Right and wrong way to leave in neutral at car wash?

[kidtriton]

I was at a car wash yesterday where they send the vehicle through on the roller tracks without anyone in the vehicle, I've been there before without issue but yesterday I saw them messing with it and it kept going into park or something as soon as it started rolling. The young guy tried a couple of time and it would stop and jump the track and finally they backed it up and he got in it and rode all the way through in it. I've also seen on a previous visit that as it came rolling out of the end of the car wash it would jam into park when the person opened the driver door. That got me thinking, what is the correct way to have it roll through a car wash in neutral with no one in the vehicle?

EDIT: I found car wash mode on page 234 of the manual. I'm guessing they must have been shutting and opening the door again once it was in Neutral.

 

[Tyrell]

Wow....car wash mode. I'll have to look that up! Thanks for the pointer.

 

[Matz]

I hope the car washes are not like the ones we have near me. Scratched my green Silverado all over. Asst Manager accused me of off-roading. No more . Only the touches during the winter and I now wash in the driveway.

 

[DenaliCountry]

GM added a safety feature where the truck will go into park if it starts moving with the door open (happens in Drive and Reverse as well as neutral). That is likely the issue they were running into. My Jeep SRT did the same thing. It was actually quite annoying.

 

[SSGUNNER]

Yea I wouldn’t trust the drive thru car washes let alone a punk teen figuring out how to keep my ride from going straight in those tracks. Swirl marks galore….

I prefer washing myself and keep it spotless.

 

[R32driver]

You're doing it the wrong way by going to one of those car wash places in the first place. It's handwash or nothing on an $80k ride IMO

 

[Stbentoak]

Yea I wouldn’t trust the drive thru car washes let alone a punk teen figuring out how to keep my ride from going straight in those tracks. Swirl marks galore….

I prefer washing myself and keep it spotless.

No smarter words ever spoken.... Sure way to ruin a vehicle is automatic car wash. Just like JiffyLube... STAY AWAY FROM THESE PLACES if you value how your vehicle looks and runs...

 

[BG1988]

I was at a car wash yesterday where they send the vehicle through on the roller tracks without anyone in the vehicle, I've been there before without issue but yesterday I saw them messing with it and it kept going into park or something as soon as it started rolling. The young guy tried a couple of time and it would stop and jump the track and finally they backed it up and he got in it and rode all the way through in it. I've also seen on a previous visit that as it came rolling out of the end of the car wash it would jam into park when the person opened the driver door. That got me thinking, what is the correct way to have it roll through a car wash in neutral with no one in the vehicle?

EDIT: I found car wash mode on page 234 of the manual. I'm guessing they must have been shutting and opening the door again once it was in Neutral.

normally we put the seat belt on then put it in neutral
some cars have you press a button and hold for a few seconds to confirm neutral choice
sometimes someone will go with the vehicle....

 

[robgreg75]

You're doing it the wrong way by going to one of those car wash places in the first place. It's handwash or nothing on an $80k ride IMO

Mine I got for $63K so I use the carwashes lol.

 

[CASTLEDFW15]

Had a somewhat similar scenario last year with different vehicle. The wash was running the interval ‘WAy TPP Close” for my comfort. Same deal track skipped and almost ran into the car ahead of me. I stay in the vehicle regardless of what they say. Forward vehicle cleared and I finished through. Incomplete wash so ran through again. I pulled very slowly to keep a batter safe interval. Manager kept prodding me and I just stood there.…….I finally explained that I wasn’t going in the tunnel until i felt comfortable…. I was one step away from applying the parking brake an give a little lesson iin physics…especially the ability of a person to NOT move vehicle. I allowed the TAHOE in front of me was 3/4 of the way through the tunnel. Another incident a few years ago where somehow the wash managed to look the keyfob in the vehicle….while running…… Fortunately it was already through the tunnel and in the drying area. Since my apartment key was also on the fob nearby a visit to leasing office for spare key fob.

The first incident made me stay in the vehicle through the tunnel. If the wont allow it, I will find another wash.