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I heard the GLS models have a "car wash mode" which turns off the cameras before a car wash. Is there something similar for the S560? I went through a car wash and the front camera flap broke. I dont want that to happen again. Is there some way to prevent the camera flap opening in a car wash? The manual says "make sure you turn off the 260-degree camera in a cr wash", but I cannot find any info on how to do that.
All Cars Lost To Hurricane Isaac (W124 E420 revived - added 88 Allante 14 S550, 17 S63
Originally Posted by Indophile
I heard the GLS models have a "car wash mode" which turns off the cameras before a car wash. Is there something similar for the S560? I went through a car wash and the front camera flap broke. I dont want that to happen again. Is there some way to prevent the camera flap opening in a car wash? The manual says "make sure you turn off the 260-degree camera in a cr wash", but I cannot find any info on how to do that.
Can you have someone assist and try the following
Fold in Sideview mirrors
Put car in neutral (mimic carwash)
Have assistant check to see if 360 is inactive
I am not sure what wash activity triggers the camera so I'm not sure if checking in neutral will suffice
But I think with the Sideview mirrors folded in the 360 camera will not activate
I can attest that on my 2020 folding the mirrors in does NOT deactivate the 360 camera, and I can't find any way to deactivate it for a carwash. Carwash doesnt seem to bother it, but obviously the cameras do deploy front and rear in the wash.
All Cars Lost To Hurricane Isaac (W124 E420 revived - added 88 Allante 14 S550, 17 S63
Originally Posted by SW20S
I can attest that on my 2020 folding the mirrors in does NOT deactivate the 360 camera, and I can't find any way to deactivate it for a carwash. Carwash doesnt seem to bother it, but obviously the cameras do deploy front and rear in the wash.
thanks I am 2014 and 17 model year... thought some MB dialogue from 2020 MY might allow that to work... thanks again
The solution is to never take your car through an electric car wash. You should always be handwashing your car with a microfiber mitt and pH neutral soap, then drying with a large microfiber towel, which avoids paint swirls and turns out 100x better than any electric wash.
All Cars Lost To Hurricane Isaac (W124 E420 revived - added 88 Allante 14 S550, 17 S63
Originally Posted by DaveW68
The solution is to never take your car through an electric car wash. You should always be handwashing your car with a microfiber mitt and pH neutral soap, then drying with a large microfiber towel, which avoids paint swirls and turns out 100x better than any electric wash.
unfortunately for the busiest of us it’s tough at times... however you are 1000% correct... and really my previous AMG never saw a machine wash.... I must get better at my cleaning responsibilities...
Since some of us live in colder climates it’s not feasible to hand wash your car in sub freezing weather to wash of road salt It is a necessary evil to use a carwash during this season.
I took my car to be washed and kept seeing my front camera opening and closing.
OP, you just need to turn off PARKTRONIC with the dedicated button in the center console. As long as it is off, the 360 camera and the parking sensors will only come on if you put the car in Reverse or manually activate the camera.
Might I suggest editing your details to correct model year & model so accurate info can be given without having to resort to “Find More Posts by …” https://mbworld.org/forums/s-class-w...ml#post8248375 same “turn off Parktronic” advice suggested here as in post 12.
The solution is to never take your car through an electric car wash. You should always be handwashing your car with a microfiber mitt and pH neutral soap, then drying with a large microfiber towel, which avoids paint swirls and turns out 100x better than any electric wash.
You're not wrong, but many of us are in phases of our lives where we just don't have the time or energy to do that anymore. I'm extremely busy with work, and I have a young family and as much as I would like to retreat to the driveway for 2 hours and properly wash my car, and I do do that sometimes, if I want a clean car I have to use a carwash.
Thats why I buy silver and white cars vs darker colors that show scratches and swirls more.
All Cars Lost To Hurricane Isaac (W124 E420 revived - added 88 Allante 14 S550, 17 S63
Originally Posted by konigstiger
Might I suggest editing your details to correct model year & model so accurate info can be given without having to resort to “Find More Posts by …” https://mbworld.org/forums/s-class-w...ml#post8248375 same “turn off Parktronic” advice suggested here as in post 12.
And post #3... just didn't know the MY .. so the button locations differ.. but off is off....lol
Ya, 2018 and up it's going to be on the far front side of the center console stack as shown in the Illustration by Superswiss above and the pre 2018's it's gonna be located on the left side of the steering wheel along that line of button. On my 2018 turning off the parktronic with the button on the center stock prevents the camera doors from opening and activating. When I pull out of the carwash I try to remember to turn the button back on again for alerts should I need them.
The one I go to is soft cloth and super easy on the car. I took my wagon to a different brand new car wash last week and surprisingly that one seemed kinda hard on the car although came out super clean. I parked the car in the garage for a few days and the next time I drove it the car would not move. The rear brake pads where corroded to the rear rotor. Finely the car broke loose but that was kinda scary. I won’t go to that one again.
Even "soft-cloth" washes are bad and leave tons of swirls and scratches on the paint. Those cloths pick up dirt, debris, and rust from all of the cars that went through before you did and scratch your paint with it. If I were in a real pinch and didn't have a ceramic coating on my car, I may consider a touchless wash. But even those can be pretty brutal as the soaps used in them have lots of harsh acidic chemicals to break down dirt and grime without needing to rub it away. And those harsh acids can wear away at ceramic coatings and cause tarnishing on exposed metals.
I never really had a problem with any of my Benz cars with car washes other than the recent brake issue on my wagon. No way do I have the time to be hand washing it and the high pressure robot wash does not get all the Florida bugs off the front of the car. To me avoiding a car wash is like oil change overkill and changing the oil every 2k miles. I just do mine every 10k like called for. Again a time saver. Life is short and I like having a clean car. I have the monthly plan on the car wash and go once or twice a week.
We're all different I guess. I enjoy washing my car myself as I know that no car wash can do the same kind of job I do. As soon as it warms up next month, my car is going to my detailer for a paint correction and ceramic coating. I had it done to my former black GL550 and that car looked absolutely amazing after a wash. Going through car washes severely dulls any possible shine with swirl marks, especially on anything other than flat white or light silver. The ceramic coating makes the bugs come off with almost no effort at all....just a spray of the hose. But I do have a DI tank that I use to rinse the car, so it can dry out in the hot sun with zero water spots. The beauty to ceramic coating is the hydrophobic effect and ultimate shine without EVER needing to wax. It also makes cleaning a breeze as my car can go from dirty to spotless and super shiny in less than 30 minutes.
My car has a ceramic coating. What is the consensus on "hand wash" car washes in that case?
A good ceramic coating installed by a professional will add a nice hard layer of coating, but it can be stripped away with soaps or cleaners that are considered acidic on the PH scale. I personally wouldn't trust a detailer I don't know with a hand wash unless they made it clear that they only use PH neutral soaps and fine microfiber wash mitts and towels. And I certainly wouldn't trust any of those big name shops like Turtle Wax or others that have electric washes on site for a hand wash on my ceramic coated car.
You're better off going back to the detailer who did your paint correction and ceramic coating for your detailing as they will know how best to take care of it, especially if you don't want to be bothered doing your owns washes.
We're all different I guess. I enjoy washing my car myself as I know that no car wash can do the same kind of job I do. As soon as it warms up next month, my car is going to my detailer for a paint correction and ceramic coating. I had it done to my former black GL550 and that car looked absolutely amazing after a wash. Going through car washes severely dulls any possible shine with swirl marks, especially on anything other than flat white or light silver. The ceramic coating makes the bugs come off with almost no effort at all....just a spray of the hose. But I do have a DI tank that I use to rinse the car, so it can dry out in the hot sun with zero water spots. The beauty to ceramic coating is the hydrophobic effect and ultimate shine without EVER needing to wax. It also makes cleaning a breeze as my car can go from dirty to spotless and super shiny in less than 30 minutes.
I enjoy it too, but I just don't have the time or energy to do it all the time. A trip through my good carwash and a wipedown with a QD makes it pretty perfect. Mine is ceramic coated too.
Originally Posted by DaveW68
A good ceramic coating installed by a professional will add a nice hard layer of coating, but it can be stripped away with soaps or cleaners that are considered acidic on the PH scale. I personally wouldn't trust a detailer I don't know with a hand wash unless they made it clear that they only use PH neutral soaps and fine microfiber wash mitts and towels. And I certainly wouldn't trust any of those big name shops like Turtle Wax or others that have electric washes on site for a hand wash on my ceramic coated car.
You're better off going back to the detailer who did your paint correction and ceramic coating for your detailing as they will know how best to take care of it, especially if you don't want to be bothered doing your owns washes.
A properly ceramic coated car, especially a professionally installed professional grade coating is extremely resistant to chemicals, thats the whole point. Carwash chemicals will not touch such a coating, certainly nothing that any detailer would use for a hand wash. If ceramic coatings were that fragile, they'd be worthless.
I always ceramic coat my new cars, and my Lexus' coating was holding up great after 3 years of weekly tunnel washes, it was finally starting to diminish on the sides.
Even "soft-cloth" washes are bad and leave tons of swirls and scratches on the paint. Those cloths pick up dirt, debris, and rust from all of the cars that went through before you did and scratch your paint with it. If I were in a real pinch and didn't have a ceramic coating on my car, I may consider a touchless wash. But even those can be pretty brutal as the soaps used in them have lots of harsh acidic chemicals to break down dirt and grime without needing to rub it away. And those harsh acids can wear away at ceramic coatings and cause tarnishing on exposed metals.
Carwashes vary. I have one specific carwash I use and thats the only one I will use. It has no wheel brushes (terrible for wheels), they thoroughly spray the cars down before they enter the wash (really important as it keeps loose dirt from getting in the wash equipment), and they dry with microfiber towels. I always get the highest wash because they spray the most lubricating soaps and things on the car. After 3 years of weekly use if I train a spotlight on the car, I have some moderate marring on the very lowest parts of the car, but zero above knee level, and zero on any horizontal surfaces of the car. I used to detail professionally so I know how to assess paint for swirls. My wife's car is dark blue and her last several were all dark colors and they too weren't horribly swirled. An annual polish of the areas below the knee line would keep them pretty perfect, but I don't have the time or energy for that either.
So yes, they do cause damage over time, but the tradeoff is a clean car all the time which I really enjoy and otherwise the car would go weeks between me being able to wash it myself. Taking it to a detailer requires planning, an appointment, and waiting all of which I don't want to do, as does having someone come to my house to hand wash it. I want a clean car on demand.
02-27-2021, 07:45 AM
