With the automatic car to the car wash - this is how it works
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Cars with automatic transmission are convenient. In traffic jams or in dense city traffic, they relieve the driver of the shifting work. Their operation seems foolproof. Most of the time it is. But there are situations in which drivers of automatic cars are unsure how to behave correctly. Many wonder how they can get their car safely through the car wash. Does the engine have to be left on or switched off? Do you switch the automatic to "N" or "P"? Do you have to deactivate the automatic start-stop system? What about the "Auto Hold" function?
In fact, in car washes, where the car is pulled through as if on an assembly line, expensive damage can occur due to incorrect behavior by the driver. Read here how to behave correctly and what you need to do in an automatic car to get through the car wash smoothly.
Driving through the car wash
Modern car models can cause trouble when washing. Numerous assistance systems, comfort functions and electronic features make driving through the car wash comparatively complicated. At many car washes there is a note for automatic vehicles: "Gear out, automatic selector lever to 'N', turn off the engine, do not steer, do not brake." This also works for many cars. But not every car with automatic transmission follows logic. Then the requirement can have fatal consequences.
Current cars often have an electronically controlled parking brake. In some cars, this is activated as soon as the ignition is switched off, regardless of the selected gear. That is, even when the automatic selector lever is set to "N". The result: the wheels of the car lock, it jumps off the drag chain of the car wash, possibly sits sideways and is damaged. And it can get even worse – namely when a vehicle follows and is pushed onto one's own car.
If you drive such a car with an automatic transmission, you should proceed as follows: switch the automatic selector lever to "N", take your foot off the brake, do not steer, but do not turn off the engine, but let it run.
Also important for many newer cars: the "Auto Hold" function, which is made possible in the first place by the electronic parking brake. If it is activated, it protects the vehicle from rolling away as soon as it comes to a stop. The driver does not have to brake for this. If he steps on the gas, the brake releases again and the game can continue. In the car wash, the function should be deactivated. You can usually find the button for this directly on the switch for the electronic parking brake.
Once the car has reached the end of the car wash, it has to continue driving under its own power. To do this, the selector lever of the automatic transmission must be switched from "N" to "D". Problem: In many cars, this only works when the brakes are pressed. However, because the car is still hanging on the conveyor belt of the car wash until the exit, it usually rolls slowly here. Nevertheless, you can engage the "D" gear. For this, it is usually sufficient to tap the brake pedal briefly and shift to D at the same time. The car wash may also push the car so far out that it is free in the end. You can usually feel this by a small jerk. Then you can safely step on the brakes and engage "D". In any case, it is not dangerous if you brake while the car wash is still pushing.
Are you unsure what functions your automatic car has and how it behaves when you drive into the car wash? All important information can be found in the operating instructions. Or you can recreate the journey through the car wash in advance in quiet surroundings.
With "start/stop" in the car wash
Modern vehicles are now equipped with start-stop systems almost everywhere. They are intended to save fuel by switching off the engine when it stops, for example at a traffic light. To do this, the driver has to apply the foot brake. As soon as he lets go of it, the engine starts again and the journey can continue.
So when driving through the car wash with the automatic car, you don't have to worry about the automatic start-stop system. Since the car is supposed to roll freely when it is pulled through the car wash, you are not allowed to brake anyway. The automatic start-stop system remains inactive, the engine is switched on and the automatic parking brake is not activated.
However, there may be exceptions in isolated cases. In some cars, the engine is switched off even if the automatic transmission is in "N" for some time. The activation of the electronic parking brake should still be coupled to the ignition. In such a case, it remains on even though the engine switches off. The car can still roll freely. If you want to be on the safe side, you can deactivate the automatic start-stop system by pressing a button in the cockpit. You can usually find the switch in the center console or to the left of the steering wheel.
And this is how it works in the gantry car wash
Not all car washes are the same. The car wash is only one of two types of car washes. The other is called a gantry car wash in technical jargon. This is a hall in which the portal with the cleaning brushes runs forwards and backwards past the vehicle. The car itself remains in the position once assigned. The handling is very simple. For drivers of automatic cars, the following applies: engine off, selector lever set to "P" for parking, apply the handbrake! Once this is done, you usually have to leave the car to start the washing process at the machine at the portal entrance.
In individual cases, it may also be that you start the washing process before entering the car and then remain seated in the car. If washing and drying are regulated separately in the gantry car wash, you have to drive up a bit after washing and park the car in the same way if the light signal on the drying portal signals this to you.
Modern assistance systems and car wash
It is not only the automatic transmission that can cause annoyance in the car wash if it is not handled properly. Many cars have assistants and sensors that make life easier while driving, but interfere with the car wash.
This includes the rain sensor. It activates the windshield wiper when it starts to rain. If the ignition is off, it doesn't cause any problems. However, if it remains on because otherwise the parking brake will apply to your car, the rain sensor must be deactivated before washing. Otherwise, the sudden wetness will inevitably trigger the windshield wiper operation. Then the wipers can be damaged or even torn off by the rotating brushes.
Not dangerous, but annoying: the parking aid. Sensors in the bumpers register objects that you get too close to and usually warn the driver of the impending collision with a beep. The sound can be very unpleasant, depending on the setting. Therefore, you should deactivate the parking beepers before entering the car wash. There is also a switch for this in the center console or next to the steering wheel.
The car wash experience can also be tarnished by activating the automatic opening of the tailgate. When cleaning the underbody, for example, it is possible that the tailgate sensor under the bumper is triggered by the water jet or low-mounted cleaning brushes and that the trunk opens during the washing process. Not only can a lot of water get into the car within a very short time, but the tailgate can also be deformed by the brushes and cause considerable damage. To avoid damage in the car wash, such functions should always be deactivated when entering a car wash.
Who pays for damage in the car wash?
Whether it's an automatic car or not, damage to vehicles occurs again and again in car washes. According to the ADAC, the basic rule here is that the customer must prove that the damage was caused by the car wash. And this despite careful use. If the damage was caused by a mistake by the customer, he may have to be liable himself.
However, the operator of the car wash has certain obligations to provide information. For example, he must reject a vehicle that is obviously not suitable for the system. According to the ADAC, however, he does not have to point out that the rain sensor of the windshield wipers must be switched off, nor does he have to point out that the windows are closed.
But: In September 2018, the Munich District Court ruled in favor of a BMW driver who had sued the operator of a car wash. He had followed the above-mentioned instruction "Gear out, automatic to 'N', turn off the engine, do not steer, do not brake", which was posted in the car wash. The man did not know that the electronic parking lock on his car would trigger as soon as the ignition was switched off. So the wheels of his vehicle jammed, which was lifted out of the drag chain and severely damaged. Since the car wash operator had not informed his customers of this danger, he was ordered to pay for the damage incurred.
Driving through the car wash with an automatic transmission – this is how it works
In the car's owner's manual, under the keywords vehicle care, transmission and car wash/car wash, you will find tips and the manufacturer-specific features to be observed. In principle, the following applies:
- For cars with an electronic parking brake that activates when the ignition is off: run the engine, selector lever set to "N", foot off the brake
- For cars with an electronic parking brake coupled to the "P" position of the automatic, you can turn off the ignition: engine off, selector lever set to "N", foot off the brake
- If necessary, deactivate the "Auto Hold" function
- Deactivate automatic start-stop and rain sensor
- Brake briefly after washing, then switch the automatic selector lever from "N" to "D", release the brake, drive off
- In the gantry car wash: engine off, selector lever set to "P" as in park, apply the handbrake, get out