Automatic Car Wash: How to put the 2004 Prius in neutral:

I think I'll stick to the self-service car wash, where I put quarters in the machine and squirt and scrub the car myself.

(Being careful not to spray the rear wiper off!)

 

I think I'll stick to washing my car in the driveway! (after it arrives, of course...)

 

Wash your car in the driveway? Now that's a bad thing to do!

In some cities in NL that's against the law because it's bad for the environment. While your washing your car clean, you flush the dust and oil residues and what not into the sewage system.

Most car washes (including the ones described by daniel) have filter systems to clean the water before it's send to the sewage or even re-used.

 

I just had the car wash experience yesterday and it was traumatic to say the least. I had no idea about this procedure and probably wouldn't have gotten the guy to do it anyway, given his language problems. Ultimately, I just left the car on and in neutral, probably a violation of all sorts of safety rules!!

Like you, I've decided that I will have to find another way to get the thing washed - safely. I may have to just find someone to do it by hand. Those do it yourself bays and gas station varieties just don't look good to me - who knows how clean that water is or how mangled those cloths/brushes are!

 

I have found the Laserwash system works well and avoids the trauma of the carwash.

 

well, considering what is already spewed on the roads and highways across the country (and ultimately on our cars), I can't imagine how washing one's car in the driveway using about two ounces of biodegradeable detergent intended for car washing would add much of anything more to the sewage system than what a good rainfall would rinse off of everyone else's cars (clean or otherwise) and road surfaces and down into the sewer system. Not to mention least of which is if you know how to properly hand wash your own car, you avoid the potential damage that can take place in most any automatic carwash.8)

 

Uhm...am I missing something?

I just go up to the car wash and tell them that I'm taking it through because the car is different and you could hurt it.

I then drive it up and put the lever into N. When it comes out I put it into D and move it to the next station at which time they do the cleaning. (I tell them to leave the center screen alone.)

That's it. Is there a reason to shut off all the accessories? I don't think having the radio and things on does any damage. Now I'm going to have to read the manual again...I don't remember seeing anything like what is described.

I don't even take off the antenna or the back wiper and I have had no problems yet.

 

The big problem here which may be happening and you don't even realize it, is that if the car can be left ON and in Drive mode and not make a peep or even creep forward if it's locked in with the rollers in front of the wheels. The electric creep speed isn't sufficient to drive over the roller. I've had this happen to me, and by the time the car is out of the car wash, the battery is drained down to about 2 bars since it's been exerting current against a stalled load the entire time. This isn't particularly healthy and I don't recommend it.

Shifting to Neutral doesn't require a Start button cycle. You can shift to Neutral from Drive anytime you have your foot on the brake. You do, however, need to hold it in the N position for several seconds until the display shows that it has indeed changed. A quick flick of the stick won't do it. I assume this is for safety so you don't accidently shift to neutral while driving.

 

went thru the drive thru car wash. guy kept yelling. put in neutral. I couldnt. i left it in drive and kind of just barely feathered the brake. very traumatic! im going to try the hold it in neutral thing see if it works. mine went either to drive or reverse. im going to try again.

 

Also, FWIW, it seems easier (ie, to take less than a few seconds) to put the car in neutral from park than from drive, but that's just my observation, it might not really be that way at all.

Yes, indeed, you do have to hold it at the neutral position for longer than if you were shifting to drive or reverse. I also assume they did this for safety.

-m.

 

duh, duh and duh! i went outside to test getting into neutral and all of sudden success. just hold it a couple of seconds in the middle position and viola! there you go!too easy. what a dunce i was . think ill go back to the drive thru to test for sure.

 

I totally agree But try that to explain that to our government. They often do things that seem to be very environmentally friendly, but don't help that much. Ah well. I don't have a drive way, so I *have* to wash my car in a car wash or DIY quarter thingy.

 

The main environmental damage caused by washing your car at home is precisely the reason I do it: No water recycling. The car washes all have systems that reuse the water over and over. I think that's great... I turn the water off while I brush my teeth and even don't flush every time. But that's just to save up water for washing my car

I find that washing it myself with clean fresh water, I completely avoid the water spots that occur with the commercial washes. At the car wash they have to rub the car down with towels to get all the water off, potentially causing scratches. I just drive my car to work after cleaning it myself and most of the water is gone. If I want to be really spiffy I spend a couple minutes drying any remaining water it once I'm at work. But most of the time I just let it be.

I find I can completely wash my car in about 13 minutes. That happens to be about the same amount of time it takes for a full service car wash at a commercial car wash.

I still bring the car into the commercial places when the interior really needs cleaning because they do that quicker than I can. In between I just use a cloth to dust the dash or even rub haze off the windows at stoplights.

 

Are you ordering a new driveway?

 

Two separate issues. Sewer systems convey "grey water" and storm drain systems convey "run off" into the ocean. You'll find that new environmental regulations require developers of residential tracts to treat storm run off prior to discharge into the regional storm drain systems. Regional Water Quality, Army Corp of Engineers, Dept of Fish and Game, and Dept of Fish and Wildlife are mandating soft bottom channels in hopes of utilizing the natural perculation process to filter out hazardous discharge prior to the storm run off reaching the ocean.

In addition, the BMPs, sand filters in the catch basins, and filtration basins trap harmful pollutants before it has a chance to reach the ocean. It has been illegal to wash you car in the driveway in San Diego for years. I'm sure it will soon catch on...FYI, EPA mandates a $10,000 / day fine for anyone sited with a violation of the clear water act.

Being the environmentally sensitive group that Prius drivers are, it's important to realize washing you car in your driveway once would do significantly more damage to the environment than driving a Prius for a year.

http://www.epa.gov/compliance/resources/ne...wpollutants.pdf

Be informed. Make a difference.

 

Daniel said something about the rear wiper, and I couldn't tell if it was a joke or not. Is the rear wiper flimsy or poorly-designed? Is it worth getting (haven't gotten in line for a Prius yet). I've driven cars with and without a rear wiper, and it really don't miss it now (currently without). Just seems like one more thing to go wrong.

 

Amen