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Car Wash Mode - Instructions!

Discussion in 'Model 3' started by Glenn90, Aug 15, 2020.

  1. Jjmboni

    Jjmboni Member

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    Wow! Did that car wash put you bumper to bumper?!?! I had an issue like that in my car wash - got up from the seat, car went into Park - but the car behind me was far enough behind I was able to get it back in drive and just creeped the rest of the way through.
     
  2. klezmerman

    klezmerman Member

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    Thank you for posting this. I've often fumbled, at the carwash, with getting the car in Neutral. Like others have mentions, I use the location-based mirror auto-fold. I've set it for the carwash I generally use and it works perfectly.
     
  3. Jromf

    Jromf Member

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    Yes. Some of us have to do that. I also have a problem with all of the acronyms more experienced owners use. Please recall some of us are newbies so don't judge. Thanks.
     
    • Like x 2
  4. Jromf

    Jromf Member

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    This is helpful. Actually, I thought it was recommended we wash/have our cars washed by hand and to not use an automatic car wash. Interesting that some of you do wash the car through a car wash. Will consider. Appreciate the information.
     
  5. rhought

    rhought New Member

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    There are a couple of other things that need to be done..(from Tesla service tech) Cover the gap in the left and right front cameras with masking tape. There is a big gap between the trim and the surface where the plastic threads or cords from the big rotating brush can hang up and pull the camera off. The second place is the charger door. Cover the gap as well with masking tape. Damage to paint in a decent car wash is not a valid concern for Tesla owners.
     
    • Funny x 1
  6. Spacep0d

    Spacep0d Member

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    As a friendly riposte, NOLA—I never fail to remember that adding a space between one's sentence and ending punctuation is always wrong, especially in English. Yet, you are adding unnecessary spaces between words and ending punctuation. Did you forget this rule? Did you ever learn it?

    Everyone's memory is different. For me, the look of words and sentence structure is also stored in my visual memory and this is a powerful memory for me. My memory isn't great in all areas, however. Sometimes I need repetition to memorize something and other times it's a mnemonic association. There are many 'types' of memory and not everyone is great with all of 'em.

    The really interesting thing here is that you probably still won't be able to fix this error even with this correction. Why? Your muscle memory will fight you, and it's not something everyone can fix easily if their brain isn't predisposed to memorizing said minutia.

    Perhaps you could write yourself a note as a reminder. ;)
     
  7. twistedspark

    twistedspark New Member

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    You can just slowly approaxh the entarance, as instructed by the attendant, then when they instruct to switch to neutral quickly press the brake and move the shift lever up a tiny amount and release the pedals. Your car will quickly show an, 'N' if you did it correctly.
    I have mine set to automatically fold the mirrors at this location.
     
  8. D'Man

    D'Man New Member

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    One other thing with a car wash, if you have it in Hold mode, you have to change it to creep or roll mode, or else the car wash won't be able to pull you through because it will "Hold" you - found that out the hard way.
     
  9. NOLADriver

    NOLADriver Member

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    For years automakers had "Premium fuel only" on their gas caps. In bed with big oil
    They always recommended oil changes every 3,000mi...Until they started packaging it as a sales tactic with free maintenance on the vehicle for three years, then all of a sudden it was ok for the car to go 7,000-10,000 miles between oil changes. Magic. When they have to pay for it suddenly its way less needed.
     
    • Funny x 1
  10. NOLADriver

    NOLADriver Member

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    If you are in neutral none of those settings matter. Not sure what you did, but you werent in neutral.
     
    • Like x 1
  11. NOLADriver

    NOLADriver Member

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    You got me buddy, your scholarly tales are amazing. Also your schemes to conquer your pre dementia are quite clever.

    (Its still quite laughable to have to print a document for a two step procedure, punctuation Nazi or not)
     
    • Funny x 1
  12. Spacep0d

    Spacep0d Member

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    Just a little friendly game o' mental chess, fellow Teslarati. ;)
     
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    • Love x 1
  13. macanjr

    macanjr Member

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    Premium fuel is needed for the higher octane necessary for higher compression combustion, especially with turbos. It's not like an auto manufacturer gets a cut of your gas fill up.

    The "sudden" oil change interval increase to 10K miles was possible thanks to synthetic oil. Not "magic"; science.

    On the other hand...
    JFK had said, "We choose to go to the moon," and was assassinated. Did Elon hide the second shooter's body in Starman, and send him to the secret base on the dark side of the moon? What's really in Gigafactory #51??:rolleyes:
     
    • Funny x 1
  14. rhought

    rhought New Member

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    If someone wants to make a car wash list, I suggest that putting the car in neutral be placed LAST on the list. There can be some anxiety with a car behind you and the guy waving you to enter the car wash and you are trying to find the controls for the wipers and side mirrors. So take your time and do everything but putting it in neutral BEFORE YOU PULL INTO THE CAR WASH.

    NOTE: I posted earlier some other things to do: "There are a couple of other things that need to be done..(from Tesla service tech) Cover the GAP in the left and right front cameras with masking tape. There is a big gap between the trim and the surface where the plastic threads or cords from the big rotating brush can hang up and pull the camera off. The second place is the charger door. Cover the gap with masking tape as well. Damage to paint in a decent car wash is not a valid concern for Tesla owners."
     
    • Funny x 1
  15. NOLADriver

    NOLADriver Member

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    Interesting. Then why does even my neighbors Chevy Malibu say Premium fuel only ? The vast majority of cars do, not forced induction, or high compression to prevent pre detonation.

    Agree with you on the synthetic and its lasting qualities, except they don't include synthetic in the prepaid service when its included.
     
  16. PianoAl

    PianoAl Member

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    Here are my car-wash instructions, which I've printed out and taped to the center console:

    Step 1: Don't take the car to a car wash.

    But seriously, I often just clean the front and rear with Optimum No Rinse on a microfiber towel. For a full wash, here's the procedure that I've taped to the wall of my garage:

    Screen Shot 2020-08-19 at 9.12.34 AM.jpg
     
    • Funny x 2
  17. macanjr

    macanjr Member

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    #77 macanjr, Aug 19, 2020
    Last edited: Aug 19, 2020
    Thanks OP, the guide is great for my wife to reference.

    I personally prefer to wash using 2 buckets method, but it does take hours.

     
  18. macanjr

    macanjr Member

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    Updated version of OP's steps with various posters' recommendations. All credit goes to @Glenn90.

    Tesla Car Wash.jpg
     
    • Like x 1
  19. PianoAl

    PianoAl Member

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    By using microfiber cloths, there's not need for two buckets. That is, I use one cloth, and once it's dirty I put it in the pile to be washed. I have one of those mitts, but it's unwieldy and heavy.

    I fold each towel over twice, giving me 8 surfaces to use, thus, I only need a few towels. I'm pretty sure it takes me less that 20 minutes of actual work time (that is, without the wait for the suds to do their job).

    Even the suds/wait/rinse/dry steps above (without any wiping), gets the car pretty clean.

    One problem I haven't figured out: If I drop a microfiber cloth on the ground it picks up dirt and pine needles. At that point I figure I either need to pick out all the debris or discard the cloth (it doesn't come out in the wash).

    Any ideas for fixing that problem?
     
  20. UCIBtheG

    UCIBtheG Member

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    #80 UCIBtheG, Aug 19, 2020
    Last edited: Aug 19, 2020
    I just read through the 4 pages of this thread and am amazed nobody else has set up a Wash profile. I use that to switch from Hold to Roll, and I believe it can set the wipers to Off (though I don't usually use Auto). With the mirror auto-fold set near the car wash, I just have to remember to switch to the Wash profile (takes about 2 seconds in Park) while getting checked in. As someone else mentioned, I can just leave it in D with Roll mode, and the automated roller pulls me through no issue. After I'm out I put it in Park again and switch back to my regular profile. If I forget that last step, I'll be reminded when it rolls at the next stop light, and I switch it back at that point.

    Instruction sheet, fiddling around with Neutral, and a separate Car Wash mode not necessary.
     
    • Helpful x 2
    • Like x 1

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