Leaving in Neutral
1 - 20 of 55 Posts
Joined
·
1,507 Posts
The car is running when this happens.
Joined
·
630 Posts
Yeah, I'm confused by what alfa55 is trying to achieve here. Why do you need to leave the car in neutral and then exit the vehicle at the car wash while leaving it running? The transmission has several interlock features to keep people from doing stupid things that can get them hurt or killed.
After opening the door, then try shifting into neutral? I had a similar issue recently trying to reverse with the door open: shift into reverse, open the door, and car goes into park (which is fair enough for safety reasons in my opinion: just takes some getting used to). But once the door is open, I can shift back into reverse and successfully back up the car with the door open. Different scenario since I’m still sitting in the driver’s seat: would also be interested in why you’re putting the car in neutral then getting out of it.
Joined
·
1,507 Posts
Have you ever turned off your car at a car wash? The vehicle has to pass through it even though it is a hand wash. They hand wash the car, then it moves through for the liquid wax, then the rinse, then the air dry. They hop in the car and drive it to the area where they finish it. I'm trying to achieve the car staying in neutral so the attendant can exit it once in the wash since you don't sit in the car as it is getting washed. I hope this clarifies this. Forget the car wash part and concentrate on exiting a running car while it is in neutral for any reason. It could be for towing or whatever.
Joined
·
1,807 Posts
I have noticed the two times I went to a similar automated "hand wash" car wash, the attendant driving the car into the booth has buckled the driver's seat belt ....I wondered why he did this, but perhaps it is required to keep the car in neutral as it goes through the car wash (after the driver has exited the car as the car is propelled forward by the conveyor wheels of the car wash)....
There is a button on the interior dome light cluster above the driver that allows for the car to be towed...but I think that only disengages the motion sensor alarm.....Perhaps it also allows the car to stay in neutral while being towed (but the thought of a Giulia being towed rather than via flatbed is scary at best).....
There is a button on the interior dome light cluster above the driver that allows for the car to be towed...but I think that only disengages the motion sensor alarm.....Perhaps it also allows the car to stay in neutral while being towed (but the thought of a Giulia being towed rather than via flatbed is scary at best).....
2018 Q4 with Fiamenghi Ti exhaust, Race Mod, and Tecnico wheels.
Joined
·
8,893 Posts
Suppose your Giulia will not run. You call a tow truck. A flat bed tow truck shows up, but the car is in park and will not shift out of park unless you start the engine that will not run first.
NOW WHAT? There was a thread on this subject already and I am still looking for a solution. Unless the tow truck has wheel dollies I think the operator will have to drag the vehicle with wheels locked onto the tow truck bed; not good. AR Cares told me that this problem has no solution.
Joined
·
1,507 Posts
The boat.>
Joined
·
159 Posts
All towing I have seen recently the trucks have dollies for the opposite end wheels to move a non wrecked vehicle. Obviously a badly wrecked on they just pull up onto the flatbed. If you have to call for a tow make sure they know they must bring 2 or 4 dollies depending on the truck type.
Ok, back to the car wash; I think you are doing the only thing possible, must leave the belt buckled which makes the car think someone is inside. Fortunately the drivers seat doesn't have a load sensor like the pass.
Joined
·
630 Posts
I'm not. I'm sure the manufacturer's product liability concerns outweigh the customer's perceived convenience factor in this case. As mentioned above, it's a non-issue for towing because the tow truck operator should be well versed in using wheel dollies and if it's a bad wreck they will just drag it onto the flatbed as flat spotting the tires is the least of their concerns. Lots of problems occur at automatic car washes. There's no legitimate need for the car wash to direct drivers to leave their vehicles unoccupied, running and in neutral. You can stay in the vehicle for the 2-5 minutes it takes them to do the exterior wash and then exit the vehicle once safely parked for them to complete the interior cleaning.
The problem here isn't with the car, it is with the particular car wash you go to.
Here is an excerpt from the 2018 Alfa Romeo Giulia Owner's Manual 3rd Edition US/CAN p.140
1 - 20 of 55 Posts
Join the discussion
