Gen 3 Insight Forum banner

Auto Car Wash - warning

17K views 28 replies 11 participants last post by  Moviemike 
#1 ·
Hey Everyone!

Just a PSA on my experience going to those automatic car washes yesterday. It knocked off my drive mirror cover and broke one of the tabs. Luckily I was able to still clip it in but I think I will be either replacing it or just super gluing the cover where the broken tabs was.

Those Rollers with the plastic strands that clean your car is the culprit and I barely noticed it was knocked off.
So if anyone is taking their car there be careful because those tabs are not that strong or just that particular roller was too strong.

Good Day!
 
#3 ·
Does anyone understand the procedure when taking your car to a full service car wash? The manual states to press the neutral button and then press it again holding it down This is supposed to put it in car wash mode. Are you supposed to give the car wash attendant the fob? Or just leave it somewhere in the car?
 
#6 ·
The instructions for "car wash mode"/neutral are to enable the car to be pulled thru a car wash conveyor. If the car wash service uses a conveyor system, you'll want to leave these instructions and/or leave the car in this setting which stays on for 15 minutes. If the service is full hand wash and interior cleaning, leaving the fob in the car is a good idea to allow cleaning of places that accumulate water (e.g. inside bottom door sill). I put different "car wash" tips from the Manual onto a one-pager and keep that sheet in my glovebox for quick use/reference in these situations.
 
#5 ·
It would be nice if the manual combined all the "car wash tips" and watchouts all in one place, along with the "car wash mode" section on p461. There's a warning that the door may unlock in heavy rain or car wash (p170), auto wipers should be turned off (p201), auto-parking brake feature should be temporarily deactivated (p534), brake hold should be turned off (p538), and door mirrors folded in (p597). The info is pretty spread out and not easy to find at once when prepping for an automated car wash.
With warmer weather now here, I'm following up up on my own post. I put all the "car wash" tips from various manual pages into a single document for my own glove box quick reference, since I don't go through automatic car washes often enough to remember each step. Sharing in case others want to use as well...
 

Attachments

#7 ·
I don't understand this car wash mode stuff guys. Are your insights set to different settings than mine? I just pull up and switch to neutral when they tell me and enjoy the ride. Why are people having trouble with this? This question is aimed at you insightfully since you're very knowledgeable about all these esoteric settings. My car is basically set just as it was when purchased and I just press neutral and ride through the wash. I'm genuinely curious here. 🤔
 
#8 ·
It's probably designed for the washes where you get out of the car, so that the car doesn't think "it's rolling away, or being taken" with the key outside of the vehicle. I haven't tested this, so it's just an assumption.

I assume this, because of the message that pops up on the dash when putting the car in neutral when stopped, about holding for 2 seconds to exit the vehicle in neutral.
 
  • Like
Reactions: hasarad
#11 ·
As a semi-random PSA: when going thru a car wash (or during a heavy rain), the doors may cycle between locked/unlocked if the door handle gets covered with too much water AND the remote is within range. I haven't had this happen yet, but was reminded of this watchout and wanted to re-share while top of mind...
 
#12 ·
Car Wash Mode:

[*]If the POWER button is pressed while the vehicle is in car wash mode, the power mode will change to ACCESSORY

Speaking of car wash mode is it just me or do local car wash emoployee's not know about this feature?

On the rare occasion I need to head to a car wash I find myself explaining this to the employee and than showing them how to enable it. When they have a hard time understanding I just tell them to say in the car with neutral enabled.

Maybe Honda should add a button in the Display Audio system to enable car wash mode. It would seem so much easier for all.

Rich
 
#13 ·
[*]If the POWER button is pressed while the vehicle is in car wash mode, the power mode will change to ACCESSORY

Speaking of car wash mode is it just me or do local car wash employee's not know about this feature?

On the rare occasion I need to head to a car wash I find myself explaining this to the employee and than showing them how to enable it. When they have a hard time understanding I just tell them to stay in the car with neutral enabled.

Maybe Honda should add a button in the Display Audio system to enable car wash mode. It would seem so much easier for all.
The tip on car wash mode (neutral) switching to Accessory is the only currently known way to switch to that mode, without entirely powering down the car first - https://www.gen3insight.com/forum/2...250-accessory-mode-without-powering-down.html

Cars have become so varied (vs turning a key) that I kinda don't fault car wash attendants for not knowing all the nuances. Would be nice if all manufacturers got got together to agree on a standard...

If a person stays in the car thru the car wash, manually pressing neutral will work just fine. If it goes thru a conveyor without a person, pressing and holding the neutral button a second time (after already in neutral) will keep the transmission in neutral for 15 minutes (rather than shifting to Park as the driver exits).
 
#21 ·
You only need to put it in car wash mode if you're using a conveyor type tunnel wash while nobody is in the vehicle. Otherwise just press neutral as normal.

4928


Also remember to...
  1. Turn off your AUTO rain sensing wipers if you have the Touring
  2. Turn off brake hold if you have that on
  3. Turn off automatic parking brake feature if you have that on
Before going into a tunnel wash.
 
#28 ·
There are some reminders on automatic car washes that are sprinkled thru the manual; to keep them handy and in one place, I clipped them together and printed as a one-pager for my glovebox/reference... but it turns out I've only hand-washed since owning. :)

In addition to the rain-sensing wipers and neutral setting, turning off brake hold and automatic parking brake (if you've activated it) are good reminders, and a head-up that the doors may lock/unlock themselves if water pressure contacts the outside handle sensors.
 
#25 ·
Depends in trim level and if you need to exit the car. Rain-sensing wipers need to be disabled on the touring, and there is a "procedure" for leaving the car in neutral and exiting it if it needs to go through the wash unattended. I have an EX and have never needed to do either (I go along for the ride). The few times I've used an automated wash, I've had no issues.
 
#26 ·
If you need to exit the car with it in neutral, I believe you need to hold down the neutral button for a certain amount of time and only then will it stay in neutral when you unfasten your seatbelt and exit the car - otherwise as soon as you open the door with your seatbelt off the car will automatically go into park.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top