Car washes and AWD

[G-Ride]

Howdy folks,

Is there any danger taking an AWD car through an automatic car wash? I
recently bought an '06 OBW, and it was news to me when the dealer told us to
never allow the car to be towed other than on a flatbed. So that got me
thinking about automatic car washes that have you put the car in neutral and
guide your car through. I'll likely do most washing by hand, but sometimes
the quick and easy way is, well, quick and easy.

Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[bigjim]

Car washes have you put it in neutral so no power is sent to wheels.
No problem to use car wash

 

[Funkadyleik Spynwhanker]

Uhm, it's important to note a couple of things;

Power has nothing to do with it.

One set of wheels moving an done not has EVERYTHING to do with it.

So, depending on exactly how the conveyor for the car works, it could be a
problem or not.

The ones I have seen, push the wheel with another wheel, so as the car rolls
foward there is force on the wheel, but all four wheels stay on the ground
and roll normally. That would not hurt AWD. (I am sure we would have heard
about it before if it did.)

IF the front wheels are on plates and the back roll (dragged) then you would
have a problem.

You could always go to a brush-automatic washer at a gas station that doesnt
move the car....

Car washes have you put it in neutral so no power is sent to wheels.
No problem to use car wash

 

[TeleScooby]

As long as all four wheels are rolling forward at the same speed, and
in a straight line...you're fine. The trouble starts with towing when
they take you around a corner and the back wheels (the only ones on the
ground) are turning at different speeds...and that fact that the front
wheels are not spinning at all...all that is what funks up your AWD
system.

Jesse

Uhm, it's important to note a couple of things;

Power has nothing to do with it.

One set of wheels moving an done not has EVERYTHING to do with it.

So, depending on exactly how the conveyor for the car works, it could be a
problem or not.

The ones I have seen, push the wheel with another wheel, so as the car rolls
foward there is force on the wheel, but all four wheels stay on the ground
and roll normally. That would not hurt AWD. (I am sure we would have heard
about it before if it did.)

IF the front wheels are on plates and the back roll (dragged) then you would
have a problem.

You could always go to a brush-automatic washer at a gas station that doesnt
move the car....

 

[JohnO]

The trouble starts with towing when
they take you around a corner and the back wheels (the only ones on the
ground) are turning at different speeds...

Oddly enough, that same thing happens every time I *drive* around the
corner or into a parking spot.

-John O

 

[bugalugs]

Oddly enough, that same thing happens every time I *drive* around the
corner or into a parking spot.

-John O

You missed the important bit

"the back wheels (the only ones on the ground) are turning at different
speeds...""

 

[JohnO]

You missed the important bit

"the back wheels (the only ones on the ground) are turning at different
speeds...""

Well, I'm not sure which way you're going with this, so yeah whatever.

-John O

 

[Ron N.]

Oddly enough, that same thing happens every time I *drive* around the
corner or into a parking spot.

You drive around corners with your front wheels off the
ground? Didn't know a subie could do wheelies...!!!

 

[Carl 1 Lucky Texan]

Howdy folks,

Is there any danger taking an AWD car through an automatic car wash? I
recently bought an '06 OBW, and it was news to me when the dealer told us to
never allow the car to be towed other than on a flatbed. So that got me
thinking about automatic car washes that have you put the car in neutral and
guide your car through. I'll likely do most washing by hand, but sometimes
the quick and easy way is, well, quick and easy.

Thanks in advance for any help!

I'd say , in the real world, IF any bind built up in the drivetrain,
things are wet enough in a car wash that a little tire slippage here and
there would take care of it. Towing a MT soob with all 4 wheels on the
ground is 'kinda OK' (some limitations on distance/speed blah blah)
towing an AT soob is kinda bad cause the hydraulics aren't getting
pumped around. Towing either type is bad with 2 wheels up.

Carl (did I put in enough 'weasel words' ? lol!)

 

[G-Ride]

I'd say , in the real world, IF any bind built up in the drivetrain,
things are wet enough in a car wash that a little tire slippage here and
there would take care of it. Towing a MT soob with all 4 wheels on the
ground is 'kinda OK' (some limitations on distance/speed blah blah) towing
an AT soob is kinda bad cause the hydraulics aren't getting pumped around.
Towing either type is bad with 2 wheels up.

Carl (did I put in enough 'weasel words' ? lol!)

No problem w/ weasel words. Thanks to you and everyone else that responded.

 

[Paul Knudsen]

Is there any danger taking an AWD car through an automatic car wash?

The one I go to, the front tires go into a kind a well and that moves
the car along. Sooo the rear wheels move and the fronts don't. I
don't think the short distance involved matters much.

 

[nobody >]

You drive around corners with your front wheels off the
ground? Didn't know a subie could do wheelies...!!!

He's got one of those pre-production models with the front-end
levitation that was supposed to make parking easier.

 

[JohnO]

He's got one of those pre-production models with the front-end
levitation that was supposed to make parking easier.

The poster's point was that the wheels turning at different speeds
caused problems. He use the parenthetic phrase to clarify which wheels
he meant. But nevermind, I'm being dragged into an abyss.

-John O

 

[who]

Is there any danger taking an AWD car through an automatic car wash? I
recently bought an '06 OBW, and it was news to me when the dealer told us to
never allow the car to be towed other than on a flatbed. So that got me
thinking about automatic car washes that have you put the car in neutral and
guide your car through. I'll likely do most washing by hand, but sometimes
the quick and easy way is, well, quick and easy.

I don't believe there is, unless the roof scratches you get from car
washes bother you.