Car wash mode?

I stopped my car yesterday and when I turned the key, the car shut down but the screen said "car wash mode". I had never seen this before so I was rather shocked. I couldn't extract the key.

I restarted the car, shut it down, and it was normal. But, I have no idea why.

What the heck is car wash mode, how do you engage it and how do you get out of it? Anyone know?

 

It leaves the car in neutral with the parking brake NOT SET.
Never do this when parking on a hill!

The mode allows the car to be pushed through a car wash (using those chain-driven wheel pusher tracks on the ground).
Very few Ferrari owners take their cars to a mechanical car wash so this mode will rarely be used.

Normally, leave the car in gear when you turn off the key. This automatically sets the parking brake.

If, for some reason, you need to leave the car idling (like to warm up in the driveway), put the car in neutral but also manually set the parking brake using the little lever that is on the low left side of the dash.
The parking brake will automatically turn off when you shift into 1st gear and start to move.

.

 

So, how did I get into it because I don't remember doing anything different than usual.

 

Most likely turned off the car while you were in neutral. It's happened to me a few times when I clicked the tranny into neutral before turning the key.

Nice new user name bdelp...

 

Shhhh.....

Actually, I'm heading to HK in about 3 hours for the next week.

 

Exactly right.

 

And if you ever need to have it winched on to a flat bed without electrical power. The alternative is not pretty.

 

PM'd you mayor...

 

Yes, got it! Thanks!

HK -- one of my favorite places on earth.

 

To get into this mode, you stand still and switch the gear to Neutral. You then turn off the engine and within two seconds switch the key back to the 2nd position (for start). Then you enter carwash mode.

I tested this mode but what happened to me when I went into carwash mode was that the parking brake went in (which it shouldn't). You then have to press the brake again before manually pushing the parking brake button to release it.

 

Just noticed that Dean Martin is now TheMayor

 

I use car wash mode every time I take the car to the track. It is the only way to winch the car in to the trailer, unless you want to leave the motor running and the car in neutral

 

After you switch the key to on and car wash mode goes on, do you have to keep the key in the on position? Or can you switch the key off and the car will remain in car wash mode?

 

The carwash mode does not act on the parking brake. It prevents the gearbox locking mechanism (referred at Park Lock in the User Manual) to be activated. This is different of the parking brake.
The Park Lock is there to lock the gearbox because, when the engine is off, both clutches of the DCT are opened. Even if left in gear, the DCT does not connect the wheels to the engine and does not offer the in-gear braking.

 

Yes, you have to keep the key in the on position to remain in carwash mode.
When you switch off the key, the Park Lock (which is not the parking brake!) is activated and locks the output shaft of the gearbox.

 

Ah, many thanks, Eric.

Andres

 

exactly

 

Here's one for you... what do you do if your car doesnt start and you need to put it into neutral? Car wash mode only works when the car is running and then you put the car in neutral. If the car is off you cant change the gears or activate car wash mode and the car is locked in park. If it doesnt start you cant put it into neutral and this can be an issue in many cases. Lets say you need to have it towed. Another is if you run out of gas on the track they cant tow you in. Answer Ferrari told me there is a tool that you use to disengage the transmission. Pretty cumbersome.

 

True ... and this is well described in the User Manual ...
Similar solution, with a different tool, in case of an electrical parking brake failure ... also described in the UM.

 

True but I have 9 cars, I'm not reading 9 car user manuals. If a car company cant make something intuitive, I guess I won't use that feature (nor will about 90% of their customers)

 

And here I thought it meant wash your car.

 

Great info! Love the search function!


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Car wash mode is very annoying. Since I bought my 2010 458 I’ve always gone to neutral, manually applied the parking brake, and turned it off and about half the time it goes into car wash mode. The dealer during my test drive even said “it goes into car wash mode, it’s normal you just push the button next to the keyhole and your key comes out”. I thought this was normal until I did a search. Will always turn my car off in 1st gear from now on.


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I use the same procedure for the last seven years and a few seconds after switch-off the park function engages. The only time I have entered car wash mode was on purpose. Most of the functions of the car still baffle me though especially the radio and whatever is on the roof.

 

If you read your owners manual, it clearly says that you should always leave it in 1st when turning it off.

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