The one time I took mine through the car wash I turned everything off. I didn’t trust it not to cause problems.

 

You don't have to disable eyesight. The only thing to watch for is to turn off the rear lift gate sensor using the button to the left. You don't want the rear trunk accidentally to open in the car wash. Oh, also turn off auto vehicle hold if you had it enabled.

 

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Take mine through the wash a lot. Never had a problem with it only thing I disable is the auto start stop.

 

Those of us with Ascents must disable the forward collision function as well as auto-wipers before entering a car wash. The former will absolutely stop the vehicle in it's tracks when things like the car wash equipment are detected moving toward the front of the vehicle. It's documented in the manual and there's a helpful video produced by Subaru Ambassador Robert Mauro for that vehicle. You really need to check the MY20 Outback Manual (and Eyesight manual) to confirm what is necessary for car washes since Subaru kicked the functionality of Eyesight up substantially on these new models. Damage to your vehicle isn't something anyone wants to risk...

 

It depends on the type of car wash. In my 2016 with Eyesight, one time I forgot to disable collision detection. This car wash had a brush that was mounted horizontally and dropped from the ceiling. Eyesight detected this brush and kind of freaked out.

The 2020 Eyesight Manual does suggest turning off collision detection in automatic car washes on Page 14.

 

I've gone through Delta Sonic car wash with no issue. No spinning brushes, but they do have the spongy streamer things that hang down and scrub the car. I haven't disabled anything and have had no issues. I don't believe the rear hatch will open from the sensor if you are in the car and the car is in neutral.

 

Seems like time to bite the bullet and DIY or just always go to a hand wash.

 

Why? It's a simple button push to disable forward collision protection and many of us either don't have time for car washing (or hate it) or truly enjoy only paying $4-7 for a basic wash to get the dust off. Different strokes...

 

So once you disable the forward collision for a car wash, if the car is turned off and restarted, does the forward collision automatically goes on like the stop start system?

 

From the 2019 EyeSight Owner's Manual in the section on Pre-Collision Braking, page 26:

 

Car washes ruin paint.
Living at the end of a gravel road, I wash our cars by hand once a year. Sometimes twice, if I really feel ambitious. No waxing either.
Did that for 13 years with our last VW, for example. Before we sold it, I gave it a good hand wash. The paint looked like new.
Car washes ruin the paint.
The disadvantage with my approach is that the car looks dirty 98% of the time. But it would anyway, living at the end of a gravel road.

 

Car washes ruin the paint.

I’m certainly not a car wash fanatic, but in the area where I live bird poop ruins paint and green pollen covers like dirt from a gravel road. I hit the car wash about 4 times a year I’d guess. Good to know I should turn off my fancy sensors, hadn’t even thought about that!

 

I know some of those “wash all the time, after it rains and twice on the weekend” folks too! ?

 

That's me. I can't stand a diy car. Especially in winter with all that salt? No way I'm letting my car go without a wash at least once a week.

 

Question for everyone here. My old outback didn't have eyesight but this one does. When you go to one of the automated car washes where you put your car in neutral and get moved down a track do you need to disable eyesight?

My guess is eyesight would still be freaking out about all the movement and objects colliding against the car but I wasn't sure.

if the car is in neutral and not moving? I'm not certain eyesight would alert you, but it might. If you're moving slower than 5 mph, it won't activate the brakes.

It's easy to turn it off though, so why not turn it off?

I had an early eyesight car in 2013 (outback)... and the associates at the subaru dealer were always forgetting to turn it off when they'd drive through the complimentary car wash for you... and then they'd tell me "I forgot to turn off eyesight and that thing totally scared me when it stopped the car!". yep, it'll do that.

 

My 2018 Legacy company starts beeping in the tunnel car washes I go to , but I pay no attention to it.
Where i live in paducah, ky, there is a car wash chain with 5 locations within an hour where you can go once a day for 12.99 a month

Wash and blow dry

The black paint on my car has swirlies on it but is still very shiny

I may do a paint correction and shine car ceramic on it over thanksgiving to see how it goes

 

Where i live in paducah, ky, there is a car wash chain with 5 locations within an hour where you can go once a day for 12.99 a month

Man, that could ruin your paint in no time.

 

I'm planning on my first car wash and you make me nervous about it. What if we just leave the car in neutral and turn the engine off?

 

You know I was going to say that’s what I though car washes always did anyway! At least that has always been my experience/s.

 

with this car - one really needs to RTFM. I'm surprised if Subaru would let you off the lot without some knowledge of these systems... but...

I personally thought this was interesting... I noticed that after purchase of my 2019, water globbed and rolled off all surfaces with one exception. the roof! I don't think they prepped my car completely. in fact I'm pretty certain of that.

i need to get on the roof with a ladder and put in a little work.