Anyone ever had their car run thru a carwash with a window down? :-(
03-28-2002, 03:28 PM
#1
AudiWorld Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,344
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Anyone ever had their car run thru a carwash with a window down? :-(
Dropped my car off for its 40K service today, and when I went to pick it up this evening the service advisor came back and said he noticed the radio display wasn't working. As they investigated further they realized the carpets were all soaked! They have a new automated car wash bay and it seems the idiot in charge of washing the serviced cars ran it thru with a window open. They replaced the radio and are in process drying out the carpets and mats. Gave me a loaner and promised to bring my S4 to my house tonight.
Anyone here ever had a car accidentally run thru a carwash with a window open, and any long term bad effects? The thing I'm most worried about is the instrument cluster and electronics, and I suggested to the service manager an extended warranty would be appropriate since my original warranty expires in 6 months, and any ill effects might not show up in that short a time.
Needless to say, I ain't real happy right now...
Anyone here ever had a car accidentally run thru a carwash with a window open, and any long term bad effects? The thing I'm most worried about is the instrument cluster and electronics, and I suggested to the service manager an extended warranty would be appropriate since my original warranty expires in 6 months, and any ill effects might not show up in that short a time.
Needless to say, I ain't real happy right now...
03-28-2002, 03:43 PM
#5
AudiWorld Super User
Join Date: Mar 2000
Posts: 15,447
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Demand a letter acknowledging what they did, and inspect and keep an eye on all internal parts!
They should be liable for any part that fails interior wise that could even slightly be attributable to water. The funny thing is, I'll bet they stuck audi with the radio bill as a warranty claim.
Tehy'll stick audi with everything else that needs replacement too. Next time they tell you they won't replace something under warranty, remind them of this. You'll be able to tell by how the paper in generated.
I'd worry about the seats and carpets (mold, ect) and the electronics. Plus, how wet did the airbags get?
Sorry Man, that's one hell of a sad story.
Mike S
PS - Don't ever let your dealer wash your car with a machine anyway!
Tehy'll stick audi with everything else that needs replacement too. Next time they tell you they won't replace something under warranty, remind them of this. You'll be able to tell by how the paper in generated.
I'd worry about the seats and carpets (mold, ect) and the electronics. Plus, how wet did the airbags get?
Sorry Man, that's one hell of a sad story.
Mike S
PS - Don't ever let your dealer wash your car with a machine anyway!
03-28-2002, 03:51 PM
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2000
Posts: 7,467
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I had a similar experience with a previous car, it involved a lake and a boat launch
Didn't go in far enough to cause any damage, but had about 2 inches of water in the rear footwells because of a tiny tear in a floorboard manufacturing plug. I immediately removed all the seats and the carpet, wet vacuumed the puddle left behind in the car and started trying to dry the carpet. I had the carpet on the deck and the car had the sunroof open, I went biking since it was a perfect clear day, about 30 minutes later we had a pop up storm drop about 3 inches of rain before I could get back. The car was flooded again and the rug was so heavy with water it took two people to even lift it. The carpet had a fine cell foam backing about 3 inches thick, took about a week to get remotely close to safe to put back in the car. I had to drive around with a stripped interior and just the drivers seat bolted in. When I was sick of waiting, I loosely laid the carpet in the car, cracked the sunroof, put the car on max temp defog and let it run for 6 hours in the hot sun, after a while I couldn't even touch the glass from the high heat. Even after that if I pushed hard on the foam it would leave my fingers moist. Took another 6+ months to totally eliminate excess fogging under bad conditions because there seemed to be a vapor barrier between the foam and carpet preventing fast evaporation. Somehow nothing rusted or failed electrically and there was never any odor. Lucky me.
I personally would demand a new carpet, fogging sucks and you might not be so lucky on the smell.
Electronics are pretty tough, I would recommend the high defog routine to help eliminate any moisture.
Good luck, it's no fun, I know!
I personally would demand a new carpet, fogging sucks and you might not be so lucky on the smell.
Electronics are pretty tough, I would recommend the high defog routine to help eliminate any moisture.
Good luck, it's no fun, I know!
03-28-2002, 03:56 PM
#7
Elder Member
Join Date: Mar 2000
Posts: 15,742
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My car got a LOT wetter than that at New Hampshire International Speedway last year.
A day of twenty five minute track sessions with the windows down, followed by the skies opening up during my last one, followed still by a very quick lap back around the track to pick up corner workers at risk for death by lightening strike resulted in my car being soaked through and through.
Dried out, had no problems. I'd keep an eye on it, and make sure you get it noted on the service record that they had done that, so if you have any future problems you have proof.
Dried out, had no problems. I'd keep an eye on it, and make sure you get it noted on the service record that they had done that, so if you have any future problems you have proof.
Trending Topics
03-28-2002, 04:31 PM
#10
Member
Join Date: Apr 2001
Posts: 3,182
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Does sinking count?
I sunk my '61 Ford Galaxie in Indiana, 1966. Circumstances leading up to this incident shall remain unexposed, but I was in college and eager to learn. In this instance I learned that a '61 Ford Galaxy would not float very long. Fortunately no one was hurt. Anyhow, a small town garage disassembled, dried out and reassembled the engine for $30; that worked fine. But it took about six months before the smell was gone, and electrical problems were continuing even beyond that point.