Trunk opens during car wash

[pertierr]

I feel like an idiot asking about this, but here goes.

I often do a touchless wash in one of those car wash bays to get the bugs and overall grime off during the week. I walk around the car several times as I apply the soap stream and then rinse. Often, the trunk opens when i'm spraying the rear of the car, which results in spraying a high pressure stream into the trunk for a fraction of a second until I react. Yay.

This is so dumb. Do you guys have this problem? I've made it a point to stay waay far back from the rear of the car(6 ft or so), and yet somehow it thinks someone 'kicked'.

I've been looking for the blinking tail lights to avoid water in the trunk, but sometimes it just beats me to the draw. It's the fastest trunk in the midwest.

[Dinh335]

Originally Posted by pertierr

I feel like an idiot asking about this, but here goes.

I often do a touchless wash in one of those car wash bays to get the bugs and overall grime off during the week. I walk around the car several times as I apply the soap stream and then rinse. Often, the trunk opens when i'm spraying the rear of the car, which results in spraying a high pressure stream into the trunk for a fraction of a second until I react. Yay.

This is so dumb. Do you guys have this problem? I've made it a point to stay waay far back from the rear of the car(6 ft or so), and yet somehow it thinks someone 'kicked'.

I've been looking for the blinking tail lights to avoid water in the trunk, but sometimes it just beats me to the draw. It's the fastest trunk in the midwest.

the comfort access uses i believe just difference in light so the water can trigger it...

I would just put your Fob a bit further away?

[Lups]

Every bloody time that happened. Diffuser fixed it.

[pertierr]

Originally Posted by Lups

Every bloody time that happened. Diffuser fixed it.

The carbon fibre diffuser? (Please say yes, I want an excuse to buy it.)

Is there a chance that the M Performance Exhaust also fixes this problem?

[Lups]

Originally Posted by pertierr

The carbon fibre diffuser? (Please say yes, I want an excuse to buy it.)

Is there a chance that the M Performance Exhaust also fixes this problem?

Mode carbon fix at least is bullet proof.

I could write sonnets to my diffuser.

[AtomiK]

There is a switch in the glove box. Flip the switch and it should prevent your trunk from opening with the FOB or the kick.

[Lups]

Originally Posted by AtomiK

There is a switch in the glove box. Flip the switch and it should prevent your trunk from opening with the FOB or the kick.

Lol, really?

After a year the stuff I still don't know is hilarious

[evanevery]

I always hand wash my car, but I will inevitably know if I have the keyfob in my pocket, because I can hear the door locks locking and re-locking whenever the water stream from the hose (in my hand) touches the door handles.

Leaving the fob in your car doesn't help either.

I just leave the keyfob away from the car. Not sure where that would be at a public car wash though...

[F83]

Maybe it's your car's way of saying "please don't take me to an automated wash".

[///bproden]

This happens to me also. Ended up putting the key fob about 20 feet away and it stopped!

[boi222]

What might help and what I did when I did euro to prevent both keys from talking to the car at the same time is just wrap your keys in aluminum foil , it will block out all signals from the key

[YasM3]

Just hit the valet switch in the glovebox before washing. Trunk will never open....

[specracer]

I also believe if the key is inside the car, auto trunk will not open.

[BEMR]

Pressure on paint stressful on clear coat I don't care what anybody says high power pressure washing, not good!

[TonySCV]

Originally Posted by pertierr

The carbon fibre diffuser? (Please say yes, I want an excuse to buy it.)

Is there a chance that the M Performance Exhaust also fixes this problem?

Heh.

The M Performance CF diffuser blocks the trunk sensor for comfort access which would prevent this from happening.

The valet button in the glove box will take care of this as well. You can choose to ignore this option when explaining to your spouse that you really need the diffuser.

The worst case of this "feature" I've had on any car was on my Audi cabrio which had the option to open the soft top when pressing open door on the key fob or comfort access 3 times. The person drying my car at the car wash rubbed along the door handle 3 times while the soft top was still dripping wet and voila! - the top opens right up letting all the water on the roof fall in to the car.

[pertierr]

Originally Posted by BEMR

Pressure on paint stressful on clear coat I don't care what anybody says high power pressure washing, not good!

That's an interesting topic, and I'm sure others will disagree, but this is the method i've arrived at from my experience so far (this is car #13). My opinion is that anytime you physically touch the paint you damage it. What I've found works best is to wax once a year to protect it, and only touch it in the areas that you absolutely must to wash. If you do a touchless wash often enough it keeps it clean without needing to hand wash it often. Also, I don't use the high pressure setting(pressing the handle) I just use the low setting from a distance and adjust as needed.

Anyway, that's my opinion and ever since I started doing this about 10 years ago, the paint remains in show room condition until the day I sell/trade it in, with no swirl marks or fade at all.

The exception was the Evo 8 which came with swirl marks from the factory.

[BEMR]

Swirl marks only exist for 2 reasons, incorrect washing or incorrect waxing or buffing. I don't wax BMW's and haven't since 2001, waxing just creates the need to wax.

[pertierr]

Originally Posted by BEMR

Swirl marks only exist for 2 reasons, incorrect washing or incorrect waxing or buffing. I don't wax BMW's and haven't since 2001, waxing just creates the need to wax.

You may very well be correct about the wax. I've kept it once a year but I have no evidence that it wouldn't look just as good if I didn't do it. I might skip it all together on the M4 and see how it goes.

We have a 2013 Beetle that has never been waxed or hand washed and it has swirl marks. Probably a defect from the factory.

[BEMR]

Originally Posted by pertierr

You may very well be correct about the wax. I've kept it once a year but I have no evidence that it wouldn't look just as good if I didn't do it. I might skip it all together on the M4 and see how it goes.

We have a 2013 Beetle that has never been waxed or hand washed and it has swirl marks. Probably a defect from the factory.

Not sure where you live but would love for just one member meet me sometime as testimony to this fact, of course a fine cloth won't slide across my paint surface when you toss it like on highly waxed surfaces, but my newest BMW is the M4 nine months old, not even would allow dealer to Teflon coat wax, and under best possible light my paint finish and clear coat is free of everything, no power spray, wax, or buffer ever.

[MforLove]

Isn't there a lock for that inside the glove box a trunk switch lock unlock....?

[Mako]

Originally Posted by BEMR

Not sure where you live but would love for just one member meet me sometime as testimony to this fact, of course a fine cloth won't slide across my paint surface when you toss it like on highly waxed surfaces, but my newest BMW is the M4 nine months old, not even would allow dealer to Teflon coat wax, and under best possible light my paint finish and clear coat is free of everything, no power spray, wax, or buffer ever.

without waxing or any protective coating aren't you just asking for more chips/scratches?

[BEMR]

Originally Posted by Mako

without waxing or any protective coating aren't you just asking for more chips/scratches?

Yes! according to the 8 billion dollar a year detailing industry, but IMO waxing doesn't stop scratches, it only makes them go away or look better after you wax. and like I said before now you have a need.