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Chevy Silverado Wrecks Automatic Car Wash With Ladder: Video

Everyone makes the occasional bad call. It happens. The key is to not make subsequent bad decisions that exacerbate the problem. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what the driver behind the wheel of this Chevy Silverado did after a ladder attached to the exterior of their pickup truck got caught in an automatic car wash, as seen in the following viral video.

A Chevy Silverado pickup truck in an automatic car wash.

The viral video showcasing this mayhem was originally captured in 2019 from a camera mounted inside the automatic car washing tunnel. The video is only three minutes long, but that’s all the time it takes for things to go very poorly, indeed.

The video starts with a Chevy Silverado pickup truck stopped inside the automatic car wash tunnel. The truck is finished in Summit White and has a ladder securely fastened atop cargo bars above the bed, suggesting this vehicle is likely used for work. As the video gets under way, we see the giant washer arch move back and forth across the exterior of the Silverado as expected, applying soap across the truck’s body. However, the situation quickly deteriorates in the next phase of the washing cycle as the arch activates the large blue spinning washer brush.

As the brush moves down the top of the truck, we see it get snagged on the ladder, pulling and jerking the entire setup as the large cylinder moves at high speed. When the driver realizes something is amiss, they back up, briefly relieving the tension. Unfortunately, the driver then attempts to inch forward again, likely with the intention of exiting the washer tunnel. Of course, this leads to the ladder becoming irreversibly entwined with the brush. Ultimately, the truck’s cargo bars collapse and the ladder clatters to the ground, leaving the brush visibly damaged.

The driver, undeterred by the havoc they’ve caused, appears to return moments later to collect their fallen equipment.

It should go without saying that any items around the exterior of your vehicle should be secured before entering an automatic car wash, but we suppose some folks need to learn things the hard way. Check out the full video below:

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Jonathan is an automotive journalist based out of Southern California. He loves anything and everything on four wheels.

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Comments

  1. Now this is a person I would love to see working on someone’s house. Ughhhh. To think, this dude is out there working on something. Unreal. Maybe he can get part time work making car wash instructional videos. It’s a scary world out there guys….be careful. Stupid walks the Earth. (And goes to car washes too).

    Reply
    1. On the stupid at the car washes:
      That’s right! Those people go to car-washes too. We need to remember that! If you think that you may be behind one in line, be prepared for a shut down!…

      Reply
  2. “It should go without saying that any items around the exterior of your vehicle should be secured before entering an automatic car wash”

    It should go without saying that any items around the exterior of your vehicle should be REMOVED before entering an automatic car wash! That ladder is getting pulled into to the equipment regardless, the securing just determines how much of the truck goes along with it. Also great chance of the wash sensors not detecting the rack itself and that getting tangled up.

    So, who got to pay for this? Those brushes are NOT cheap, plus the days of downtime and lost revenue.

    Reply
    1. Exactly. From just reading the headline I was going to post: “What a moroon.” [sic] But after reading the article I copied the exact same text before reading your post. Very bad advice.

      Reply
      1. I used to do car wash maintenance at a convenience store and I saw some serious dumbasses, going through with a cheap luggage rack on top of their car that didn’t go well for their topper and another with a make shift rotating light on top of a truck with loose wiring going to it, another Einstein for sure, wiring got wrapped up tight in a roller.
        Warning, there’s dumbasses everywhere especially in automatic car washes and roads near you, be cautious.

        Reply
  3. shop vac. in back of the truck is nice and clean, cant cure stupid

    Reply
  4. Can’t fix stupid, but you can vaccinate it. And to think, these people vote.

    Reply
  5. Most car wash have sign ,bed must be clean of stuff, who’s to blame the driver or the person at the front of wash ??? Must have been in Florida dah It wasn’t Me !! My elevator goes to the Roof ! & not missing any Bricks . Sorry had to do it .

    Reply
  6. If only breathing wasn’t involuntary.

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  7. Might have worked if the ladder was secured on both sides of the rail. The passenger side that wasn’t secured gave way and not the driver’s side that was secured. Did he install the ladder racks that folded like a cheap tent too. Big fail.

    Reply
  8. Car wash attendants, if there were any, should have waved this vehicle away.

    Reply
    1. car wash attendants cost money, the owner is not going to affect their bottom line like that.

      Reply
  9. Many Car Washes have signs on their exteriors ” NO DUALLYS”….guess they need one that says no ladders on ladder racks too.

    Reply
  10. Remember when I was young a buddy had a vw Karmann Ghia convertible and he drove on top of a car wash intended to be pulled on tracks. The vehicle was thrown violently around and we had to get low in the seats as the convertible top was getting collapsed down. Stupid is as stupid does!

    Reply
  11. I’m not an expert, but this looks like a typical gas station car wash with no attendants. That said I’m positive these guys had one too many Modelos.

    I’m being funny but honestly if I rode around with a ladder on my roof it’s possible I might forget it, unlike when I tow my trailer on occasion I’m hyper-aware that it’s back there.

    That’s said that’s why I avoid work trucks and semis at all cost. I don’t want a nail, or your retreaded tire blow out on my car at 80 on the highway.

    Reply
  12. Obviously these drive thru car washes need to idiot proof by posting pictures drawn with crayons for complete morons like this one smh.

    Reply

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