Car wash won't take Prius

[BareCloset]

My local car wash refushes to was my 2005 Prius because their insurance will not cover a car that is not in neutral with the engine off. Insurance company says it is too dangerous to leave it in the ignition mode. Anyway around this?

[pkjohna]

Not sure what this is doing in Commercial Sales but I'd suggest trying a different car wash. I've had mine through the local brushless wash with no problems; I just take off the antenna and pull in the mirrors.

[BareCloset]

Sorry. I am brand new here and I guess I got lost in the maze.

[rflagg]

while in full ready mode, put your foot on the brake, and hold the shifter in the N position for about 2 seconds. You are now in neutral with the engine off (as long as a/c and heater are both off, anyways). The reason there's a delay in shifting into neutral while in ready mode is in case you accidentally bump the shifter while driving. But yeah, a different car wash is probably easier and more in order here. Welcome aboard!

-m.

[bruceha_2000]

I was going to post the same thing Martin, but I noticed BareCloset said the ins co didn't think engine off, Ig-On was even good enough.

[bruceha_2000]

I just take off the antenna and pull in the mirrors.

I've been through once. No brushes, but it had the big heavy strips of cloth. I removed the antenna. The floppy strips folded the mirrors! I didn't even know they could fold both backward AND forward. How is one supposed to get the mirrors washed if you have to fold them so the machine doesn't?

Yeah, I know: A bottle of Windex and a roll of paper towels.

[KCPrius]

while in full ready mode, put your foot on the brake, and hold the shifter in the N position for about 2 seconds. You are now in neutral with the engine off (as long as a/c and heater are both off, anyways). The reason there's a delay in shifting into neutral while in ready mode is in case you accidentally bump the shifter while driving. But yeah, a different car wash is probably easier and more in order here. Welcome aboard!

-m.

dumb question here, I won't send my Prius thru an automatic car wash, but my wife will be getting one in a couple of months and she uses one for her current car all the time. Am I understanding that if she does what you suggest, that holding the car in N for a couple of seconds will shut off the car with it in neutral? And a second dumb question....do the carwash jockey's no how to get the thing started and moved once it comes off the line?

[Wolfman]

You'll have to hover over the car. I always have to with mine, which is not as "different" as the 04 and up models.

[DanMan32]

I've been to two different carwash places. The first one has seen the Prius before, and had no problems once they got the key from me (having SKS, I forgot to leave my key in the car ops: ).

The 2nd place I went to twice could get the car IN the washer, but the guys at the other end couldn't figure out how to get it back in drive.

You can get the car in neutral in Ig-On mode.
From off, press power twice without pressing brake.
Hold shifter in N for about 2 seconds.
You are now in Neutral, and the ICE/Inverter will remain off.

Which reminds me, my car is due to be washed.

[Canuck]

I have three high pressure, brushless car wash facilities within 15 miles of me where you drive into the building, park when the sign says "STOP", the apparatus moves around the vehicle going through the chosen cycles and when completed the sign says "PROCEED SLOWLY" you depart the building using a timer display while hot,dry air finishes the job. It costs around $7 CAD for the basic and I've used it 6 times in the 3 months we've owned the Prius. No need to fold side mirrors or remove antenna and haven't had any problems whatsoever.
Are these not common in most areas?