Tesla has never exactly been the most reliable car brand. Parts fail, batteries go dead, and the touchscreen displays have a habit of blacking out. Small wonder then that values of used Tesla Cybertrucks are plummeting, although the behavior of Tesla CEO Elon Musk may have something to do with that as well. Worse, you may have heard a story or two about a Tesla getting fully bricked after undertaking a venture as daring, as dangerous, as extreme as … a car wash?
Fear not: For the most part, washing your Tesla should be fine, so long as you remember to activate Car Wash Mode from the touchscreen display. Simply go to the “Controls” tab, select “Service,” and then choose “Car Wash Mode.” Really, this mode just does a few basic things at once, such as roll up the windows, turn off the rain-sensing wipers, and deactivate the collision radars. The biggest safety feature is that the mode locks the charge port, so it doesn’t open when water and soap are spraying around.
You should also make sure to put the car into free roll (what an internal-combustion car would call “neutral,” though it’s a bit different on an EV) if you’re going through an automatic car wash. This will let the car be pulled through safely, without the rollers straining against the vehicle in park or drive modes. To do that, just step on the brakes and select “Enable Free Roll” or, alternatively, shift into Neutral.
How Teslas handle being washed
For non-Cybertruck models, Teslas are basically washed like any other car. The thing you’ll most want to watch out for is the charging port, where you plug it in to fill up the battery. It’s obviously meant to conduct electricity, which isn’t great for water and soap. That said, Teslas (and all EVs) tightly weatherproof it, enough so that you can charge them safely even in heavy rain. So while it’s a good idea to lock the port when you’re washing, it probably isn’t the end of the world if you forget.
Cybertrucks, though, are a different (cyber)beast. The Cybertruck Owner’s Manual doesn’t recommend that you use an automatic car wash at all, even with Car Wash Mode enabled. While the Cybertruck may not get bricked, it’s vulnerable to corrosives (such as sap, dead insects, and road salt). Plus, since its stainless steel exterior is unpainted, normal car cleaners and shampoos may damage it. And this is bad news, because the warranty explicitly does not cover this, or any other damage caused by washing. So while you’re not very likely to brick your car, it’s definitely a smart idea to wash it carefully.
