[LBH23]

Before I ask for any advice, please refrain from a lecture about taking my M2 Comp to an automatic car wash. I know, I know. But I did it anyway.

So, super weird. But as I was in the vacuum area drying the car, I noticed that the wheels on the drivers side were slick and wildly "wet" with fluids and grease. Looks like some fluids or grease or something leaked all over the place, but only on the drivers side front and back. Smelled like grease, but no idea. It was black and slippery and it was all over the place....on the brake calipers, in the wheel wells, in the wheels, and all over the tires.

Could not even clean it off, kept getting worse. Drove home slowly and there was some much crap, it was splattered all over the drivers side of the car. I have no idea what could have happened? Did the car wash nip a line causing a leak? Did a brake line pop? I just don't know enough about the mechanical side to diagnose this - but super strange it happened on BOTH of the driver's side wheels. And it is still a mess an hour later.

So, any of you guys that are way smarter than me about the mechanical side of cars have ANY clue what could have happened? I am going to take it to the dealer on Tuesday and get it checked out - but would really like any hypothesis! Thanks to anyone who can gander an educated guess - I am pure stumped; and super bummed! Thanks in advance.

Larry

[Lyric]

Good to know that you know automatic car washes are bad because as you see...they are.

From what I read above it's hardly unlikely that car wash itself broke something in your car, buuuuut..These car washes can perform strange shit when in contact in with a weird shaped car, for example my mom once took her Mazda CX-9 12' back in the day for automatic car wash regarding the fact I told her not to do this EVER, and her roof lip (spoiler) was damaged but owner of the car wash took resposibility of it. Maybe front bumper of the M2C is strange enough for car wash to damage something? I think it's not but who knows...

I think there was some greasy fluid on the washers itself, maybe from another car/truck before you and that's why your wheel was so dirty, really hard to judge here..

Don't forget to take pictures to have some proof if something will be damaged, take it to the service maybe they will come up with an/a idea/solution.

Sorry for my English btw, It's not my native language

[Moflow]

My first thought is that if your car is driving fine it's probably okay.

Is it only around the wheels? It could be just the combination of brake dust and water. The stock pads seem to put out a HUGE amount of dust and our wheels seem designed to catch the maxiumum amount of it. I know i've had the unfortunate experience of cleaning wheels kinda sort of half assed and then seeing a streak/leak of what looks like black water coming out the bottom. Only to rinse the wheels off again and get....more brake dust mixed with water. If you don't wash your wheels really thoroughly, you'll almost always have a little brake dust/water mixture left over which will leak out the bottom.

[ChrisK]

Originally Posted by LBH23

Before I ask for any advice, please refrain from a lecture about taking my M2 Comp to an automatic car wash. I know, I know. But I did it anyway.

So, super weird. But as I was in the vacuum area drying the car, I noticed that the wheels on the drivers side were slick and wildly "wet" with fluids and grease. Looks like some fluids or grease or something leaked all over the place, but only on the drivers side front and back. Smelled like grease, but no idea. It was black and slippery and it was all over the place....on the brake calipers, in the wheel wells, in the wheels, and all over the tires.

Could not even clean it off, kept getting worse. Drove home slowly and there was some much crap, it was splattered all over the drivers side of the car. I have no idea what could have happened? Did the car wash nip a line causing a leak? Did a brake line pop? I just don't know enough about the mechanical side to diagnose this - but super strange it happened on BOTH of the driver's side wheels. And it is still a mess an hour later.

So, any of you guys that are way smarter than me about the mechanical side of cars have ANY clue what could have happened? I am going to take it to the dealer on Tuesday and get it checked out - but would really like any hypothesis! Thanks to anyone who can gander an educated guess - I am pure stumped; and super bummed! Thanks in advance.

Larry

The car wash probably has a tire dressing applicator - maybe that malfunctioned?

If you damaged a brake line, you would have felt/known the result as soon as you drove out and tried to stop.
If you aren't getting any warnings, you are probably ok.

[HazChem]

Could be road tar? I’ve had black streaky stuff on my fenders and rocker panels and it’s a PITA to get off.

[BigKutta]

[MMMBRAP]

I really don't want to rub salt on a wound - but you took your car to an automatic car wash?

That's a cardinal sin to me, lol.

Not only does the wash machinery build up crap from washing other cars, (which ends up slathering more dirt on your car) but the amount of swirls/scratches/overall paint damage it can cause with just one wash is insane.

[Thescout13]

Was it one of those moving auto washes? Sounds like they over greased the wheel that pushes your car along. And given the width of your wheels, it got caught up and sling around in there.

[MrMiaogi]

Originally Posted by LBH23

Before I ask for any advice, please refrain from a lecture about taking my M2 Comp to an automatic car wash. I know, I know. But I did it anyway.

So, super weird. But as I was in the vacuum area drying the car, I noticed that the wheels on the drivers side were slick and wildly "wet" with fluids and grease. Looks like some fluids or grease or something leaked all over the place, but only on the drivers side front and back. Smelled like grease, but no idea. It was black and slippery and it was all over the place....on the brake calipers, in the wheel wells, in the wheels, and all over the tires.

Could not even clean it off, kept getting worse. Drove home slowly and there was some much crap, it was splattered all over the drivers side of the car. I have no idea what could have happened? Did the car wash nip a line causing a leak? Did a brake line pop? I just don't know enough about the mechanical side to diagnose this - but super strange it happened on BOTH of the driver's side wheels. And it is still a mess an hour later.

So, any of you guys that are way smarter than me about the mechanical side of cars have ANY clue what could have happened? I am going to take it to the dealer on Tuesday and get it checked out - but would really like any hypothesis! Thanks to anyone who can gander an educated guess - I am pure stumped; and super bummed! Thanks in advance.

Larry

Something definitely could've popped to me. When I was in Germany, I had to go to an automatic car wash before sending her home. The car wash actually denied me entry because my lip was too low! They explained I wouldn't clear their rails and the car could be damaged.

[ASAP]

I have driven my few month old M2C thru numerous car washes... dont particularly care about anyone's opinion... never ever had an issue.

[pz619]

How old is the car? Wondering if it's residual cosmoline that the car was originally shipped in.

Just a thought in case it's not anything other people identified. Pics would be helpful if you have them.

[Drop the hammer]

If black, my money is on brake dust accumulation ooozing out. Especially from an automatic wash where you don’t control how long you soak and spray the disks and calipers. Probably the auto wash just got it wet enough to be mobile but not enough to wash/rinse completely. Could also be grease from hub mount, some shops apply grease or anti seize to the central hub (covered by the bmw dust cap) to prevent it rusting since it’s raw metal. Maybe someone applied a bit too much, did you recently have rims off at a shop? It usually doesn’t get applied with enough to be mobile though.

[ROASTM]

Originally Posted by ChrisK

The car wash probably has a tire dressing applicator - maybe that malfunctioned?

This was my first thought as well - but as the OP is aware, one of the many reasons to just never take the car through an automatic car wash. Even if unable to hand wash yourself for weeks, I'd still never take it through one.

GL with figuring it out OP, and hope there's no lasting damage to the car (I'd imagine the car is fine), and don't take it through an auto car wash again!

[nearwater4me]

Was it a touchless carwash, or was it the older brush-style?
Maybe it was some grease/oil from a previous wash/car that got transferred over to your car?

That being said, how dare you take your M2 through an automatic car wash!

[Killed by Death]

Take mine through Auto Bell all the time and never had a problem. I either air dry doing 75mph on the Interstate or hand dry with my own clean towels. Some of us are too old to hand wash every time it gets dirty.

[Tag]

This is such a weird thread as all we can do to answer the OP's question is speculate. If it was your brakes you'd know it as soon as you pressed the pedal or as soon as you crashed into something. So you can rule that out.

• Oil on the ground from previous car got splattered onto yours?
• One of the car washes hydraulic lines leaking?
• It was on your car before you entered the car wash?

You'll need a degreaser to get the oily residue off, but that'll also strip any sealant or wax. You'll need to make sure the paint is fully cleaned before applying a new coat of sealant and/or wax.

Don't have anything against car washes so long as they are touchless and they don't use a wheel guide. The wheel guide can scratch your rims and the touch car washes accumulate all the crude from every other shit car that's run through it. That not only puts swirl marks into the paint, but can also put some serious scratches in it. You may think the car looks fine, but put it under good lighting or under sunlight and you'll see all the damage. Better yet park next to a car with the same color as yours and you'll see your paint looks dull in comparison.

[Artemis]

Originally Posted by MMMBRAP

I really don't want to rub salt on a wound - but you took your car to an automatic car wash?
That's a cardinal sin to me, lol.
Not only does the wash machinery build up crap from washing other cars, (which ends up slathering more dirt on your car) but the amount of swirls/scratches/overall paint damage it can cause with just one wash is insane.

Carwash or red light district ?

[infinitekidM2C]

Automatic car wash? Lol look at this fancy pants guy. There's homeless people all over that will wash your car for a fiver with their newspaper and water. Never had any issue either. Also you're helping them out a bit. Win win!

[alan7467]

Does this car wash have tire shine as an option? One that I used to go to does. If so perhaps it malfunctioned and sprayed a ton of the tire shine grease all over.

[LBH23]

Thanks all. Seems like it may have been the tire shine machine malfunction or, because the issue was only on one side - the track that carries the car could have been leaking.

Going to hand wash in the next few days, but car is working just fine. Such a bizarre incident - I mean, the wheels were soaked with crap, it was a total mess. But definitely not anything other than probably car wash issue. Ain't that a lesson!

Thanks for chiming in guys.

LBH

[MMMBRAP]

Originally Posted by Tag

Don't have anything against car washes so long as they are touchless and they don't use a wheel guide

Actually this is a very good point. I would be totally fine with touchless and no wheel guide wash bays. But then I'd have to go on a cloudy day or in the evening so I can hand towel the rest of the water off the car, lol. Water spots are the worst.

[M2C89]

Guessing the car wash mechanisms themselves were leaking/broken...not your car. All we can do is speculate at best!