El Cid

I have posted this before, but seems we have a lot of people acquiring cars. These fit my 2010, so instructions may be different for later models. Check your Operator's Manual for using automatic car washes. These are the type where cars are pulled through on conveyors.
I have the below printed in BIG BOLD lettering on an 8 1/2 X 11 sheet I leave on the seat for attendant.
The top section is to remind me. HVAC needs to be on recirc and/or off to protect ventilation system (it's an MB).
Bottom section is because car goes into park if door open and below instructions not followed.

OWNER: Turn Auto Wipers OFF
Set HVAC to Recirc
Turn HVAC OFF


Car Wash Attendant:

AT START OF CONVEYOR
Engine Running;
Press and Hold brake pedal;
Shift to N (on speedo display);
Release the brake pedal;
Switch ignition off and leave key in;
Exit car

DO NOT USE BRUSH ON CAR

LEAVE THIS SHEET IN CAR

Thank You!!!!!

mikemargolis

My car wash instructions:

Park outside in rain
repeat

blegthbloo

My car wash instructions:

Hire a couple chicks in bikinis
Pull up lawn chair
Open beer


...just kidding, I'm usually the one in the bikini.

belarus27

dang , people on this forum sure know how to wash their cars lol ^^

jahquan3

The dudes at the main car wash I go to can barely speak English. I love them though and respect their hard work. So I rarely tell them anything except to brush the rims good to get rid of brake dust in hidden areas.
I usually wash it on my own now and started a detail cycle ever 3 months. I have a place that'll do it for less then $100 where most places charge 200 for a detail.

jjsaustin

This sequence does not work for me. The car goes into Park as soon as the door opens... I tried it a few times

beejAMG

even when key is in 2nd position? maybe a safety feature ive never heard of.

down here, you dont need to exit the vehicle.

jjsaustin

I have Keyless-GO, so there is a button cover over the key hole.

Are they expecting you to have to pop off the button cover every time?

beejAMG

press button once WITHOUT stepping on the brake pedal and youre on position 2. twice to turn off.

what car are you talking about here? your sig says 2004 SL500.

nonetheless, try turning engine off whilst car is on N, then press button once without stepping on the brake pedal and see if that works.

Edit: N and not D

thefisch

Some have advised to insert the key when going to the car wash just to avoid the tranny jumping to park when someone opens the door. I think most car washes are used to smart key systems by now, but not sure how many automatically shift to park when driver door is opened. The smart key with my old Toyota didn't change tranny setting when the door was opened while running, only changed it when car was turned off.

jjsaustin

I need to update my profile. I do have a SL500, but I also have a 2014 E350.

This is what works with my e350 with Keyless-Go:

1) Start with the car turned off

2) Without pressing brake, press the Start button once and the car wakes up - I think this is like position 1

3) Without pressing brake, press the Start button again - I think this is like position 2

4) Then press the brake and shift the car into Neutral and release the brake

5) Open the door, Leave the key in the ashtray, and Exit the car - This will allow them to start the car when it is thru the wash and the car will not lock (I tried by pressing the door handle 'button' and it will not lock).

El Cid

I think MB may be only company that has this automatically goes to park if door opened system?
There should be a section in your operator's manual on how to set the car in neutral and then get out of it without it going into park.
Problem is that places I use you park your car in the vacuming area and then an attendant moves it to the conveyor line. They won't let customers drive it to conveyor even if not getting it vacumed and such.
So, I could set it, but when the attendant drove it to conveyor and got out, it would go to park.
I watch as it begins moving to see if rear wheels are locked.

thefisch

All these steps... just seems easier to pull the button and insert key so it acts like any other car when they put in neutral.

El Cid

MB is known for never doing anything the simple way or in the same manner as everyone else.

jjsaustin

The fact that you have to read the manual and print out directions just to put your car in neutral tells you something is wrong with the way it was designed and a complete afterthought...

cetialpha5

It's damned if you do, damned if you don't. That Star Trek actor was killed when he got out of his car and it was left in reverse so it backed up over him pinning him to a wall. That was Jeep. So it's pretty smart for MB to have the car go into park when you open the door. I still prefer the old gear selector in the W211.

JoelCrow

I completely understand the owner creating instructions to help car wash attendants do this right. Not doing this correctly can really mess up your car...

I have the newer (actually maybe 8 years of this in MBs now makes it the "normal") shifter up on the steering column and 4MATIC. I find it is very fussy if I don't switch into Neutral just right as I pull onto these rolling/pushing tracks in modern car washes. I actually had to have a rear parking brake sensor replaced ($600) after I couldn't get into Neutral quick enough (kept lifting too hard and going into Reverse, then Drive, then Reverse) my first time going through a car wash, made worse by the dam wash attendance immediately started the belt pushing me forward (I hadn't even gotten on and touched the brake before he'd started the dam thing pushing)...

Anyways, I've learned the secret to doing this is to actually switch into Neutral before/as you are rolling onto the track... the car will still roll forward either with momentum or with the slight dip onto the track. So as I'm approaching, without even touching the brake, I gently lift the lever into Neutral and then let the car roll forward until they tell me to stop. Otherwise, no matter how I do it, if I'm already ON the track when switching into Neutral there is some nasty/rough/forceful sounds in the rear and I don't want to have to buy another sensor.

Hope that is helpful for someone out there!

Joel

Left Coast Geek

indeed, I much prefer console shifters over this joystick thing, but I can't say I have any issues with neutral versus D/R.

now, I avoid drivethrough automatic car washes entirely, they scratch your paint

Arrie

I just love my car as it does not go to Park when door is opened if engine is running. It just gives warning beeps and the cluster turns red.

If I leave the gear selector on D or R or N and turn off the engine before opening the door it will go to P when door is opened. My 2013 S550 works the same way.

Then, someone mentioned MB perhaps being the only car maker with this stupid automatic P when door is opened but also 2017 Dodge Durango that I have also does it.

cetialpha5

It's actually pretty smart. Had Anton Yelchin been driving a Mercedes instead of a 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee, he probably would still be alive. He got out his car thinking it was in park and it rolled backward pinning him and killing him. Cars were then retrofitted with a a software update so that the car went into park when the doors were opened.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-p...-idUSKBN1GY2WC