drive thru car wash

I've taken my Prius through shift-to-neutral tunnel washes, and we have a dedicated wash (stand-alone business) near work that does a decent job in getting the car clean and minimizing the finish damage. However, I am reluctant to use it often (if at all anymore) due to the combination of the drying mechanism and the particular build of the sheetmetal of my Gen 3.

See, these drying hoses are quite powerful and direct airflow at the sheetmetal at unnatural angles (short of driving through a hurricane/tornado that's about to blow you off the road). It seems like the broad expanses (door without the used-to-be-common door bumper crease) of exterior sheetmetal aren't reinforced for this sort of pressure. And hence they flex and pop. Which is very disturbing sound to hear in a new car going through a car wash, in which you are already paranoid about harm to the finish.

So hence I mostly hand-wash it. The sheetmetal does not feel unduly flexy in this instance, so I think it might be a peculiarity with that car wash.

 

I have had my 2012 my Prius for three years now. I'v had issues going through a car wash with my car left on in neural. on the way home the hybrid warning light came on and I had my car towed to Toyota to be checked. There was nothing wrong with it each time and they reset it. This had happened twice. A couple of weeks ago it went off again. I went on google to find out how to reset and I found some guy saying try this after nothing else worked. I should have copied the information because after leaving the car wash it happened again today and I cant find the post anymore. I'm going to have to go back to Toyota. I must have gotten water somewhere it didn't like. It doesn't always happen. I really like the car wash. If anybody has gone through this and knows how to reset it I would appreciate it. I've tryied every utube reset and it didn't work.

 

welcome!
can't you find a carwash that doesn't require putting the car in neutral?

 

^ 2nd that: our dealership has one, the car drives in and stops, then a big portal with the sprays and brushes passes along the length of the car.

 

This is a pretty long thread, but no one has mentioned that car washes recycle water. While that's great for the environment (and their water costs), I just don't trust them to remove all the dirt and and clay particles before reusing the water. At that point, they are spraying tiny projectiles at your car at high velocity. Over time, I just don't think this can be good. When I use the hose at my house, the water is pure.

 

AM/PM Arco gas stations will have those, not all local chains have a car wash though.