Before you enter an automatic car wash
A minute of checks before you drive in keeps water out of the cabin and stops high-pressure water from finding something loose.
Why a touchless wash still needs checks
In a touchless wash nothing brushes the car, so it is easy to assume there is nothing to prepare. The pressure is the reason to check. High-pressure water finds small gaps, lifts the edge of anything already loose, and pushes water past seals that are fine in the rain. Most of the problems people have in automatic washes come from something that was already open, cracked or loose before they went in.
The checklist
Run through this in the line, before your turn.
- Every window and the sunroof fully closed, including the vent position on sunroofs that tilt
- Rain-sensing wipers set to off, and the rear wiper off
- Fuel door and EV charge port door shut, tailgate or trunk fully latched
- Mast antenna removed or retracted
- Bike racks, cargo boxes, ladders and roof loads off unless the posted rules say otherwise
- No loose trim, flapping mud flaps, cracked light lenses or lifting wraps or decals
- Mirrors folded if your car allows it
Things people forget
A chip or crack in the windshield is worth a look before going in. A small chip usually is not a problem, but a crack that has started to spread, or a chip close to the edge of the glass, is better repaired first. If you are unsure, ask a glass shop.
Recent bodywork or touch-up paint also needs time to cure before it sees high-pressure water. The shop that did the work can tell you how long. The same goes for a fresh vinyl wrap or new decals: their edges are vulnerable for a while after application.
For electric and many newer cars, check your owner's manual for a car wash mode. On some models it stops the car from locking itself, folding mirrors back out or engaging the parking brake automatically while you are in the bay.
Read the posted limits
Every automatic wash posts height and vehicle restrictions at the entrance. Lifted trucks, vans with roof racks, oversized tires and dually rear wheels are the usual cases where a vehicle may not suit a given bay. If your vehicle is close to the posted height, measure it at home with anything you carry on the roof, rather than guessing at the entrance.
At Fast Lane the restrictions are posted at the bay entrance on the side of the building, under the red CARWASH ENTER sign. A signal at the bay tells you when to drive in and when the wash has finished.
Once you are positioned
Follow the posted instructions for gear and brakes, keep your hands off the controls and stay in the car until the signal says the wash is done. If a warning light or sensor starts beeping, that is normal: parking sensors react to the spray and the moving equipment.
In short: Before your turn, check the sunroof is fully shut, the rain-sensing wipers are off and nothing on the roof is outside the posted limits.
