Why You Cant Car Wash A Tesla

If you try to take it through a car wash you have to put the Tesla in Neutral like any other car. Watch this video of Nissan testing one of their models Although in the video you can see a technician holding a pressure washer literally inches away from the door seal I do not recommend you ever do that.

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It is because Teslas work a little differently than normal cars.

Why you cant car wash a tesla. As we mentioned in the beginning Teslas software will automatically switch the car from neutral to park if it doesnt detect someone in the drivers seat. However I did find several things in the Tesla Model 3 manual. The big hurdle with running the Tesla Model 3 through an automated carwash is that while theres an N on the shift stalk the way to actually shift the vehicle into neutral is not intuitive.

Every single car including Tesla are tested for water leaks during the manufacturing process. If its the type that you get out of and the car goes thorugh by itself you have to put it into tow mode for which is a pain in the arse. Tesla Washed Their Cars With This Waterless Car Wash and Helped Build a New Brand Yet still it took this brand years to prove their model.

This is why when I learned about waterless car wash it was such a Godsend. The 2020 Tesla Model 3 is a car like no other. Second and perhaps just as importantly you have to find a carwash where youre allowed to sit inside the car.

I would totally expect those two places to either damage the car or tell me they cant work with Teslas. Generally as long as you wash the car thoroughly beforehand and apply wax with a clean application pad you should be ok. For the record I go through a touch wash in neutral.

Seeing that Tesla says all but says not to use an automatic car wash otherwise it voids the warranty dont hold your breath for a car wash mode. No problem running the Tesla through a car wash as long as its the type that you stay inside with. This is basically a safety mechanism but it means you cant let the car go through the carwash on its own.

These car washes have no parts brushes etc that touch the surfaces of Model 3. If you move off the seat in neutral and have your seat belt off the car puts itself into park. Imagine throwing a car into park in the middle of a car wash.

One of the two places the accident prone one I havent been back to since the employee who loads the cars into the wash let a relatives car I brought there roll into another car. Assuming that your brand new Tesla Model 3 just rolled off the lot less than a week before you took delivery I would recommend not washing your car for at least 3 to 4 weeks. That said it shouldnt be surprising that taking your Tesla to the automatic car wash isnt as straightforwar.

Theres no hard rule as to how often you ought to wash your Tesla but the general rule as advised by most detailers is to wash your car every two weeks. Or worse - see photo below of poor Rhiannon - my second Tesla - the week after I got her Also I simply dont have the time to spend making an appointment there during daylight hours I am writing this at 342 am if you get my drift. Some reasons are more simple like how car washes spread around dirt and grime in a rather haphazard way potentially damaging important sensors and cameras that help the car to operate normally.

Page 162 of the manual directly says not to a touch car wash. If washing in an automatic car wash use Touchless car washes only. Here is the issue.

If you have ever had any paint and body work done to your car you may remember being told not to wash the car for a month to allow the paint to fully cure. Using any other type of car wash could cause damage that is not covered by the warranty. However if your Tesla is regularly exposed to dirtmud road salt bird droppings bug guts tree sap brake dust or tar you should wash it more often.

Meguiars On A Tesla Meguiars is a company thats been in the wax game for almost 120 years. And also says not to use high pressure jets which is what a touches wash uses. Tesla vehicles in the car wash It isnt just Tesla cars many electric and hybrid cars warn against bringing your vehicle into the soft-touch car wash.

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