My hood inverted!

[Hammer]

I’ve been through several car washes and never had an issue. Perhaps you just got a faulty hood

could be that... could also be the quality or configuration of the blower dryer. I went to two different car wash franchises and experienced the exact issue as the OP at one franchise but not at the other.

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[Jeff D.]

I just went thru my local car wash and did not get the sense my hood was under enough stress that it would damage the paint. It wiggled a little bit, but nothing out of the ordinary. It certainly didn't seem on the edge of inverting it's shape.

Had it, I'd do like others have said and look at the inside of the hood to see if anything looked wrong. If all looked well, I'd talk to the gas station manager and let him know what I'd experienced. Perhaps they could adjust the airflow down slightly? I'm sure they do not want damaged vehicles associated with their car wash.

Last resort, I'd search out a different car wash. Hopefully a touch free, as doing it manually with a spray wand is not something I'd be excited about having to start doing all the time.

 

[Fcnrwy]

Ya, LOVE my MAV...

Just disappointed, they make them out of "TIN FOIL" these days..
A HARD Reality, I have had to learn!!

None of my previous trucks (all Rangers) had ever seen the inside of a carwash. ONLY Hand wash, even just above freezing...

Jerry

 

[surfstar]

1. Most people on this forum are absolutely incapable of taking a picture!

2. 95% of the anti-carwash people are from warm climates.

2 - guilty (and water is scarce)

but I'm anti-carwash b/c I'm a cheap bastard. DIY (aka "hand wash") a few times a year. I do love the way a clean vehicle looks, but have higher priorities [for my time and/or money].

 

[GPSMan]

2 - guilty (and water is scarce)

but I'm anti-carwash b/c I'm a cheap bastard. DIY (aka "hand wash") a few times a year. I do love the way a clean vehicle looks, but have higher priorities [for my time and/or money].

I never washed either for years, until I accidentally got an "Alto Black" vehicle. I never washed my red and silver vehicles.

 

[Moline]

The hood on the mavericks are aluminum. Dealer told me to not slam the hood when closing. Must be very powerful blowers!

 

[vabchusa]

Man, I have to worry about the First Edition decals!

Have heard too many stories about First Edition decals being ripped off my car washes, so I do mine by hand.

 

[GPSMan]

Have heard too many stories about First Edition decals being ripped off by car washes, so I do mine by hand.

You ripped off your decals by hand?

 

[vabchusa]

You ripped off your decals by hand?

LOL

 

[James K]

The high velocity air blower / dryer at an automated car wash inverted my hood!

Hood went from generally convex to generally concave under the air pressure from the blower.

It did "pop back" but this can't be good for the paint.

Anyone else ever see this?
Man the hood must be thin!

BTW, signs saying the car wash is not responsible for damage carries about as much weight in litigation as a fart in the wind.

 

[Oscarcat]

Remember all the beers you poped open? I believe the hood is light aluminium. Bud Light aluminium - . Very flexible.

I am not a fan of automated car washes for several reasons. I rather let my Mav stay dirty until I can hand wash to prevent dulling the paint with the "touchless" nylon fingers undulating against my paint.

I use my leaf blower to start the blow-dry process, then use a microfiber cloth to finish it off.

 

[Goose20]

The high velocity air blower / dryer at an automated car wash inverted my hood!

Hood went from generally convex to generally concave under the air pressure from the blower.

It did "pop back" but this can't be good for the paint.

Anyone else ever see this?
Man the hood must be thin!

Made of aluminum or tin foil....Gotta love that ford quality...Q1....

 

[TimBru99]

I've not had my hood inverted at the car wash, but it "shakes" a lot going through the blow dryer.

I noticed the hood shaking a LOT on a windy Kansas day last spring driving on a 2-lane behind a semi, and another semi coming the other direction would blow by us.

Lots of shake and flex under that circumstance.

I don't mind the hood being aluminum. Weight savings is good for fuel mileage.

 

[flashfearless]

Mine moves around quite a bit in the wash too. Hasn't done anything which indicates potential damage yet, but I watch it each time.
I know from talking with a district manager at the local wash, they have dozens upon dozens of cameras there to document if vehicles have come in with damage, or if they've caused it. They have your vehicle from almost every angle and nearly every second it's on their property. I feel pretty good about using them as anything done in their wash will have been filmed.

That said, the hood on my Ram would lift in the wash, too, when I got to the dryer. Three years no damage.

Oh, and from talking with that manager at the wash.... Some of the claims they'd heard were nothing sort of insane. i.e. a customer blaming them for their tires wearing out from going through the wash. Yup, rolling through the carwash wore their tires out... You can't make this up!

I had one rip off the front black appearance package bumper moulding off of my 2012 Ford Escape. https://www.tascaparts.com/oem-parts/ford-cover-molding-9l8z8419aa

 

[SLingbarT]

Yep happened yesterday. On another note screw auto washes. Been through this one about 8 times all good no issues. This time not only did it push in my hood a bit too much, but it didn't even get the back end wet???? Front bumper was still dirty too. We have a good wash downtown where they pre clean and inspect it before it goes through and it's been there for many decades. I will go there until I get the solar system at my house hooked up to wash it at home. We don't have power to the carport and it's 1000 gal water tank just yet, so no pump going yet.

Ohh yeah and the worst part is I gave them a second chance and went through again(for free). Same thing and the truck was covered in black spots of ceramic coat that I really had to wet polish to get off. I ended up dumping a gallon of water over the truck and wiping down every panel. I'm not that type of guy to demand money back, so I just took my sweet time re cleaning the truck and audibly letting everyone else know how much it messed up. We are talking about a 18 dollar car wash here too.

Everyone, my Maverick was never put through a car wash, it was a couple months old and found a professional ceramic coating guy, made me a deal on the "lifetime" coating for $1000 cash. Dirt doesn't stick. I use Maguire's waterless car wash and wipe off with microfiber towels. It's like the paint has a plastic coating on it.
He called me and did my wife's Subaru for $600 and I will never look back, great investment.

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