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Necessary to remove antenna before going through car wash?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by Mary Lou In Ohio, Dec 31, 2004.

  1. Mary Lou In Ohio

    Mary Lou In Ohio Junior Member

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    </span><span style=\'color:blue\'> My Prius is just about 10 days old and really needs to be washed, due to the heavy snow and salt on the roads. Is it necessary to remove the antenna before driving the car through an automatic car wash? If so, how is this done? My main problem is that I can't reach it (too short). This will be a great problem for me if it really is necessary to remove this antenna everytime I want the car washed.

    My husband's Camry has a built-in antenna in the windshield. Why didn't Toyota put one of these in the Prius?

    Any help on this would be appreciated.

    Thanks,

    Mary Lou
     
    #1 Mary Lou In Ohio, Dec 31, 2004
  2. Mary Lou

    Mary Lou Junior Member

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    Re: Necessary to remove antenna before going through car was

    [font=Comic Sans MS:00796785b5]Hi Mary Lou :)
    I go to a car wash where I stay inside the car. When I first drive up and and pay, they unscrew my antenna for me, clean it, and hand it to me. They then put a thin plastic bag over the back window washer for some reason. when I come out of there, I just screw it back on; but they always say if you need help to put it back on, let us know.
    Is this the kind of car wash that you have near you?
    Happy New Year!

    Mary Lou[/font:00796785b5]
     
    #2 Mary Lou, Dec 31, 2004
  3. Canuck

    Canuck Member

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    Re: Necessary to remove antenna before going through car was

    We've been through the automatic high pressure brushless wash quite a few times and no problem with the antenna.
     
    #3 Canuck, Dec 31, 2004
  4. Frank Hudon

    Frank Hudon Senior Member

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    if your car wash has the the big revolving brushes take the antenna off, if it say's "brushless wash" go thru. The reason that Toyota want's you to take it off is that the revolving brushes tend to rip the whole mount out of the roof when the bristles get wrapped around the antenna.
     
    #4 Frank Hudon, Dec 31, 2004
  5. Sufferin' Prius Envy

    Sufferin' Prius Envy Platinum Member

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    Re: Necessary to remove antenna before going through car was

    Mary Lou,
    As you can probably deduce by now . . . It depends on the type of car wash. If there is something mechanical in the car wash that will hit the antenna (arm, spinning brush, blower housing, etc) then by all means take the antenna off. If it is a high pressure wash with nothing mechanical to hit the antenna then it is safe to leave antenna on. Watch a few cars go through first. The high pressure water itself is not strong enough damage the antenna. BUT, removing the antenna is always the safe default answer.
     
    #5 Sufferin' Prius Envy, Dec 31, 2004
  6. Ms. Piggy

    Ms. Piggy New Member

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    Re: Necessary to remove antenna before going through car was

     
    #6 Ms. Piggy, Dec 31, 2004
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