How do you guys keep your headlights closed going through the carwash?

 

Turn off twilight sentinel

 

I would never take my C5 thru an automatic car wash! I dont even take my DD to those.. Hand wash - 2 bucket (grit guards), chadwicks, Zaino..etc.

You are probably going to get yelled at for asking that though

Welcome to the forum!!

 

yep !!!!!!!

 

Use a touchless car wash. It works well. I use it twice a year..., and wash the Corvette myself the rest of the weeks with water and Griots spray.

 

This.

 

It is accessed through the options buttons on the left side of the instrument cluster.

And while I wouldn't take my C5 through an automatic car wash, I do take mine to a self serve wash with the wand - does a good job getting the grime off the car.

 

It was a touchless wash, i just couldnt figure out how to keep them closed to get the lids cleaned, i tried creeping in with the e brake partway up but they would still open, what does twilight sentinal do by pass the auto feature?

 

It's literally just a fancy phrase for "automatic headlights"

 

Which years have the twilight sentinel?

 

Open the glove box and look for this code:

 

That's one of the first things I turn off when I get a C5. If I want my headlights to pop up in the garage, or any other time, I just turn them on.

 

I think it's time to read through your Owners Manual.


Mr. Sam

 

With cataract surgery,(second eye on Thurs) a kitchen half renovation, crappy weather, (The threatened nor'easter that never showed), and the car double covered because of the 'threat', I have not had time!
Just started it today for the first time in 4 days, and was playing with the DIC. Guess what? I have twilight sentinel and a couple of other things I did not have on my Z.

 

That was an extra charge option, it never was standard equipment.

 

carwash:smas h:

 

I have kept the twilight sentinel feature off in my '99 Coupe since day one and still have both original plastic headlight motor gears. Like Jack stated, it's accessed through the options buttons on the left side of the instrument cluster.

I don't think that many here ever take their Corvette through an automatic car wash but here are some tips. If your Corvette is lowered it would not be a good idea to take it through any automatic car wash. Also if your rims are wider and lower in profile than the stock, they will most likely be damaged going through. If you have a front splitter or any aero body pieces you can say good bye to them. Keeping your head lights up will increase the chances of damaging the lights and water intrusion.

If you have a stock height C5 with stock size rims, the damage will come from the cheap rough dirty terrycloth towels that the attendants use all day long on the paint, rims and tires of every car that goes through. Those towels most likely get dropped on the ground over and over picking up tiny stones, sand and dirt and then ground into your clear coat and paint in circular motions creating swirls, abrasions and scratches. Then there is the damage to the interior and the door jambs as they crawl around inside your car wiping the interior down. Some places will even use coarse bristle brooms to lather up the paint and rims just before the car goes through the tunnel of suds, while banging the body, under-body and rims with the wooden edges of the broom as they scrub as fast as they can to get the grime and brake dust off your car as they did for the 100+ cars before yours with that same broom just during that day alone. All this with the same so called "filtered" water day after day. I would never take any car through an automatic car wash let alone one I liked. I don't think that any "car lover" would. Now it is your car and you can treat it how ever you like. I'm not trying to be one of those "car wash police". Welcome to the Forum and enjoy your C5.