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Thread: Undercarriage wash? (Will it harm the engine?)

  1. #1
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    Undercarriage wash? (Will it harm the engine?)

    Hi all! I am a new Mirage owner and would like to get my car washed. I've read varying opinions on the web about undercarriage washes. Some people have had engine problems after doing this. Does anyone have any insight into this? I'm feeling very anxious about doing something that sounds like a good idea (for all the corrosive salt on the roads) but could turn out to harm my engine.

    What makes me even more worried is that on a website (Guideautoweb) they review the Mirage with pictures of the underbody and said this "There are no protective plates under the engine. Well, at least that makes maintenance easier"... So would I be shooting water right into important parts of the engine?

    Thanks in advance for any guidance.



  2. #2
    Welcome, rbl!

    I'm sure there are others who have run their Mirages/Space Stars through auto washes with underbody sprays. (I added a few words to your thread title to maybe get more eyeballs on it -- hope you don't mind.)

    I seriously doubt it's a problem. To harm the engine, the wash would have to : 1) somehow get water into electrical components wet that aren't well sealed, or, 2) somehow get water in the engine intake. I can't see it happening.

    When you say you read of other people having problems, do you mean with Mirages?

    I've always power washed the entire underbody of my cars a few times a year, and personally have never had problems.

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2014 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 63.2 mpg (US) ... 26.9 km/L ... 3.7 L/100 km ... 75.9 mpg (Imp)


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    Quote Originally Posted by MetroMPG View Post

    When you say you read of other people having problems, do you mean with Mirages?
    Nope, just other random vehicles. Thank you for such a quick response! I'm feeling much better now.

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    Back when I was auto-detailing for dealerships we used to spray the engine with a multi-purpose cleaner and then soak it in hot water from a hose. Then dry it off with a microfiber cloth and tireshine / vinyl dress the black plastics for every new car being sold. And it never caused a problem. Mind you I have had an older volkswagen get a CEL from this method of engine washing but it was just a wet sensor that eventually dried and it was fixed.



  5. The Following User Says Thank You to Messy Mitsu For This Useful Post:

    MetroMPG (01-17-2015)

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