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Car wash-forgot to put my car in neutral

Tiny
ILEANA
  • MEMBER
  • 2000 TOYOTA CAMRY
  • 170,000 MILES
Hi,

I went to car wash and both me and the attendant were distraught by another car, so I forgot to put my car in neutral and the attendant started that rollover or how is it called and then I pushed the break to put the car in neutral and I heard 2-3 times like a pound and I felt the car like being hit from under. After I left from car wash it seemed to me that the car was shaking while I drove, am I getting paranoid or something bad might have happened?

Thanks a lot in advance, I have no man around to ask this question.
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Tuesday, March 20th, 2012 AT 12:33 AM

9 Replies

Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
If the car was forced forward in park you could have broken the parking pawl in the transmission. Thats what keeps the car from rolling while the car is in park. The pieces from it breaking could damage the transmission further from driving it. This is all just off the top of my head it would have to be confirmed. Does park work anymore?
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Tuesday, March 20th, 2012 AT 1:20 AM
Tiny
ILEANA
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
Yes, it does, thank you very much for your reply. I drove the car this evening, so it's bad that I drove it? Tomorrow I should go to the mechanic? I feel like fainting, so it's bad.
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Tuesday, March 20th, 2012 AT 1:32 AM
Tiny
ILEANA
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
I meant parking is working, do you think might still be a problem? Thank you so much again for taking the time to reply
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Tuesday, March 20th, 2012 AT 1:45 AM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
That noise you heard and felt when you put it in neutral was probably the parking pawl all bound up from it being forced forward with the car in park.I would for sure have it checked out though I have seen damaged done from the automated car washes with the car in park.I hope the best for you though please let me know what they find.
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Tuesday, March 20th, 2012 AT 1:49 AM
Tiny
ILEANA
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
Thank you a lot Saturntech for your kindness. I'll go tomorrow morning to my mechanic and I'll let you know tomorrow night. I am also going to call the manager at that car wash because actually it was more that the attendant did not pay attention to me at all, he ripped the ticket and started the belt right away, then he yelled 'neutral' but still did not stop the belt, meanwhile I had to break to switch from park to neutral and things got even worse, that was the time when I actually heard the noise.
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Tuesday, March 20th, 2012 AT 2:05 AM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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Your welcome thats what were here for please let me know what they say.
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Tuesday, March 20th, 2012 AT 3:29 AM
Tiny
ILEANA
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
Hi Saturntech9,

EVERYTHING IS OK! I went to my mechanic which I trust and he checked everything and he said that everything is ok. The noises which I heard yesterday I still heard today, but usually I have the music on, so I guess that is why I could not hear them in the past, it's an old car though.I also spoke with the owner of the car wash, I am in Toronto, and he offered to put his car in parking on that rollover to prove that no damage is done. He also gave me a technical explanation for the loud bang noise I heard when I hit the breaks and put in neutral, but I cannot reproduce, I am not technical at all.
Bottom line is that I am very happy and relieved. And I want to thank you a lot, a lot for being my only tech friend last night :) I wish you all the best and when I'll be in a better financial shape I'll remember this place for a donation. And this because of you. Thank you Saturntech!
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Tuesday, March 20th, 2012 AT 11:56 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
Your welcome glad to hear everything was ok. Also I wouldnt recomend running it thru that car was in park I have fixed cars that happened too. When you make a donation make sure you say with the donation that this one is for saturntech9.
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Wednesday, March 21st, 2012 AT 12:06 AM
Tiny
ERIKSELVIG
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
Glad to know nothing went wrong with your car, but more often then not its the parking pawl that breaks or get fractured. I've been in the car wash business for long now, and have seen this happen many times.
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Wednesday, March 21st, 2012 AT 9:38 AM

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