Cleaning Power Running Boards

[jebjam]

My new Limited has retractable running boards, I'm wondering about everyone's experience with automatic car washes and getting their boards clean? I'm looking at car wash memberships since vehicles get pretty dusty/dirty here in Colorado, winter and summer. Do you leave your running boards (and mirrors) extended in touchless car washes? Seems there could be some danger in a wash with brushes, but the no-touch ones should work well, provided clearance is adequate. Wondering about the experience and habits of others.

 

[bucolic]

I put mine out when in the touchless wash. No issues yet. Also I leave the mirrors out. I don't ever use the brush washes so I can't comment on those ones. I find they still don't get everything off of them. Unfortunately, nothing beats a hand wash at home but not possible here in upstate NY when it's below freezing 4 months out of the year!

 

[jebjam]

I put mine out when in the touchless wash. No issues yet. Also I leave the mirrors out. I don't ever use the brush washes so I can't comment on those ones. I find they still don't get everything off of them. Unfortunately, nothing beats a hand wash at home but not possible here in upstate NY when it's below freezing 4 months out of the year!

Perfect, exactly what I needed to know, thanks! I don't mind doing a little touch up at home afterwards but really wanted to be able to get most of the grime off in the automatics, they get pretty bad after a wintery day.

 

[Buz]

NEVER, EVER, EVER PUT YOUR POWER RUNNING BOARDS DOWN IN AN AUTOMATED CARWASH!
Ask me how I know.
Broke the driver side board clear off the truck. Embarrassing day that was.
Luckily I know a welder who welded my brackets back together. Otherwise it would have been a $500+ boo boo.

 

[JF19Longhorn]

Always 'deploy' the running boards in the touchless auto wash around here. Haven't had an issue yet.

 

[jebjam]

NEVER, EVER, EVER PUT YOUR POWER RUNNING BOARDS DOWN IN AN AUTOMATED CARWASH!
Ask me how I know.
Broke the driver side board clear off the truck. Embarrassing day that was.
Luckily I know a welder who welded my brackets back together. Otherwise it would have been a $500+ boo boo.

I've read the posts about this happening in washes with brushes, was hoping the touchless ones would be ok as others have written here. Did this happen in a touchless wash?? I'll bet that was a bad day...

 

[Buz]

I've read the posts about this happening in washes with brushes, was hoping the touchless ones would be ok as others have written here. Did this happen in a touchless wash?? I'll bet that was a bad day...

It was in a regular carwash with brushes and a conveyer belt that pushes you through. It felt like I smashed into the car in front of me, but it was the cast metal brackets snapping off after holding up the conveyer for a second or two. The snapped off cleanly, almost like they were designed to do that.
But NEVER lower them in a car wash. Power boards are much lower than standard boards when deployed and stick out much further than standard boards when deployed too.

 

[bucolic]

It was in a regular carwash with brushes and a conveyer belt that pushes you through. It felt like I smashed into the car in front of me, but it was the cast metal brackets snapping off after holding up the conveyer for a second or two. The snapped off cleanly, almost like they were designed to do that.
But NEVER lower them in a car wash. Power boards are much lower than standard boards when deployed and stick out much further than standard boards when deployed too.

Ahhh those conveyor car washes can be brutal! I never use them anymore. Probably 30 years ago I had a 1976 Pontiac Bonneville 2 Door. Freshly painted and was quite a head turner! One of my favorite vehicles ever. Well, the curing time had passed on the paint and I took it through one of those conveyor washes and doesn't one of the arms not sense correctly and caught the passenger side mirror, scraped the paint off of it, and then bounced into the door when it slid past it. Didn't rip the mirror off but it ruined the paint on the mirror and door. Guy who painted it for me felt bad and fixed it for only $100. Ever since then touchless only.

I think the Mirrors on our trucks stick out further than the running boards so in the touchless washes we should be ok.

 

[Buz]

I think the Mirrors on our trucks stick out further than the running boards so in the touchless washes we should be ok.

Carwashes know to have their machinery steer clear of side view mirrors, but I don't think they always account for vulnerable things sticking out down low and far away from the body of vehicles.

 

[Awood05]

Always 'deploy' the running boards in the touchless auto wash around here. Haven't had an issue yet.

^^^ Ditto ^^^

I generally do it myself, but sometimes i just need a quick wash so I ONLY go through brushless washes.

One feature I love is the adjustable air suspension. I raise it all the way up (Off Road 2), makes it easier to clean the wheel wells and liners.

 

[Buz]

^^^ Ditto ^^^

I generally do it myself, but sometimes i just need a quick wash so I ONLY go through brushless washes.

One feature I love is the adjustable air suspension. I raise it all the way up (Off Road 2), makes it easier to clean the wheel wells and liners.

I think if I had been in OR2 I may not have had the extended running board ripped off my truck. But I'm not going to confirm that.

 

[JF19Longhorn]

^^^ Ditto ^^^

I generally do it myself, but sometimes i just need a quick wash so I ONLY go through brushless washes.

One feature I love is the adjustable air suspension. I raise it all the way up (Off Road 2), makes it easier to clean the wheel wells and liners.

Same way. I only go through in the winter months, when it's too cold to even get water out to the truck.

 

[jebjam]

^^^ Ditto ^^^

I generally do it myself, but sometimes i just need a quick wash so I ONLY go through brushless washes.

One feature I love is the adjustable air suspension. I raise it all the way up (Off Road 2), makes it easier to clean the wheel wells and liners.

Well thanks for this tip, forums are awesome!

Hate to hear stories like Buz's....definitely not deploying at a conveyor wash. Thanks for everyone's replies.
Just returned from the touchless place near home and can report that mirrors and running boards deployed were both fine. The boards don't stick out as far as the mirrors, and as long as you're centered in the wash (key point...as long as...) the attendant said I'd be fine. He was right and I'm glad, the boards get pretty nasty.

I can see how not every touchless washer will be as friendly, caution is the word, and erring on the side of keeping everything in isn't wrong either.

 

[Silent Bob]

2019 Dodge RAM power running board damaged car wash

Hello all, I just purchased my 2019 Dodge RAM in November of this year. I was going through a full service car wash and the power running boards got torn off the vehicle. I alerted the car wash manager they said is that after market? I said no it's factory... well you will have to come back...

5thgenrams.com

 

[Trippi]

I just went thru the carwash today - always touchless. I usually close my mirrors. Today I left them open just to watch and what I saw was at the point where the big curtain thing comes down to get the windshield, it banged on the mirrors and they started to close. I have factory running boards, not power, and so far no issues. They get pretty clean but the print/pattern on the factory does not clean well in my opinion. I always have to clean those by hand when I am done to get in the grooves. But that won't be happening for a couple of months now that we have hit snow!

 

[Educatedsnowman]

My new Limited has retractable running boards, I'm wondering about everyone's experience with automatic car washes and getting their boards clean? I'm looking at car wash memberships since vehicles get pretty dusty/dirty here in Colorado, winter and summer. Do you leave your running boards (and mirrors) extended in touchless car washes? Seems there could be some danger in a wash with brushes, but the no-touch ones should work well, provided clearance is adequate. Wondering about the experience and habits of others.

I close my mirrors but extend the running boards all the time going thru automatic car washers up here in Ontario Canada. We use lots of salt and in return creates slush that gets onto the steps and and wheel wells. Ive never had any issues with my steps and I clean my truck every other day.

 

[Kibro2]

Let me tell you the best way I have found to clean power deployed boards.. Being our trucks are not the most fuel efficient( HEMI owners,)
Every time you fill up, take the windshield squeegee with fluid and scrub them clean... best use of my time waiting to fill my 33 gal guzzler!

 

[Maconi]

I leave mine retracted and they still get cleaned well enough on a conveyer wash (I guess the jets really blast in there). There are so many fixed scrubbers down near the tires I would be too afraid to risk leaving them deployed (and the car wash specifically has a sign saying they're not responsible for running board damage) lol.

 

[Turaco]

NEVER, EVER, EVER PUT YOUR POWER RUNNING BOARDS DOWN IN AN AUTOMATED CARWASH!
Ask me how I know.
Broke the driver side board clear off the truck. Embarrassing day that was.
Luckily I know a welder who welded my brackets back together. Otherwise it would have been a $500+ boo boo.

I wish I would have seen your post as same thing happened to me. I was reading another thread and this poster said that he leaves his boards deployed thru the car wash. So as I entered the wash and I deployed them. The rest is history.....very embarrassing to say the least plus it will cost me $800 to replace the driver’s side running board.
What I want to clarify is that the damage to the running board was caused by the tire/wheel cleaner arms and not by the conveyor, because of course, the regular car wash is not good enough for me, smh. I’m never deploying them in a car wash ever again, no matter which type.
Another fun fact is that the bracket that comes with the electric motor that needs to get replaced is on back order till end of February, so the options I have is to drive a $72k truck without a freaking board (bad option), or order the full driver side assembly running board, which is what I opted for. Very upsetting situation to say the least.

 

[Buz]

I wish I would have seen your post as same thing happened to me. I was reading another thread and this poster said that he leaves his boards deployed thru the car wash. So as I entered the wash and I deployed them. The rest is history.....very embarrassing to say the least plus it will cost me $800 to replace the driver’s side running board.
What I want to clarify is that the damage to the running board was caused by the tire/wheel cleaner arms and not by the conveyor, because of course, the regular car wash is not good enough for me, smh. I’m never deploying them in a car wash ever again, no matter which type.
Another fun fact is that the bracket that comes with the electric motor that needs to get replaced is on back order till end of February, so the options I have is to drive a $72k truck without a freaking board (bad option), or order the full driver side assembly running board, which is what I opted for. Very upsetting situation to say the least.

I know this is probably way too late, but if you have/recovered the two small pieces that snapped off you can get them welded back on.
HOWEVER, DO NOT HAVE THEM WELD IT WHILE THE BOARDS ARE ATTACHED TO YOUR TRUCK. It can kill the electronics!!