Your step by step guide on how to put Tesla in Car Wash Mode safely and easily

Heading to the car wash with your Tesla and need to ensure it’s ready for the automated brushes and water jets? Our guide on how to put Tesla in Car Wash Mode provides a straightforward solution to activate this crucial feature. Learn to easily protect your vehicle’s exterior and internal systems with a few taps on your touchscreen.

Key takeaways

• Tesla Car Wash Mode shields the vehicle from car wash hazards by locking windows, disabling wipers, Sentry Mode, and parking sensor chimes, and enabling Free Roll for auto wash conveyance.

• Before entering a car wash, Tesla owners must prepare by cleaning exterior grime, folding mirrors, ensuring windows are secure, checking the charge port is not engaged, and selecting a touchless or hand wash for safety.

• After leaving the car wash, owners should deactivate Car Wash Mode, restore vehicle settings, perform a thorough post-wash inspection, and maintain regular cleaning schedules using appropriate products for Tesla’s unique requirements.

Activating Tesla Car Wash Mode

Imagine approaching the entrance of a car wash, your Tesla’s sensors and cameras like the eyes and ears of a sentinel, vigilantly protecting its sleek form. In this moment, Tesla Car Wash Mode becomes your trusted ally. Introduced in the 2021.24.4 update, this feature is the armor that shields your electric vehicle from the potential hazards of a car wash. By activating this mode, you can rest assured that your Tesla will emerge from the wash unscathed and sparkling.

To summon this guardian of cleanliness, your Tesla must stand still, its electric heart at rest and not actively charging. The process is simple:

1. A gentle tap on the touch screen.

2. Navigate through: Controls.

3. Select: Service.

4. Finally, choose: Car Wash Mode.

This straightforward sequence prepares your vehicle for a safe passage through the water jets and brushes. With the touch of your finger, you’ve not only prepared your Tesla for its wash, but you’ve also brought peace of mind to yourself as an owner.

Locating the Car Wash Mode feature

While it may seem daunting to locate the Car Wash Mode, it is conveniently accessible within a few touches on your Tesla’s touch screen interface. The path begins with a tap on ‘Controls,’ a beacon that guides you through the digital labyrinth, and ends with ‘Service,’ where the sought-after feature awaits your command.

With the precision of a chess master, you navigate through the touch screen menu, your fingertips deftly selecting ‘Service.’ There it is, Car Wash Mode, a feature that lies dormant until you awaken it with a touch. Its activation signals your Tesla’s readiness for the cleansing ritual that is the car wash, ensuring the safety of its intricate systems and the luster of its exterior.

Understanding what Car Wash Mode disables

Engaging Car Wash Mode is akin to your Tesla putting on an invisible cloak, securing all windows and locking the charge port, protecting it from the water and soap. This mode is a silent guardian, disabling the vigilant windshield wipers that would otherwise leap to action at the first touch of moisture, and ensuring the tranquility of your car wash experience as the Car Wash Mode closes.

The vehicle’s sensory systems, such as parking sensor chimes and Sentry Mode, are lulled into a temporary slumber, preventing any misinterpretations of the car wash’s movements as threats. This not only protects the vehicle but also ensures that the car wash operates without triggering alarms or unnecessary interventions from your Tesla’s sophisticated systems.

Engaging Free Roll for automatic car washes

As you approach the gateway to cleanliness, a crucial maneuver awaits: The engagement of Free Roll. This allows your Tesla to traverse the automatic car wash’s conveyor with the grace of a dancer, free from the constraints of gears and locks. Initiating this requires pressing the brake pedal while in drive mode, then enabling ‘Free Roll’ on the screen, which facilitates your vehicle’s seamless passage through the car wash.

Once engaged, your Tesla is poised to roll as freely as a tumbleweed across the desert, unencumbered by the mechanical grip that usually propels it forward. With Free Roll active, the wheels can spin, the wash’s conveyor can carry, and your car can glide through the automated process without resistance, all the while protected by the sanctuary of Car Wash Mode. Enable free roll to experience this seamless car wash journey.

Preparing your Tesla for the car wash

Before your Tesla navigates through the soap-filled tunnel, some preparatory steps are necessary. These steps are the polish on the armor, the final checks before the battle against dirt and grime. Your Tesla is not just a car; it’s an investment, a statement, and a companion on your journey, and as such, it deserves a preparation that befits its stature.

Clear away any lingering grime or mud, banish the remnants of road salt—these are the adversaries that, if left unchecked, could mar the Tesla’s paint during its wash. Like a knight shedding excess weight before a duel, ensure your vehicle is free of debris and ready for the cleansing ahead. Then, proceed to fold the mirrors and secure all windows, a ritual that preserves the integrity of your Tesla as it enters the realm of the car wash.

Folding mirrors and securing windows

Your Tesla’s mirrors, which extend your field of view, need to be folded inward. This precautionary measure shields them from the car wash’s mechanical appendages, ensuring they remain unscathed. While Car Wash Mode secures the windows against the invading waters, folding the mirrors is a manual homage to caution, an extra step that Tesla owners are wise to perform.

Just as a captain ensures his ship’s rigging is secure before a storm, so too must you ensure your Tesla’s mirrors are neatly tucked away. If you frequent car washes, you can even save these oases of cleanliness as locations within your Tesla’s memory. Upon arrival, the mirrors will automatically fold, a silent testament to the vehicle’s anticipation of the wash to come.

Checking the charge status

You need to balance your Tesla’s state of charge with its readiness for a wash, much like a conductor directing an orchestra. Entering the car wash while actively charging is akin to a faux pas in high society—it can lead to damage, both embarrassing and costly. Check the charge status, witness the charge port indicator light extinguish its glow, and know that your vehicle is ready to be cleansed without concern.

Locking the charge port is a gesture of safeguarding, a final nod to the protection of your Tesla’s electric soul. As you close and secure this gateway to energy, you are not simply preparing for a wash; you are fortifying your vehicle against the elements it is about to face, a testament to your role as a diligent Tesla guardian.

Selecting the right car wash

The choice of car wash is a decision that speaks volumes about an owner’s care and understanding of their Tesla’s needs. It is a choice between the gentle caress of touchless car washes or the meticulous attention of a hand wash—a decision that affects the vehicle’s finish and overall aesthetics. Tesla recommends the touchless variety, where no brushes or harsh substances make contact with the surface, thereby avoiding potential damage and preserving the vehicle’s pristine condition.

For those who prefer a more personal touch, hand washing offers control and a connection to the vehicle that automated processes cannot match. It is a labor of love, ensuring each curve of the Tesla’s body is treated with respect and attention to detail. Whether you choose the convenience of a touchless car wash or the intimacy of a hand wash, the goal is the same—to maintain the longevity and luster of your Tesla.

Exiting Car Wash Mode: Post wash procedures

Once the rush of water subsides and the hum of brushes recedes, your Tesla emerges clean and shining from the car wash. It is now time to exit Car Wash Mode, to transition from the washing oasis back to the road where your Tesla belongs. The ritual is simple: a touch on the touchscreen and the selection of ‘Exit,’ and your vehicle sheds its temporary safeguards as easily as it donned them.

With the deactivation of Car Wash Mode, your Tesla is ready to resume its role as a herald of innovation on the open road. But before you re-engage in the dance of traffic and travel, a few post-wash procedures remain to ensure your vehicle’s readiness for the journey ahead.

Touching Exit to deactivate Car Wash Mode

The transition from the protected state of Car Wash Mode to the active engagement of the road is marked by the touch of ‘Exit.’ With a press of this virtual button, your electric car, a Tesla, reawakens from its temporary hibernation, ready to embrace the world with renewed clarity and cleanliness.

This simple act is the bridge between the sanctuary of the wash and the excitement of the journey that lies beyond.

Restoring vehicle settings

Upon exiting the car wash, it’s time to reactivate the safety features of your Tesla. Sentry Mode, once lulled into silence, must now be reactivated, its vigilant eyes watching over your vehicle as it rests in parking lots and driveways. The convenience and security of walk-away door locking return with a manual gesture, a reassurance that your Tesla remains secure in your absence.

Likewise, the symphony of parking sensor chimes must be brought back to life, their alerts a chorus that guides your maneuvers and protects your vehicle from unseen obstacles. Each setting is a thread in the tapestry of your Tesla’s functionality, and restoring them is as important as the wash itself—a ritual that ensures your vehicle remains the epitome of cutting-edge mobility.

Conducting a post-wash inspection

The car wash process may have come to an end, but a post-wash inspection is required before you drive away. Cast a discerning eye over your Tesla, searching for any signs of damage, particularly to the plastic trim pieces, exterior lights, or camera lenses that serve as the vehicle’s senses. The inspection is a safeguard, a means to ensure that the car wash has not left any unwanted marks on your vehicle’s armor.

Pay attention to the underside, the wheel wells, and the brakes—hidden realms where corrosive substances like road salt may lurk. Rinse away any residues, a cleansing ritual that preserves the integrity of your Tesla’s mechanical heart. Ensure the exterior cameras are clear and unobstructed, their vision paramount to the safety features and Autopilot’s precision.

This post-wash inspection is not just a check; it’s a commitment to maintaining the Tesla’s pristine condition and performance.

Maintenance tips for after the car wash

The car wash forms just a part of the ongoing care your Tesla needs. After the wash, the vehicle requires attention to detail that goes beyond the surface clean. It’s about preserving the integrity of the paintwork, treating minor blemishes with a touch-up pen, and ensuring the exterior is as flawless as the technology within. Regular maintenance and occasional pampering with approved polishes, filling compounds, and waxes add layers of protection and luster to your Tesla’s appearance, prolonging its showroom shine.

This post-wash care is a ritual that enriches the bond between owner and vehicle, a series of steps that not only maintain the Tesla’s aesthetic appeal but also its value and longevity. Let’s delve into the art of drying and waxing, interior cleaning, and establishing a cleaning schedule that ensures your Tesla remains in peak condition.

Drying and waxing your Tesla

Drying your Tesla is a meticulous task, requiring careful attention to each water droplet to prevent the formation of water spots that could mar its finish. Employ clean water and a chamois to gently absorb the moisture, a process that protects the paint and preserves the vehicle’s allure.

Following the dry, comes the wax—a protective embrace that seals in the shine and shields your Tesla from the harsh elements it faces on the road. For a lasting defense against the elements, enlist the services of high-quality products such as 303 Aerospace Protectant or Collinite waxes. These allies in the fight against wear and tear endow your Tesla with a protective coating that not only enhances its appearance but also fortifies it against environmental challenges.

Applying these products is not just maintenance; it’s an act of preservation, ensuring your Tesla remains as radiant as the day you first drove it home.

Cleaning interior surfaces

Moving from the exterior to the interior, you need to apply the same level of care to the spaces where you spend your time while traveling in your Tesla. The cabin is your sanctuary, and maintaining its condition is paramount.

Here are the steps to clean the interior of your Tesla:

1. Use a soft cloth dampened with warm water and mild cleaner.

2. Treat every surface with the gentleness it deserves.

3. Immediately dry with a lint-free cloth to leave no streaks or spots.

By following these steps, you can ensure that your Tesla’s interior remains elegant and spotless.

Special attention must be paid to the Tesla’s touchscreen and instrument panel, the heartbeat of the vehicle’s interior. Clean these with a soft cloth designed for displays, steering clear of harsh chemicals or abrasive materials that could cause harm.

Vegan leather seats, a hallmark of Tesla’s commitment to sustainability, require the following care:

• Gentle wipe with warm water and non-detergent soap.

• Use a leather cleaner for stubborn stains.

By following these steps, you can ensure that your Tesla’s interior remains as welcoming and luxurious as the day you first sat in it.

Regular cleaning schedule

Following a regular cleaning schedule sets a rhythm for the upkeep of your Tesla, ensuring it continues to shine. Using genuine Tesla products is not just a recommendation—it’s a choice that speaks to your commitment to quality and the longevity of your vehicle. Clean and inspect the Tesla floor mats regularly, ensuring they are properly attached and free of debris, to maintain the integrity of the vehicle’s carpet.

In moments of repose, when your Tesla rests from its labors of road travel, consider draping it with a genuine Tesla car cover. This protective garment shields its sleek form from the elements, maintaining its cosmetic appearance and safeguarding it against the ravages of time and weather. Much like a knight’s armor, it is an essential component in the ongoing defense of your vehicle’s aesthetic appeal.

Summary

As we draw this guide to a close, let’s reflect on the journey we’ve taken together. From the moment you activated Car Wash Mode to the final inspection post-wash, each step has been a testament to the care and consideration you, as a Tesla owner, dedicate to your vehicle. Through folding mirrors, choosing the right car wash, and meticulously drying and waxing, you’ve ensured that your electric marvel remains in peak condition, ready to turn heads and capture hearts on the road.

Let this guide serve as a beacon, illuminating the path to a well-maintained Tesla, and may the knowledge you’ve gained here inspire confidence in your car wash routine. Remember, the beauty of your Tesla is a reflection of your stewardship—maintain it with pride, and it will continue to be a source of joy and pride for years to come.

Frequently asked questions

Can I activate Car Wash Mode while my Tesla is charging?

No, it's important to activate Car Wash Mode only when your Tesla is stationary and not actively charging to prevent damage and ensure safety.

Do I need to manually fold my mirrors before entering a car wash?

Yes, you should manually fold your car's mirrors before entering a car wash to protect them from potential damage.

How do I restore my vehicle settings after using Car Wash Mode?

To restore your vehicle settings after using Car Wash Mode, you'll need to manually re-enable features like Sentry Mode and walk-away door locking. This will ensure your Tesla's security and functionality are restored.