# Near Disaster(s) in Car Washes



## williakz (Apr 14, 2013)

So what is the deal with late-model BMWs and car washes? The manuals say to put key fob in its dock, put the car in Neutral, and then (optionally) shut the ignition off. Car will stay in Neutral through the wash and then...WHAT THEN? I understand how to get into the car wash; I understand how to get through the car wash; but how in hell do you get OUT of the car wash?

I always leave my engine running (why kick sleeping dogs?) with tranny in Netural. At the end of the wash, when the little traffic light is showing green and saying "GO," all my non-BMW cars simply shift into Drive, and away I go. With my BMWs, the car WILL NOT shift into Drive. From what I can tell, I must first HIT THE BRAKES before I can shift to Drive and move out of the wash. When I do this, the car behind me invariably honks at me, the track roller goes under my stopped (or slowed) wheels, horrible sounding clunks and bangs reverberate through the car wash, and people with grey and yellow shirts start running all over the place. Surely, this is not the way experienced BMW drivers perform this routine chore. PLEASE HELP.

Note that the good car washes in my area are almost always jammed with customers, so line spacing is at the absolute minimum distance possible. Thus a very harrowing and fraught experience. Are my reflexes simply too slow or is BMW trying to tell me something about running its cars through mechanical washes? Thanks for any advice.


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## joedoe (May 11, 2013)

Use a touchless car wash


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## M5 Next (May 15, 2013)

Better yet, wash it by hand. No worries and you know it'll be done right. Only times I ever go through a wash (a touchless wash at that) is when it's too cold outside and I don't want to get sick.


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## williakz (Apr 14, 2013)

M5 Next said:


> Only times I ever go through a wash (a touchless wash at that) is when it's too cold outside and I don't want to get sick.


And how do you deal with the transmission problem I described during these rare occasions?


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## Dan_335i (Jun 26, 2013)

U have to turn engine off?


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## Norm37 (Jun 28, 2008)

Dan_335i said:


> U have to turn engine off?


:thumbup:



williakz said:


> So what is the deal with late-model BMWs and car washes? The manuals say to put key fob in its dock, put the car in Neutral, and then (optionally) shut the ignition off. Car will stay in Neutral through the wash and then...WHAT THEN? I understand how to get into the car wash; I understand how to get through the car wash; but how in hell do you get OUT of the car wash?


I just read the downloadable 2012 3 Series manual. It says "shut the engine off". I did not see any mention of that being optional. Might be a good idea to re-read your manual.



williakz said:


> I always leave my engine running (why kick sleeping dogs?) with tranny in Netural.


So the following won't happen.

"the car behind me invariably honks at me, the track roller goes under my stopped (or slowed) wheels, horrible sounding clunks and bangs reverberate through the car wash, and people with grey and yellow shirts start running all over the place. Surely, this is not the way experienced BMW drivers perform this routine chore. PLEASE HELP."


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## bmw330ci04 (Jun 9, 2012)

agreed, hand carwash is the way to go, only if you cant wash your car yourself. touchless beats the **** out of the paint and will age it prematurely


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## williakz (Apr 14, 2013)

What we have here is a failure to communicate...

My question, to be answered ONLY by those with actual, real-world, non-fantasy, non-conjectural EXPERIENCE boils down to this:

How does one transition from propulsion provided by *the car wash's drive rollers (under ITS control)* while the car is in NEUTRAL (engine on OR off) to propulsion provided by *the car's engine applying torque to its drive wheels (under MY control)* while the car is in DRIVE? Extra credit is given for any answer that manages to avoid the intermediate step of having to STOP the car while it is still being propelled by the car wash's drive rollers, potentially causing damage to the car, to the car wash, and/or to the vehicle THREE FEET behind mine.

Thanks guys - you're a wonderfully representative group of BMW owners.


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## Carbon Fiver (Aug 5, 2013)

Wait until your back wheels are past the rollers


Sent from BimmerApp mobile app


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## williakz (Apr 14, 2013)

Thanks for the response - please explain further. Waiting I understand, but how am I to determine WHEN my "wheels are past the rollers?"


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## Norm37 (Jun 28, 2008)

williakz said:


> how am I to determine WHEN my "wheels are past the rollers?"


The car has a different feel when the car disengages from the mechanism that propels the car on the rollers.

The car seems to roll freely after coming off the rollers. Then starts to slow down instead of being propelled forward.

Sorry about the tone of my first reply.

Ps. My son says he does not turn his engine off. The car wash he uses has a light at the exit that turns green when you can drive the car.


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## wcr3d (Jul 17, 2012)

Tap the brake while pulling down into gear. Takes less than 2 seconds. They do jam them in tight and its never been a problem.


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## wyaple (Jun 28, 2010)

I too am amazed that BMW would make things so difficult. I was freaked out the first time I went through a car wash and realized I had to stab the brakes to shift back into drive...

BTW, here's how I do it: drive through you favorite wash with the engine on, mirrors out and engine in neutral. Then, GENTLY tap the brakes while placing the car into drive when required. I have practiced this maneuver many times now and can make a nearly seamless and safe transition from neutral to drive in a few tenths of a second. This is required where I wash my vehicle because brake lights will cause much horn honking and even on one occasion, the line had to be shutdown because a older driver actually stopped at the end of the wash line, where the drying occurs.

Bill


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## williakz (Apr 14, 2013)

Thank you, gentlemen. Now that I know the technique, it remains only to properly time and execute it. Practice makes perfect, and you have let me know exactly what to practice. Thanks again.


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## need4speed (May 26, 2006)

williakz said:


> What we have here is a failure to communicate...
> 
> My question, to be answered ONLY by those with actual, real-world, non-fantasy, non-conjectural EXPERIENCE boils down to this:
> 
> ...


No failure to communicate. People with real world years of experience are simply pointing out something you may not know or have thought of. Namely, that the kind of car wash you are using is awful for your paint. BMW paint is different than that used by US and Japanese car makers, due to European environmental regs. In my years and years of real world experience you need to be more careful with it if you want it to look good for years to come. N4S


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## williakz (Apr 14, 2013)

Failure to communicate = answering an unasked question while ignoring entirely the actual question posed. My post asking how best to preserve BMW paint has not yet appeared. I'll be sure to PM you for your opinion when it does...


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## Carbon Fiver (Aug 5, 2013)

So, back in my car this morning, I tried it out. On my car (2013 535i) you do NOT need to press the brake to shift from Neutral to Drive. Rolling in Neutral, only press the button on the shifter and pull to Drive, and away I went. No brakes to scare someone behind. Dunno if it's different in other models.


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## williakz (Apr 14, 2013)

Thanks for the info. I'll check with my son who has same unit as you do. My problem is with a 2014 Z4. I know I can go directly from D to N and back to D if I'm at rest. I wonder if its not the motion that flips it into needing a brake reset, but perhaps some amount of elapsed time (say 30 seconds). I'll experiment with the Z to see if I can find out.


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## gkr778 (Feb 8, 2013)

mness said:


> So, back in my car this morning, I tried it out. On my car (2013 535i) you do NOT need to press the brake to shift from Neutral to Drive. Rolling in Neutral, only press the button on the shifter and pull to Drive, and away I went. No brakes to scare someone behind. Dunno if it's different in other models.


I can confirm that the F30 328i automatic I drove during a BMW Ultimate Drive event operated in the same manner as mness' F10. When Neutral (N) position is active, moving the shift lever in the aft direction past the resistance point engaged the Drive (D) position. I did not have to depress the brake.

williakz, are you certain that P position wasn't engaged? The owner's manual states, _"When the ignition is switched off, position P is engaged automatically. When in an automatic
car wash, for example, ensure that the ignition is not switched off accidentally."_


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## M5 Next (May 15, 2013)

williakz said:


> And how do you deal with the transmission problem I described during these rare occasions?


I pump the brakes when shifting back into Drive. I really don't get how you scare people by pumping the brakes. You have to engage the brake to shift most cars with an auto out of Park, and most people (and me) just throw our non-BMW cars into park in those washes, then when it tells you to go, shift from P to D (THIS occasionally will scare people because they see your reverse lights come on for a moment). But the car in front of me simply pumping the brakes never scared me at a wash (or anyone else I know).

Just my .02


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