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Car Wash Attendant Instructions

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by mbarrows, Jul 24, 2005.

  1. mbarrows

    mbarrows Illini Bird

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    Does anybody have bilingual (English & Spanish) instructions for the car wash attendants as far as putting a Prius in an automated car wash? (Please- no flaming! I know many of you wash by hand but I don't).

    I thought I saw something that could be printed out over a year ago on this site but I cannot find it. We just bought a 2005 Prius Friday and I don't want it damaged on the conveyor belt. It will be washed in the automated washes at gas stations but it also goes to those washes where an attendant drives it onto the "line."

    Thanks for any help,

    Mike
     
    #1 mbarrows, Jul 24, 2005
  2. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    #2 Tideland Prius, Jul 24, 2005
  3. popoff

    popoff New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(mbarrows\";p=\"109897)</div>
    Check with your dealer. You should have received a pad with lots of tear off sheets containing bilingual instructions. I'm out of town, otherwise I'd be happy to supply you with the Toyota P/N.

    PS: I see where you are in Illinois. I'm visiting in Plainfield and it is HOTTT! 100 degrees+
     
    #3 popoff, Jul 24, 2005
  4. mbarrows

    mbarrows Illini Bird

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    Check with your dealer. You should have received a pad with lots of tear off sheets containing bilingual instructions. I'm out of town, otherwise I'd be happy to supply you with the Toyota P/N.

    PS: I see where you are in Illinois. I'm visiting in Plainfield and it is HOTTT! 100 degrees+[/b][/quote]<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius\";p=\"109918)</div>
    THANK YOU!!!!!
     
    #4 mbarrows, Jul 24, 2005
  5. jfschultz

    jfschultz Active Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(mbarrows\";p=\"109897)</div>
    I know the feeling. For the same reason, last summer I used the High School fund raising car washes and they did a good job.

    But when the season was over I used the local automated car wash. When I first went there, I talked to the manager. The ususal drill for my car is that he or the assistant manager rides the car through.
     
    #5 jfschultz, Jul 24, 2005
  6. mbarrows

    mbarrows Illini Bird

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius\";p=\"109918)</div>
    THANK YOU!!!!![/b][/quote]<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(popoff\";p=\"109929)</div>
    Check with your dealer. You should have received a pad with lots of tear off sheets containing bilingual instructions. I'm out of town, otherwise I'd be happy to supply you with the Toyota P/N.

    Thank you! Yes, I got the tear off sheet from the dealer but he did not have the Spanish translation.

    You bet it's HOT!!!! It's almost like being winter where it's 20 below zero and the wind chill is so high you won't go out. I think I hate hot weather worse than cold weather.

    PS: I see where you are in Illinois. I'm visiting in Plainfield and it is HOTTT! 100 degrees+
    [/b][/quote]
     
    #6 mbarrows, Jul 24, 2005
  7. mbarrows

    mbarrows Illini Bird

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(popoff\";p=\"109929)</div>
    Check with your dealer. You should have received a pad with lots of tear off sheets containing bilingual instructions. I'm out of town, otherwise I'd be happy to supply you with the Toyota P/N.

    Thank you! Yes, I got the tear off sheet from the dealer but he did not have the Spanish translation.

    You bet it's HOT!!!! It's almost like being winter where it's 20 below zero and the wind chill is so high you won't go out. I think I hate hot weather worse than cold weather.

    PS: I see where you are in Illinois. I'm visiting in Plainfield and it is HOTTT! 100 degrees+
    [/b][/quote][/b][/quote]<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jfschultz\";p=\"109956)</div>
    I know the feeling. For the same reason, last summer I used the High School fund raising car washes and they did a good job.

    But when the season was over I used the local automated car wash. When I first went there, I talked to the manager. The ususal drill for my car is that he or the assistant manager rides the car through.
    [/b][/quote]

    It would be great if the manager of the car wash let me ride through but I know they'll tell me that due to insurance reasons, I can't.
     
    #7 mbarrows, Jul 24, 2005
  8. mbarrows

    mbarrows Illini Bird

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    Thanks to everyone for the bilingual valet instructions for my new Prius!

    However, what I really need are bilingual instructions on how to put the car in neutral when the car wash attendant leaves it at the start of the wash conveyor. The valet instructions do not mention this and the car needs to be in neutral to be pushed through. I know how to do this; the problem is the car wash attendant needs to know how to leave the car in neutral before exiting the car at the entrance and the attendant at the end of the line needs to know how to restart the car when it comes off.

    Does anyone have specific CAR WASH instructions that deal with putting the car in neutral, etc. that are bilingual?

    Thanks,

    Mike
     
    #8 mbarrows, Jul 25, 2005
  9. Sid

    Sid New Member

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    What do you do with the antenna, leave it on, or take it off?
     
    #9 Sid, Jul 25, 2005
  10. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    I guess you could always type it out and print them yourself at the back of those valet cards above =).

    If you're using the brush-type, remove the antenna. I usually leave it on through the touchless ones.
     
    #10 Tideland Prius, Jul 25, 2005
  11. Charles Suitt

    Charles Suitt Senior Member

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    :idea: Hi Sid...

    My solution to the car wash/antenna question was: Replaced the antenna with a short "stub" antenna. My reception is still good in the Metroplex (haven't driven a rural cross-country since). You can find some on eBay or you might try a Google search.

    I keep the original "long" antenna aboard if I want to change out.
     
    #11 Charles Suitt, Jul 25, 2005
  12. DanMan32

    DanMan32 Senior Member

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    I often give the valet instructions, but as you say, it doesn't apply well to carwashes.

    I would prefer that they leave the car in Ig-On to go to Neutral. This way, the HV battery is cut off at the relay, and can't discharge while going through the washer.
    After going to a place several times, they told me they have seen several other Prius in their place. The carwash's policy is not to touch the power button.
    However, one time they couldn't move the car off the conveyor. It was obviously in park, as they couldn't even push it. So, somehow either they powered off, or the car powered itself off and went into park. Then they got the Ig-On hang trying to power back on.
     
    #12 DanMan32, Jul 26, 2005
  13. mbarrows

    mbarrows Illini Bird

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(DanMan32\";p=\"110358)</div>
    Thanks; this is exactly my point, though. I need the additional instructions in English and more importantly in Spanish so they use the correct technique to put the car in neutral (as you have described). Do you know if anyone has printed these SPECIFIC instructions out (in English & SPANISH) as far as placing the car in neutral before the conveyor pushes it through the wash?

    I think I could do a decent job of adding the English instructions but not the Spanish ones.

    Any further help would be appreciated.

    Mike
     
    #13 mbarrows, Jul 26, 2005
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