How Car Washing Affects Your Vehicle’s Electrical System

It’s well-known that water and electricity don’t mix. A wet electrical part can corrode, develop a short circuit, or even catch fire. Additionally, current will be carried from one terminal to another by the minerals in water that is trapped in a wet connector, causing all kinds of issues.

However, a car wash deliberately drenches your vehicle. Washing your car is necessary if you want to keep it looking spic and span, but can it cause problems for the engine and electrical system?

Can a Car Wash Damage My Car?

In general, car washes don’t cause issues for your vehicle, including its electrical system. Most electrical parts are in locations that are out of reach of water, keeping them safe from corrosion, shorts, and other issues. Vehicles have a “water management” design because they’re built to drive in heavy rainstorms without suffering damage.

However, there are steps in the car washing process which might pose a risk to your car’s electrical system. Professional car washers usually know how to mitigate the chances of accidentally damaging a crucial electrical part. But if you wash your car, you must know what to do and what to avoid.

Car Washing’s Effects on the Electrical System

You can split the car washing process according to the areas in your car that need to be cleaned. These areas are the following:

• Interior
• Exterior
• Engine bay
• Undercarriage

Each area requires a different approach with corresponding cleaning tools. What works for one area might cause issues for a different location.

To give you an idea of the differences between areas, compare interior and exterior car washing. When you clean the seats, upholstery, and interior surfaces, you wipe them with a cloth treated with a specially formulated solution. In exterior car washing, you must drench the body panels and car glass with soapy water from a power washer or hose. However, you don’t want to spray water into your car’s interior like when you wash the exterior.

Can I Car Wash the Exterior Safely?

Washing your vehicle’s exterior is the safest part of a car wash. The wires and electrical parts are usually inside your car. As long as you close the doors and windows before starting the car wash, water shouldn’t enter your vehicle.

What about water that seeps through the gap between the hood and the car’s frame? Fortunately, if water does pass through that space, it usually drops through the opening in the bottom of the engine bay. It doesn’t get anywhere near the battery or the engine.

Can I Wash My Car Interior?

Washing the car’s interior works differently from washing the exterior. You can’t use water because many parts and accessories will either absorb the liquid or deteriorate when exposed to the liquid.

Furthermore, most of the car’s electrical system lies within its interior. While most of its wires hide behind various panels, its connections to electronics like the A/C and radio make it more vulnerable than you might think. Interior electrical connectors aren’t weather-sealed like the ones under the hood. Electronic parts tend to malfunction when exposed to water.

You rely on vacuum cleaners, specially formulated chemical cleaners, and cleaning fabrics to remove dirt and stains in the interior. Professional car washers never use water inside a car to avoid damaging things like the electrical system.

Some interior parts and accessories need to be washed with water. One example of these items is floor mats, which require scrubbing with soap and rinsing. Fortunately, these items are usually removable. Take them out of your car, wash them outside, and let them dry before returning them to your vehicle.

Can I Wash My Car Engine at the Carwash?

Yes, but you must take steps to protect certain engine parts while washing the engine bay. While most parts possess some form of water resistance, not all of them can withstand large volumes of water or high pressure that will force water into otherwise sealed and waterproof connectors.

Fortunately, you can take precautions to protect the electrical parts in the engine bay from water during a car wash. This is important because you must drench the bay with clean water as part of the car washing process.

Car washes clean the engine bay and its contents with an engine degreaser. The degreaser is formulated for breaking down engine oil and removes the lubricant from the surfaces of various parts.

After degreasing the engine bay, car washes usually rinse the treated parts with a power washer, but move the fan of water quickly and keep the tip of the wand at a distance from electrical connectors. You want to minimize the pressure that hits electrical connectors, because if water gets trapped in a weather-sealed connector, it’ll stay there until the connector is unplugged and the water is either allowed to dry or is blown out with compressed air. If you’re washing your vehicle, you can use a garden hose if there’s enough water pressure, but don’t turn the water on full force. Be gentle.

You want to minimize the water pressure that hits your car’s electrical connectors, because if water gets trapped in a weather-sealed connector, it’ll stay there until the connector is unplugged and the water is either allowed to dry or is blown out with compressed air.

– Richard McCuistian, ASE Certified Master Automobile Technician

Can I Wash My Car Undercarriage?

Undercarriage car washing is safe for your car’s electrical system. There aren’t any electrical parts that can get rusty or shorted if they get wet.

However, washing the undercarriage can prove challenging. If you don’t know what you’re doing, you might damage a critical part down there. Therefore, you should bring your vehicle to professionals who know how to car wash the undercarriage safely.

Additionally, the battery might develop an issue after the undercarriage car wash. If this happens to your vehicle, bring it to a trusted mechanic.

Car washes are usually safe for your vehicle. You can make them even safer by taking precautions to keep water away from the electrical system. Avoid potentially costly repairs with steps as easy as covering vulnerable electrical parts with waterproof material.

Where to Get New Electrical Parts for Your Vehicle

Even a simple car wash can do some damage to your vehicle’s electrical components, especially if it’s done carelessly. There might come a time when these damages become irreversible, leaving you no choice but to replace inoperable parts.

Electrical components for a variety of makes and models are easy to find here at CarParts.com. From wiring harnesses and solenoids to bulbs and fuses, you can rest assured that our website has exactly what you need.

Find the right parts for your ride by entering its specifications into our vehicle selector. For a more personalized shopping experience, you can also use the search filters and find products according to your preferred brand, price range, quantity, and more.

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Thanks to our strategically located warehouses across the US, you can get the parts you need delivered straight to your doorstep in as fast as two business days. You can also place your order using our toll-free hotline. Our customer service professionals are working round-the-clock, so you can place your order anytime.

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