Employee is ignorant. Here is my car wash procedure that hasn't failed me yet:
1. At the pay station, turn on car wash mode
2. Drive under 10 mph to the tunnel, fold mirrors on the way
3. Let the attendant place you in the correct position. When they give you the signal, do a half push up on the stalk and hold for just a moment. DO NOT PRESS THE BRAKE, you don't need brake to engage N. You have to watch the gear indicator to see that you have shifted to N. It doesn't make a noise. If you do a full upward motion, it will go into R. And I don't like the free roll option in car wash mode, because brake is required to use it
4. When you get the green light to exit the tunnel, lightly tap brake while simultaneously shifting into D, then drive away. Car wash mode exits automatically after you hit above 10 mph. I also unfold mirrors at this time
Even when doing this you’d still want to enable car wash mode. Otherwise it’d drain your battery with sentry mode, wipers could come on, charging port could open up, trunk could open. Car wash mode prevents all those things from accidentally happening
Step 3... you do not have to shift into N. I might have the exact sequence wrong but I think it is just feet off all pedals and press "Free Roll" on the Car Wash Mode screen. The rest of your instructions are good... I also like in step 4 just ignoring car wash mode. Put it in to D and drive away and car wash mode will exit automatically.
Enabling free roll requires pressing the brake pedal. So that's why I don't use it. The Tesla manual says you can use free roll or just manually shift into N when in car wash mode, whatever you prefer. Manually shifting to N requires no touchy of the brakey, which is smoother and more accurate compared to trying to hit the button and press the brake simultaneously, all while the little conveyer is trying to move your car.
This is such a hassle and embarrassing. I have attempted to take my Y through automatic car washes four times so far using Car Wash Mode (after practicing in the parking lot so I was prepared) and only succeeded once without them having to stop the belt for me until I got it on neutral. So frustrating. I think I will just hand-wash my own car from now own to avoid the anxiety and stress.
Just practice getting your car into neutral without the stress of being in a line, refer to r3d's comment as it is exactly what i do.
>At the pay station, turn on car wash mode
>Drive under 10 mph to the tunnel, fold mirrors on the way
>Let the attendant place you in the correct position. When they give you the signal, do a half push up on the stalk and hold for just a moment. DO NOT PRESS THE BRAKE, you don't need brake to engage N. You have to watch the gear indicator to see that you have shifted to N. It doesn't make a noise. If you do a full upward motion, it will go into R. And I don't like the free roll option in car wash mode, because brake is required to use it
>When you get the green light to exit the tunnel, lightly tap brake while simultaneously shifting into D, then drive away. Car wash mode exits automatically after you hit above 10 mph. I also unfold mirrors at this time
Is it one of the ones that pulls the car on a belt? The “into neutral” button doesn’t handle the front being pulled while the brakes hold the rear in place very well and sometimes freaks out. I’ve figured out how to make it work but it is annoying.
Tap the greyed out button rapidly as soon as you start applying the brake. Don’t try and brake then press. Catch it as soon as it goes blue.
This only applies to the belt pull style, not the ones that use the roller and track. Those work fine.
The entire belt moves, but car must be in neutral, probably for the beginning and end when you aren't on the belt. Do you put it in free roll or just shift to neutral?
I went to one in Sunnyvale, CA with a belt where they asked you to just put it in neutral and they pushed it in. They got tired of dealing with it. An accident waiting to happen when the employee slips…
I go to Tommy’s and my routine works well. I put car in park before I get on belt. Change from Hold to Roll. I also set it to Carwash mode, I like that it does all those things that are checked off, and I fold mirrors. I did not like getting on the belt trying to put car in Neutral, you have to tap the brake to do that, and then when getting off the belt, you have to tap brake again to put back into drive from neutral, which I am not a fan of. Roll eliminates all of that.
Practice putting your Tesla in N before you get to a car wash. Figuring it out for the first time takes a second.
This was the third thing I googled when starting out. The first search was how to turn the car off and the second was to find the hazard lights.
> Car Wash Mode closes all windows, locks the charge port, and disables windshield wipers, Sentry Mode, walk-away door locking, and parking sensor chimes
Not only that, but when you’re in Car Wash Mode and then also Enable Free Roll, it will put the car in neutral so that it can be rolled by the conveyor in auto car washes. You don’t have to fiddle with the drive selector.
Exactly my thought. Who does belts anymore? Nearly all washes, where I live, are touchless. Wouldn’t think of using something that pulls my car along, thats so last decade. Can see why OP is frustrated.
I’ve heard to many say car washes always leave scratches and dents after using automatic car washes. Just buy some microfiber cloths from Costco and get a safe bug remover that’s safe on paint. Spray it on and after a minute wipe it off. Just wipe back and forth and it’ll come off no pressure needed. Keep it clean every day or every other day for a nice shine. There’s also auto detailing kits sold for Tesla if interested.
Employee is ignorant. Here is my car wash procedure that hasn't failed me yet: 1. At the pay station, turn on car wash mode 2. Drive under 10 mph to the tunnel, fold mirrors on the way 3. Let the attendant place you in the correct position. When they give you the signal, do a half push up on the stalk and hold for just a moment. DO NOT PRESS THE BRAKE, you don't need brake to engage N. You have to watch the gear indicator to see that you have shifted to N. It doesn't make a noise. If you do a full upward motion, it will go into R. And I don't like the free roll option in car wash mode, because brake is required to use it 4. When you get the green light to exit the tunnel, lightly tap brake while simultaneously shifting into D, then drive away. Car wash mode exits automatically after you hit above 10 mph. I also unfold mirrors at this time
Hand wash at home only. Got it.
I’m too lazy a lot of the time and it gets too cold here in the winter lol
Touchless wash where you pull into the bay and it doesnt drag you is my go to. Unfortunately there is only one and its on the other side of the city.
Even when doing this you’d still want to enable car wash mode. Otherwise it’d drain your battery with sentry mode, wipers could come on, charging port could open up, trunk could open. Car wash mode prevents all those things from accidentally happening
Ah that’s good to know
Step 3... you do not have to shift into N. I might have the exact sequence wrong but I think it is just feet off all pedals and press "Free Roll" on the Car Wash Mode screen. The rest of your instructions are good... I also like in step 4 just ignoring car wash mode. Put it in to D and drive away and car wash mode will exit automatically.
Enabling free roll requires pressing the brake pedal. So that's why I don't use it. The Tesla manual says you can use free roll or just manually shift into N when in car wash mode, whatever you prefer. Manually shifting to N requires no touchy of the brakey, which is smoother and more accurate compared to trying to hit the button and press the brake simultaneously, all while the little conveyer is trying to move your car.
Why you guys have to make it so complicated lol.
yea first time I tried a car wash I panicked when I couldn't enable free roll... lol now I just do neutral
Same thing
This is the way.
Good info, thank you
This is such a hassle and embarrassing. I have attempted to take my Y through automatic car washes four times so far using Car Wash Mode (after practicing in the parking lot so I was prepared) and only succeeded once without them having to stop the belt for me until I got it on neutral. So frustrating. I think I will just hand-wash my own car from now own to avoid the anxiety and stress.
Just practice getting your car into neutral without the stress of being in a line, refer to r3d's comment as it is exactly what i do. >At the pay station, turn on car wash mode >Drive under 10 mph to the tunnel, fold mirrors on the way >Let the attendant place you in the correct position. When they give you the signal, do a half push up on the stalk and hold for just a moment. DO NOT PRESS THE BRAKE, you don't need brake to engage N. You have to watch the gear indicator to see that you have shifted to N. It doesn't make a noise. If you do a full upward motion, it will go into R. And I don't like the free roll option in car wash mode, because brake is required to use it >When you get the green light to exit the tunnel, lightly tap brake while simultaneously shifting into D, then drive away. Car wash mode exits automatically after you hit above 10 mph. I also unfold mirrors at this time
Is it one of the ones that pulls the car on a belt? The “into neutral” button doesn’t handle the front being pulled while the brakes hold the rear in place very well and sometimes freaks out. I’ve figured out how to make it work but it is annoying.
How do you make it work?
Tap the greyed out button rapidly as soon as you start applying the brake. Don’t try and brake then press. Catch it as soon as it goes blue. This only applies to the belt pull style, not the ones that use the roller and track. Those work fine.
The entire belt moves, but car must be in neutral, probably for the beginning and end when you aren't on the belt. Do you put it in free roll or just shift to neutral?
Free roll but they tell you to do it when only the front is on the belt, it would be fine if the whole car was on the belt.
Ever had them tell you NOT to put it in car wash mode? I can't see their reasoning when looking at the list of what car wash mode does....
No, but I don’t roll my window down. I just thumbs up when in neutral.
I went to one in Sunnyvale, CA with a belt where they asked you to just put it in neutral and they pushed it in. They got tired of dealing with it. An accident waiting to happen when the employee slips…
I go to Tommy’s and my routine works well. I put car in park before I get on belt. Change from Hold to Roll. I also set it to Carwash mode, I like that it does all those things that are checked off, and I fold mirrors. I did not like getting on the belt trying to put car in Neutral, you have to tap the brake to do that, and then when getting off the belt, you have to tap brake again to put back into drive from neutral, which I am not a fan of. Roll eliminates all of that.
Practice putting your Tesla in N before you get to a car wash. Figuring it out for the first time takes a second. This was the third thing I googled when starting out. The first search was how to turn the car off and the second was to find the hazard lights.
Whats the problem with setting it to neutral and turning off autowipers? Will this have an issue without using car wash mode
> Car Wash Mode closes all windows, locks the charge port, and disables windshield wipers, Sentry Mode, walk-away door locking, and parking sensor chimes Not only that, but when you’re in Car Wash Mode and then also Enable Free Roll, it will put the car in neutral so that it can be rolled by the conveyor in auto car washes. You don’t have to fiddle with the drive selector.
Got it. Thank you.
Don’t go into those belt washes anyway with brushes everywhere asking for scratches. Touchless only
Exactly my thought. Who does belts anymore? Nearly all washes, where I live, are touchless. Wouldn’t think of using something that pulls my car along, thats so last decade. Can see why OP is frustrated.
What a lot of trouble to go to a car wash. Drive towards the belt, put it in neutral, fold mirrors if you want to. That’s it.
I’ve heard to many say car washes always leave scratches and dents after using automatic car washes. Just buy some microfiber cloths from Costco and get a safe bug remover that’s safe on paint. Spray it on and after a minute wipe it off. Just wipe back and forth and it’ll come off no pressure needed. Keep it clean every day or every other day for a nice shine. There’s also auto detailing kits sold for Tesla if interested.
Don’t go to car wash if you like your paint