kimdx

I found this wonderful touchless car wash that really does a good job... well, the water pressure is so high that my sunroof leaks just a tiny bit when I go through it. Just maybe a drop or two actually fall down to the interior. The rest of the moisture is up near the lip of the sunroof... I have to stick my fingers back up where the slider goes to feel it (on the metal part). I realize that wasn't a great description of where the water is, but I'm not sure how else to describe it.

I've done some research and it seems this is a common issue and often very difficult to fix. Should I take it in to the dealer and have them look at it or should I just quit going to this great new car wash? Not sure if the dealer fixes stuff like this or if they blame it on the new fancy car washes?

Gen4MDX

First of all, why would anyone use a car wash? Bond with your car and hand wash it with a luxurious car shampoo and then clay it and finish the job with some high end polymer polish and protectant.

If you need to learn a good detailing system, there is plenty of information on the net.

I really like Zaino products for both exterior and interior, but there are many great products out there. It is all about pride of ownership, very satisfying to completely detail you own vehicles, including just a wash job.

princelybug

iTrader: (16)

Yes, and yes.

kimdx

Do you guys hand wash your car during the winter too? We do during warmer weather but not every time we need to get road salt etc off the car.

Busy Livin'

Many of us use car washes because we would prefer to use the time required to detail a car to "bond", as you say, with our families. If I have to choose between my kids and my car, I'll choose my kids every time.

Besides, some of the car washes are so good these days, it is very difficult to justify the time, energy and resources associated with a driveway wash. I just take my chamois with me to get a good dry after, and touch up the interior and tires/wheels at home. I don't have to drag out the vacuum, hose, bucket, etc., etc. For the $10 I pay, it is more than worth it to me for the time and energy I save. And as the OP points out, I'm certainly in no position to do a driveway wash in the middle of winter and just want to get the salt and road grime off of my vehicle.

OP...if you don't get any leaks other than from this particular car wash, you'll just have to make a choice between how much you want to go to this particular wash and the hassle associated with attempting to get this leak addressed. If my car were leaking for any reason, I'd probably get it at least looked at but in the mean time, I certainly wouldn;t be going back to that car wash.

Good luck!

F23A4

Ummm....no. Without giving it a second thought, it goes through a car wash during the winter months and terribly hot Summer days. So don't sweat it.

Besides, I have too busy of a life to waste time overpampering my MDX Tech.

Gen4MDX

Whatever, it's a hobby for me and I enjoy it and I also have time to bond with family, just can't see taking a 40k+ vehicle through a car wash. And yes, I do hand was during the winter months.

I suppose if you have ever had a black vehicle you would better understand proper detailing methods or maybe you don't give a sh!t about how your X looks.

F23A4

To each his own but, it's an MDX not a GT-R. But I was also OCD about my rides some 10-15 years ago and prior.

Incidentally, my 12 MDX Tech is black...and shares the garage with my black 12 Accord EX. Both look just fine after trips through the Maytag.

Busy Livin'

I get it that some people like to detail as a hobby. It's just not a hobby for me. Doesn't mean I don't like my cars to look nice, it just means that I enjoy the end result as opposed to the process.

That being said, it's why I would never own a black vehicle and tend to shy away from dark colors on my cars. They just take too much work to maintain for my taste. It's why my MDX is white. My RDX is Basque Red, however (a deep wine color) and it is more finicky. Still, it has never been hand washed and has only gone through the one carwash I am comfortable it going through, usually several times a week. Nary a swirl nor scratch from the wash. The finish looks as good is it did when we brought it home.

So I'll save my DA and buffing pads for my boat...that's an ENTIRELY different story.

ntwillie1

I too enjoy detailing my own vehicles, but I don't tell other people how to care for their cars. To each their own. If you want to take your car to the car wash then take it. Just stop taking it to the one that is forcing water into your interior. And yes, you should take it to your dealer to have it looked at.

to TSTURBO - I know how you feel. I feel exactly like you do. I don't care if i spend a couple of hours cleaning my car. I know it looks 10x better than the guy next to me that just came out of the car wash with swirl marks and still dirty wheels. I have 2 kids and I spend plenty of time with them and my 4 year old even likes to help. I let him use the foam gun which he loves. When i take my car to the dealership I always make sure they don't wash it because they do as bad a job as the car washes do. My rule of thumb for the winters is this, above 32 I will wash it on my own. Below 32 and it can stay dirty. I'd rather let the car be dirty than take it to a car wash. Up until last week, my 2011 Advance hadn't been washed since October of 2012. Now she is shined up and looking as good as day 1 and still swirl free.

csmeance

FYI, there is a TSB about the seal leaking during high pressure washes with a fix for it. I believe a new higher pressure seal is installed.

wrestrepo

I started using a touch-less car wash last month, and it was the best thing ever....Not only do I get to save time, there is no damage to the car from the brushes...
I still get to "bond" by drying all the excess that the fans don't get...

F23A4

The car wash I patronize is touchless and the attendants use compressed air to purge the remaining water from the body panel gaps before giving it the chamois treatment.

Now, my son refuses to use any automated car wash system for his car. But then again, he has a Z Roadster. He pretty much holds the same philosophy as ntwillie1; which is why it's so insanely filthy right now. (He'll probably hand wash it tomorrow given that it'll be fairly warm -- for an early March in NJ -- tomorrow.)

kimdx

Thank you for this information! If I take it to the dealership is this something they will be easily able to find or do you know where I could find specific details?

arpz

Think it might be a common issue. My 06 does this as well.