odd is that not everyone experiences it. The highway in Atlanta is pretty great, so I'm surprised that it doesn't happen to more people, if it is not a defect in my car in some way. And that's what I need to find out. As it is, I don't feel safe driving in heavy rain any more...

I don’t know for sure but on the E70 the front of the front tire is pretty close to the front of the vehicle and the shape of the nose just seems to allow the water to come up and over. on the F15 there is an opening in the front to allow air into the front wheel wells, in a heavy rain I would imagine water could easily be pushed out by the front of the tire, then up over the hood.

[Subiemmer]

I would clay bar it first to remove the dried dirt then apply Rain X. You can feel the smoothness of the wiper after this application.

[hoppy6698]

Rain X is great, but best if applied correctly.

1) Clean windshield with glass cleaner (NO, Windex is not okay - use a good one like Stoners or Kleen)

2) Use a razor scrape tool at a 30 degree angle on the glass to clear all debris. Spray on the window cleaner again as a lube while doing this step. Spray again when done and wipe off.

3) Clay the windshield with auto clay and lube. Yes, this will pick up even more than the razor, but the razor clears big debris first. Spray cleaner again and wipe off.

4) Apply Rain-X as normal. Let dry to a haze (in the shade), and buff clear or apply a little distilled water to a microfiber and buff off.

This will ensure it lasts months, not weeks. Even in the rainy Seattle area, my windows remained clear for about 6 months between applications.

[Russmov]

I have that happen as well. It also happened when I had my X4 as well. Water seems to get thrown from front of vehicle onto hood/windshield. Definitely annoying.

[LeopardM3]

Originally Posted by hoppy6698

Rain X is great, but best if applied correctly.

1) Clean windshield with glass cleaner (NO, Windex is not okay - use a good one like Stoners or Kleen)

2) Use a razor scrape tool at a 30 degree angle on the glass to clear all debris. Spray on the window cleaner again as a lube while doing this step. Spray again when done and wipe off.

3) Clay the windshield with auto clay and lube. Yes, this will pick up even more than the razor, but the razor clears big debris first. Spray cleaner again and wipe off.

4) Apply Rain-X as normal. Let dry to a haze (in the shade), and buff clear or apply a little distilled water to a microfiber and buff off.

This will ensure it lasts months, not weeks. Even in the rainy Seattle area, my windows remained clear for about 6 months between applications.

Wow, that is a really thorough application, hadn't thought about the razor scrape tool and using clay before putting on my RainX. I will do this next time, as I tend to apply RainX a few times a year these days - it rains a lot in NOLA too, just as it does in Seattle.