Automatic Car Wash and Auto Park

[Rhinebeck01]

Snipe:

One old post suggested purchasing a plastic seat belt clip (link below) to insert into the seat belt receiver instead of the actual belt. That seems like a good idea to avoid car wash attendants from unbuckling the seat belt but I can't locate one on line. Anyone have a lead on that?

https://www.wranglerforum.com/attachments/sb-clip-jpg.4205691/

Thanks.

Rich

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[Valpo Jeep]

We have a few places where you drop off to the attendant and they take it from there. Have not had the Jeep through there yet so no idea how it will react.

Most automatic washers in my area are the “you ride through” type. Have not even been through those yet.

I picked up a foam cannon for home washes and have been doing that lately but not sure what I will do this winter.

 

[BeachNJeep]

In OC CA, the full service car wash I use has attendants who are familiar with auto park transmissions. On both my 4xe and my Pacifica, before driving it to the wash bay, they latch the driver's seat belt, leave it in N, get out, close the door and then retrieve it from the other side. When I get in to drive away, the seat belt is still latched and I have to unlatch it.

I never told these guys what to do. They just knew to do it.

 

[rk911]

We had one like this locally in CA, it's out of business. Labor rates are too high for all the extra steps. To make money with all the extra hands involved they have to price so high I can literally get a mobile detailer to come to my house and spend 4 hours on the Jeep for an extra $50….

For the last We’ve been using a mobile detailer

We have a few places where you drop off to the attendant and they take it from there. Have not had the Jeep through there yet so no idea how it will react.

Most automatic washers in my area are the “you ride through” type. Have not even been through those yet.

I picked up a foam cannon for home washes and have been doing that lately but not sure what I will do this winter.

AFAIK, apart from the mini car washes at some gas stations, we don't have any 'ride through' full -service car washes in my area. We had a mobile detailer come to the house twice-a-year for 2-yrs to detail the Jeeps but he has moved on to other venues.

 

[rk911]

In OC CA, the full service car wash I use has attendants who are familiar with auto park transmissions. On both my 4xe and my Pacifica, before driving it to the wash bay, they latch the driver's seat belt, leave it in N, get out, close the door and then retrieve it from the other side. When I get in to drive away, the seat belt is still latched and I have to unlatch it.

I never told these guys what to do. They just knew to do it.

Good to know and thanks. This is our first vehicle that has auto-park. I may get a Tazr to disable it as it seems to be more of a nuisance than anything else.

 

[Joe Nichols]

This is *not* a discussion of whether taking a soft top Wrangler thru an automatic car wash is a good idea. I've taken our soft top TJ thru automatic car washes for 20-years with zero leaks or other issues. And I intend to do the same with my new '23 soft top, 8-speed auto tranny 2-door JL. But this is the first vehicle we've had with Auto Park which is causing some concern.

I've been reading old posts on this forum and others online about the best way to take an Auto Park enabled Wrangler thru an automatic car wash. There seems to be one and only one way to send the Jeep thru the wash without triggering the Auto Park and that's to re-buckle the driver's seat belt after getting out of the vehicle.

- Leave fhe engine running for the attendant
- Put the auto tranny in park and get out
- Re-buckle the driver's seat belt and retain the key fob

These steps, allegedly, will prevent the Wrangler from jumping into Auto Park. True? Are other new vehicles eauipped with Augo Park? Are car wash attendants aware of Auto Park and how to trick it?

One old post suggested purchasing a plastic selt belt clip (link below) to insert into the seat belt receiver instead of the actual belt. That seems like a good idea to avoid car wash attendants from unbuckling the seat belt but I can't locate one on line. Anyone have a lead on that?

https://www.wranglerforum.com/attachments/sb-clip-jpg.4205691/

Thanks.

Rich

I bought a seatbelt extension on Amazon and that took care of the auto park issue. I run it thru the auto car wash every week with no problems. Jeep thinks the seatbelt is buckled all the time. Cheap fix.

 

[Wabujitsu]

Good to know and thanks. This is our first vehicle that has auto-park. I may get a Tazr to disable it as it seems to be more of a nuisance than anything else.

I’ve got a Tazer but have not disabled it, because I’ve been hit in the head too many times ? Like a bone head, I’ve jumped out with it still in drive - more than twice…

 

[Flip]

Will disconnecting the door wiring harness eliminate auto-park?

Would it be possible to just use a different car wash, one that you stay in the vehicle?

 

[rk911]

Will disconnecting the door wiring harness eliminate auto-park?

Would it be possible to just use a different car wash, one that you stay in the vehicle?

No clue about the door harness but, AFAIK, there no stay-in-the-car washes in my area (apart from the mini washes at gas stations). I prefer the full-service washes as they do a mini detail on the interior as well as wash the exterior.

 

[2nd 392]

I’ve got a Tazer but have not disabled it, because I’ve been hit in the head too many times ? Like a bone head, I’ve jumped out with it still in drive - more than twice…

 

[BeachNJeep]

Will disconnecting the door wiring harness eliminate auto-park?

Would it be possible to just use a different car wash, one that you stay in the vehicle?

When I drive with my doors off, the auto park does not engage. I can drive with my seatbelt unbuckled.

 

[2nd 392]

Will disconnecting the door wiring harness eliminate auto-park?

Would it be possible to just use a different car wash, one that you stay in the vehicle?

When I drive with my doors off, the auto park does not engage. I can drive with my seatbelt unbuckled.

We have a solution for the OP. Hit the car wash with the doors off and no more auto-park PITA.

 

[oldcjguy]

I may be missing something. I thought auto-park happened when the jeep was moving with the door opened. Pretty sure you're going to have the doors closed going through the wash. Is there a seat sensor to know if someone is sitting in it? Is the engine off?

If the engine is going to be off, you could just pull the tow release lever in front of the shifter. That will either put the transmission in neutral or allow you to move the shifter to neutral(I forget which)

 

[rk911]

We have a solution for the OP. Hit the car wash with the doors off and no more auto-park PITA.

duuuhhh Now why didn't I think of that.

 

[2nd 392]

duuuhhh Now why didn't I think of that.

The belt extender is the best $20 mod I have made. Auto Park was an extremely aggravating PITA with gate in & outs. ? It took me a few days to stop habitually reaching too low and unbuckling it ?

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