There seem to be warnings in the manual about running the Prius through the car wash did too possibly damaging some of the sensors. What are people's experiences and recommendations regarding this?
It doesnt have special or particular fragile sensors. Basically like any car these days so I don't really see a problem. the only one that's slightly exposed might be the 1-2 cameras at the trunk but unless you're brushing them like crazy they should be durable enough.
I haven't heard that but my days of going through automatic car washes is done because the last few times I took the Prius through it kept smashing the rearview mirrors back and forth (even though I started with them in the closed position.) If I ever do go through another car wash, it will have to be the "touchless" kind. (But I'll, probably, just save the $9 and wash by hand)
Didn't see the warning, went into an automatic car wash that pulls you through, I think the mud guard caught but didn't break, the mirrors got pushed backwards, and overall it didn't do a great job. I also forgot to turn off the rain sensing wipers and that was comical (I turned them off right away before they could get damaged).
4th gens were prone to lose the covers over the tow hook sockets, something you might look into. See how easy it is to pry one off, say with just your fingernails. If it's easy, maybe a few dabs of silicon sealant might help.
Well I bit the bullet and did it, and it went fine except that I had never actually put it in neutral before. Short story: make sure you know how to put it in neutral before you're on the rails! (Sensors seem fine and no problem with the mirrors as long as you click them in.)
It'll go fine, till the time it doesn't go fine. With a Prime, you've got a much bigger battery, probably will continue to work out. Still, the issue: These pull-along style carwashes were designed for cars to be in Neutral. For a Prius to be in Neutral, it also has to be fully on (Ready). When it's thus it's utilizing the hybrid battery, and incapable of recharging it. There've been more than a few reports, people using such car washes, it's gone fine in past, but the last time the hybrid battery drained down to the normal low point (2 bars displayed), and kept draining, to where the wouldn't start, needed a tow, needed (expensive) intervention by dealership to recharge the hybrd battery. My 2 cents: your best bet with carwashes would be to use the kind where you drive in and stop, and the carwash apparatus is a mobile archway that does the moving.
Great explanation- thanks. Quite amazing, the possible complications of living with a Prius. I had no idea.
You could maybe leave the "gear" in D, maybe only if you see the hybrid battery charge dropping fast, and be really careful to not step on gas. At least once you're locked in and being pulled along. The car'll have a slight propensity to push forward but hopefully not enough to break free. Still, that's the issue: the designers of the carwash did not anticipate Prius, they're a a concept designed for cars that can't be shut off and in Neutral (free rolling). I'd just avoid the dang places.
I'm just gonna skip both types of automatic car washes, the kind that pull you through and the type that are "touchless" that you park in and they go back and forth (they do an even worse job than the pull through) and take it to the manual one where you have to scrub the car yourself. Plus there's something about washing a new car by hand that makes you feel better about it.
Yeah I would only resort automatic car wash in a pinch. If you use them all the time, there will be zones that never get cleaned properly, and you're likely to miss scratches/dents.
Why on earth wouldn't the ICE fire up if the car was on Ready and the battery was dangerously low??? And I never go through the automatic car washes. They always do a half-a$$ job.
It might fire up, but regardless: the hybrid battery cannot be charged when the shift lever is set to Neutral. When using such a car wash, for insurance minimize electric usage, say turn off H/V system and radio.
