[Mrbig]

I don’t know what is so different about it. The car wash I use the driver stays in the car. I make sure the Rain sensor is off, slip it into neutral and slip it into drive at the end. The only thing different is that I have to step on the brake to shift. With my Honda Accord, I could slip it from neutral to drive without stepping on the brake. I have washed my car 3 times in the last month.

I'm brand new to the Prologue. I've had it for 3 days. I use the same type of wash. I just got mine and took it through the wash to get rid of the polish residue that was on the vehicle. I did not have to touch the brake to go into neutral at the beginning and back to drive at the end. Could it be a setting?

 

[Mrbig]

Welcome to the Honda Prologue community!
Have you experienced any other features or settings that stood out to you while driving so far?

I pretty much love all the features. The AC is extremely cold, all the safety warning features are great, I love the fact that the car lights up, when I get close to it, the panoramic roof is great, the Bose 12 speaker entertainment system has an incredibly balanced sound, I love the fact that it has built in Google services, Wireless Apple Car Play and Wireless Android Auto, adaptive cruise works great, and the list goes on. My only beef is the back window should be larger, but that is probably because the Expedition had a bigger back window.

 

[Mrbig]

I’m very surprised that Honda/GM allow you to leave the HV battery active while going through a wash. Our BMW i3 required a shutdown as part of the wash procedure. This is especially concerning since many washes have a high pressure underbody spray which directly hits the battery pack.

Shutting down the battery does nothing but disconnect it from the vehicle. If you flood, and your battery is submerged, your battery will possibly cause a fire. It's a fact of life with any battery. When Helene hit Tampa Bay many ICE vehicles caught fire due to batteries un the hood getting submerged.

 

[Mrbig]

I have yet to run the car thru a wash. Bought it in late November but it stays in the garage as long as our Michigan winter roads are sloppy. Unfortunately, I didn’t do my research (checking this owners group) before I took the plunge. Fortunately, it’s a lease so my financial exposure is reasonable.
I’m hoping that some of the issues mentioned here are cross platform ones and Honda and GM collaborate on the fixes. Luckily my dealer also owns a Chevy shop so I’m hopeful any problems can be resolved.

My Prologue gets the works once or twice a week at my local car wash chain. I have never had any issues. There is a difference between water splashing and submerging the vehicle. Think outside house condensing unit. When it rains, the water flows freely through the unit. Water is splashing on the wires and fan motor, and it is fine. But when water rises during a hurricane, covering the unit, it shorts out and fails.

 

[Mrbig]

I understand about the rain and water on the road, but they’re not high pressure sprays like an underbody blast in a car wash. Either BMW was concerned about high pressure water or their battery pack seals were suspect. It was spelled out in the owners manual.

Maybe it depends on the year of the BMW? EV manufacturers are learning as they go. Battery fires, cold weather issues, charging issues, etc., are all being evaluated. They're working on solutions, so hopefully owners will be more confident.

 

[Mrbig]

We’re not talking about flooding. Again, I am only comparing my i3 against the Prologue. I’m making an assumption if the vehicle is “on” there is current flow to the motors and the contactors are energized. The BMW owners manual said to place the car in neutral, shut off the vehicle during the wash process and then “start” the car at the end of the wash. In addition, it stated to avoid car washes that had an underbody spray. I’m thinking it’s obviously an attempt to keep high pressure water from getting into the battery pack. I’m just surprised those same warnings aren’t a part of the GM platform.

At 70mph down the highway, in pouring rain, I would say high pressure water is hitting the battery cover. They are designed for this scenario, so it appears either the BMW battery compartment is not as protected, or they are just be cautious and warning, just in case.

 

[Mrbig]

Good point and I agree the technology has changed since we had the i3. I am concerned about the number of posts regarding HV pack failures on this forum. We weren’t looking to purchase an EV when we spotted this one on the Honda lot. The wife wanted the color and the lease deal was too good to turn down. Besides, we’ve had Honda’s in the past without problems. We didn’t know it was built on the GM platform until after we closed the deal.

Since it’s her “baby” it sits in our climate controlled garage and has only been driven twice since we got it in November. Living in rural Michigan, my F-150 is our daily driver so I don’t have a lot of experience with the car. Once the weather breaks, it will get more use.

I expect there to be some problems, but since it does share the GM platform I’m hoping it will all be sorted out.

The issues are happening to a small percentage of the Prologues sold or leased, considering over 30,000 have been sold. It always looks worse on forums, as the owners with problems post for help and to find out if they are alone. I'm one that has ZERO issues so far. I only say so far because there are reports of AC, battery, lighting, braking, axles, etc. Unfortunately, it always raises doubt.
Every new vehicle, especially first year production vehicles, have a percentage with minimal to total failure problems and recalls. But the great thing is they are under bumper-to-bumper warranty. And if you have a good dealership, you get a loaner if they have to keep your vehicle.

 

[Mrbig]

I went today, pulled up, put car in nuetral, did not turn car off, wheel caught and I went through, put in drive and pulled out.