Carwash Work Around?
I was discussing the car wash mode issue with my dealer, and he told me you can buy a seat belt buckle to pop in when you leave the car as a fix. I'm going to try this!
acura tlx seat belt | eBay |
Hmm, I guess that could be handy. Let us know
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I just had a not so pleasant experience at an automated car wash that pulls the car through while you sit inside. Put the car in neutral and as soon as the wheels began to roll the parking brake applied and car put itself in Park.
I did not realize that you needed to have your seat belt on to go through the wash. Almost gave me a heart attack. The attendant stopped the wash and I was able to put it in neutral again with seat belt on. |
Yup just leave it buckled. Piece of cake.
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Or just use the car wash mode? But it's misleading, because it flashes "SHIFT TO PARK" on the display. I assumed it knew I wanted car wash mode so i shifted to park as it instructed....Apparently as it turns out you're not actually supposed to ship to park -_-.
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Originally Posted by narnia
(Post 15408540)
I was discussing the car wash mode issue with my dealer, and he told me you can buy a seat belt buckle to pop in when you leave the car as a fix. I'm going to try this!
acura tlx seat belt | eBay |
It does suck a bit having to remember to put it in car wash mode, but the modern safety features are a necessary evil i guess. I had a bad experience once with a car wash that had rails to guide the car. They got the car too close to the rails on the passenger side and it messed up both wheels on that side. I didn't see them for several days, and of course, no possible chance for getting them to own up to it. I only use car washes that have no rails and I'm not a huge fan of the washes that aren't touchless.
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Maybe this is just a TLX thing I am not understanding... I wash my own car as I am not looking to some lame carwash to damage my car on accident.
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Originally Posted by usdmJON
(Post 15409291)
Maybe this is just a TLX thing I am not understanding... I wash my own car as I am not looking to some lame carwash to damage my car on accident.
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Originally Posted by usdmJON
(Post 15409291)
Maybe this is just a TLX thing I am not understanding... I wash my own car as I am not looking to some lame carwash to damage my car on accident.
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Originally Posted by Hoosier_TLX
(Post 15409274)
It does suck a bit having to remember to put it in car wash mode, but the modern safety features are a necessary evil i guess.
Originally Posted by fsttyms1
(Post 15409505)
Live where it gets below zero and you will be going to car washes and not washing the car yourself if you want your car clean :2cents:
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Originally Posted by tjwgrr
(Post 15409165)
If you leave the vehicle, opening the door will put it in park, hence the car wash mode for unattended washes. Otherwise, keep your seat-belt fastened if you remain with the vehicle.
Before I get out of my car, can't I clip the seat belt buckle in so the car stays in neutral when the attendant exits? |
Glad I got the I4. :evil grin:
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Originally Posted by tlxsteve
(Post 15409731)
Glad I got the I4. :evil grin:
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Originally Posted by Quandry
(Post 15409533)
Unless you have underground parking, then waterless products do the job for light soiling. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/acurazi...db47fc8c3d.jpg https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/acurazi...6519611ee8.jpg |
Originally Posted by narnia
(Post 15409639)
I have to put my car in park, get out of my car, and hand it over to an attendant. He drives it onto the track, puts it in neutral, and exits the car.
Before I get out of my car, can't I clip the seat belt buckle in so the car stays in neutral when the attendant exits? |
Originally Posted by 9SpeedTran
(Post 15410506)
Yup, works perfectly.
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Originally Posted by fsttyms1
(Post 15410222)
And if you have caked on salt, grime and snow :tomato:
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So just to be sure I've got this right:
1. If you stay in the car during the carwash, put the car in neutral, leave the engine on, but be sure to keep your seatbelt buckled to avoid MiaQbn23's situation. I'm assuming if you stay in the car, but put it in neutral and then put it in accessory mode, you don't have to worry about the seatbelt. 2. If you have to park and get out before the car enters the carwash tracks, the engine has to stay on so that the attendant can drive it onto the tracks. 3. If you are allowed to drive it onto the tracks, but have to get out before the carwash begins, you need to put it in neutral and hit the ignition button once to put the car in accessory mode. The seatbelt should not need to be fastened in this case. 4. Depending on the situation, you need to do one or more of the following: --make sure the car wash guy understands what to do, or --buckle your seatbelt before exiting your car, or --buy a seatbelt clip (from the dealer?) to insert after you unbuckle and before exiting Am I missing anything? I know that automated carwashes are not optimal, but sometimes it's the only choice, especially in cold climates with lots of road salt and weeks of temperatures below freezing. Please set me straight if I've misunderstood anything (not about the error of my ways in using carwashes in the first place, but in my admittedly obsessively detailed plan of action). |
Originally Posted by phil30
(Post 15420995)
So just to be sure I've got this right:
1. If you stay in the car during the carwash, put the car in neutral, leave the engine on, but be sure to keep your seatbelt buckled to avoid MiaQbn23's situation. I'm assuming if you stay in the car, but put it in neutral and then put it in accessory mode, you don't have to worry about the seatbelt. 2. If you have to park and get out before the car enters the carwash tracks, the engine has to stay on so that the attendant can drive it onto the tracks. 3. If you are allowed to drive it onto the tracks, but have to get out before the carwash begins, you need to put it in neutral and hit the ignition button once to put the car in accessory mode. The seatbelt should not need to be fastened in this case. 4. Depending on the situation, you need to do one or more of the following: --make sure the car wash guy understands what to do, or --buckle your seatbelt before exiting your car, or --buy a seatbelt clip (from the dealer?) to insert after you unbuckle and before exiting Am I missing anything? I know that automated carwashes are not optimal, but sometimes it's the only choice, especially in cold climates with lots of road salt and weeks of temperatures below freezing. Please set me straight if I've misunderstood anything (not about the error of my ways in using carwashes in the first place, but in my admittedly obsessively detailed plan of action). |
Originally Posted by a32tl
(Post 15421155)
That seems so complex just to go through a car wash. My head is starting to hurt.
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Originally Posted by narnia
(Post 15408540)
I was discussing the car wash mode issue with my dealer, and he told me you can buy a seat belt buckle to pop in when you leave the car as a fix. I'm going to try this!
acura tlx seat belt | eBay |
Originally Posted by phil30
(Post 15428726)
Thank you for this! Mine arrived yesterday and it looks like it should be the perfect solution.
Just note - when you want to remove the clip, press the red release button on the original seat belt, not the one on the clip. I was pressing the button on the clip and when it wouldn't come out I thought I broke my seat belt! :what: |
Originally Posted by narnia
(Post 15428749)
I was just going to follow up on my post. I tried the seat belt clip last week and it worked perfectly.
Just note - when you want to remove the clip, press the red release button on the original seat belt, not the one on the clip. I was pressing the button on the clip and when it wouldn't come out I thought I broke my seat belt! :what: |
Its the same as just buckling the belt and sit on top of it. You don't need the belt extender.
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Originally Posted by mikol77
(Post 15430140)
Its the same as just buckling the belt and sit on top of it. You don't need the belt extender.
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Originally Posted by narnia
(Post 15430655)
After I get out of the car, the attendant gets in to drive the car onto the track. I didn't want to take a chance of him undoing the belt.
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This is huge. Thank you OP.
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:rolleyes:
Originally Posted by phil30
(Post 15420995)
So............Please set me straight if I've misunderstood anything (not about the error of my ways in using carwashes in the first place, but in my admittedly obsessively detailed plan of action).
What you really just need to understand is that if you are unbuckled, and open your driver's door, the car will shift to park. If you are buckled, it will stay in drive. Keeping that in mind at a carwash, once you hand the car off to an attendant, all they would need to do is put the car in car wash mode. 1. Put the car in neutral 2. Turn car off my hitting the start/stop button Or you can use one of these buckles, or just buckle the OEM seatbelt after getting out of the car, and they can just put the car in neutral, where it will stay. |
Originally Posted by Mr Hyde
(Post 15431958)
:rolleyes:
Wow, that is needlessly complex. What you really just need to understand is that if you are unbuckled, and open your driver's door, the car will shift to park. If you are buckled, it will stay in drive. Keeping that in mind at a carwash, once you hand the car off to an attendant, all they would need to do is put the car in car wash mode. 1. Put the car in neutral 2. Turn car off my hitting the start/stop button Or you can use one of these buckles, or just buckle the OEM seatbelt after getting out of the car, and they can just put the car in neutral, where it will stay. Since someone posted earlier in this thread about his experience having his car go into park while it was on the track, I don't think it's unreasonable for drivers to find workarounds that completely avoid this. The other problem with car wash mode is that at my carwash, the attendant has to drive the car onto the track. So I have to leave the engine on with the car in park when I get out, he drives it onto the track, then he would need to put it in car wash mode. The attendant at the other end drives it off the track, meaning he needs to turn the car back on. I could explain all this to the guys working there, but it's easier for me to just use the clip, which cost about $7 and requires no special explanations to anyone. So no one way is best, it just depends on what you prefer. |
As phil30 said, car washes often involve more than one attendant. Many of these workers don't speak English here in NYC, so I don't want to take a chance on a miscommunication in explaining the car wash procedure.
It's annoying to lean on a buckled seat belt, so if you just buckle your seat belt when you leave the car it's possible one of the attendants will unbuckle it. Therefore I feel the belt buckle clip is the way to go for those of us who have to use a car wash with attendants. This $7 clip can save your $40K+ car's transmission. |
Originally Posted by narnia
(Post 15432028)
As phil30 said, car washes often involve more than one attendant. Many of these workers don't speak English here in NYC, so I don't want to take a chance on a miscommunication in explaining the car wash procedure.
It's annoying to lean on a buckled seat belt, so if you just buckle your seat belt when you leave the car it's possible one of the attendants will unbuckle it. |
I just ordered the seatbelt clip too. Thanks OP.
You don't have the option to sit inside your car at my local car wash. (they make you get out). They did not know wtf they were doing. I asked them many times if they knew about the electronic gear shifters and they just said ok, ok. I saw them put the car in neutral, then open the door. Of course the car went into park. I was afraid the rails messed up my parking pawl. The rails tried to push the car. Eventually, one of the attendees had to sit in the car with the car in neutral. |
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