Car Wash

[Local host]

I want to take my X to a conveyor type car wash where cars a pulled through the wash cycle. When I had an ice, you would drive up to the belt, put the car in neutral and exit the vehicle. The car is then pulled through the wash while you watch it being cleaned from inside.

Has anyone ever tried this type of wash with a Tesla? I am worried that the emergency brake might engage half way through the wash. Do I need to stay seated in the X in order to ensure the emergency brake stays disengaged? Does activate deactivate based on the seat sensor?

Is this even possible or should I avoid trying.

Thanks.

 

[mrElbe]

You'll have to put it into "Tow Mode"

 

[GarrickS]

You are asking advice on how to destroy your clear coat. Any one that helps should be ashamed of themselves.

Seriously, Tesla has got to have the worst clear coat in the industry. A car wash will leave you covered in tiny scratches. Don't do it!

 

[Doug_G]

Most cars sit around for months before you buy them; not Tesla. The paint will harden over time. Don't use a machine wash for six months.

If you get out of the car it will go into park. You will have to use tow mode.

When I go through a wash with me in the car, I don't put it in neutral (creep mode off); it isn't necessary.

 

[cwave1]

The rare times that I do this I force the wash people to let me stay in the car. I prefer to see first hand what is happening to my car.

 

[DMC-Orangeville]

I want to take my X to a conveyor type car wash where cars a pulled through the wash cycle. When I had an ice, you would drive up to the belt, put the car in neutral and exit the vehicle. The car is then pulled through the wash while you watch it being cleaned from inside.

Has anyone ever tried this type of wash with a Tesla? I am worried that the emergency brake might engage half way through the wash. Do I need to stay seated in the X in order to ensure the emergency brake stays disengaged? Does activate deactivate based on the seat sensor?

Is this even possible or should I avoid trying.

Thanks.

There will be lots of folks (especially in warm winter climates) that do not believe you should ever go through a car wash. We in Canada don't have the luxury of hand washing from December to March (or longer).

There are numerous threads and posts on this forum already. Examples:
https://teslamotorsclub.com/tmc/posts/1535024/
https://teslamotorsclub.com/tmc/posts/1049947/

 

[tinanbran]

something I noticed the last few times I have washed the car after the 8.0 update is that the car does not apply the emergency break now if my seat belt is on going into neutral for car washes...... could be just a fluke but in the past I have had it come on

 

[Drone Flyer]

There will be lots of folks (especially in warm winter climates) that do not believe you should ever go through a car wash. We in Canada don't have the luxury of hand washing from December to March (or longer).

There are numerous threads and posts on this forum already. Examples:
Carwash - safe or not
Stuck in park in car wash

Actually, anyone living in Vancouver, Victoria or Nanaimo can wash his car outside anytime of the year!

 

[DMC-Orangeville]

Actually, anyone living in Vancouver, Victoria or Nanaimo can wash his car outside anytime of the year!

Well...kind of true.....but it's still cold from December to February. I was at the Grey Cup in Vancouver 2 years ago, and it was cold and snowy for 3 days. Meanwhile in Toronto it was sunny and 10 degrees.
In any case it's not fun to hand wash the car below 10C (50F), and impossible when it's -10C (15F).
Last year I hand washed my car on December 26 - Boxing Day. It was 15C and sunny!

 

[Doug_G]

something I noticed the last few times I have washed the car after the 8.0 update is that the car does not apply the emergency break now if my seat belt is on going into neutral for car washes...... could be just a fluke but in the past I have had it come on

If you unbelt and lift your butt off the seat for any reason, it will go into Park. This is why I leave it in Drive!

 

[tinanbran]

If you unbelt and lift your butt off the seat for any reason, it will go into Park. This is why I leave it in Drive!

True! For some reason I never thought about just leaving it in drive..... Lol

 

[Drone Flyer]

From what I've been told by Tesla is that the high pressure wash is the way to go and NEVER use the brush mode carwash.
It will scratch your paint.

 

[mrElbe]

I use the brush but my car has Opticoat and the whole front is covered in Expel. So, no noticeable scratches so far but I make sure that the brush is rinsed before I use it.