Family’s Tesco automotive wash horror as Range Rover wrecked and toddler ‘sprayed with water’

A Range Rover was damaged and a toddler soaked when it went through a car wash in Wrexham. The youngster, aged 18 months, has since been afraid of travelling in vehicles, the family claim.

The alarming incident occurred as Andrew Fenn and partner Cara Burke prepared to take their son, Otis, to see Paddington Bear at Llangollen railway station. Before departing, the couple took their Range Rover Evoque to the car wash at Tesco Wrexham.

Halfway through, chaos erupted. Cara, a nurse, said: “During the wash cycle, the machine caused the rear passenger door to open – it appears the rotating rubber brush caught the rear door handle.

“Water was sprayed into the car and onto our toddler, who was sat in the back seat. Andrew was able to twist from the drivers seat to shut the door. Then it happened again – the door was opened and more water was sprayed in.

“We were shocked because you don’t expect a car wash to be capable of doing that, especially with a child sat in the back at the time.

“Next thing, we heard a massive bang. As the machine was behind us, we decided to get out quickly, leaving the wash to continue its cycle. It was pretty scary.”

Outside, the Wrexham couple discovered the SUV’s top spoiler had been ripped from the roof, leaving a gaping hole and exposing electrics. The repair bill came to a staggering £1,800, reports North Wales Live.

Tesco said subsequent investigations revealed the car wash was functioning properly and a disclaimer warned against its use by Range Rovers.

Jaguar Land Rover said it was “common practice” for car manufacturers to advise customers not to use commercially operated automatic car washes.

Following the incident, Andrew, 31, who runs a window film business, requested to speak to the Tesco store manager. During the 40-minute wait, his mother arrived to collect Otis.

“He was very distressed,” said Cara, who is eight months pregnant. “It was terrible trying to persuade him to go into her car. It’s been horrendous. He’s slowly getting better but he’s still very upset by the experience.”

A manager said he would complete an incident form and Tesco would be in touch. Having not heard from the store, Cara said she returned the next day and was assured she’d be getting a call.

When nothing was forthcoming, she returned a second time and was again told to await a phone call.

“Soon after I was rung by a store manager saying the incident hadn’t been recorded properly and could we do it now,” she said. “This was quite concerning considering how serious the damage was.”

Cara, 27, was referred to head office, who told her the claim had been passed to Tesco’s insurers. This week the couple learnt that Tesco’s claims handlers had rejected their claim, stating the car wash was “fully operational” and that no defects were found.

The car was in the garage for two weeks undergoing repairs. When it was picked up this week, the bill amounted to £1,800.

The couple are still waiting to see the engineer’s cash wash report. Cara stated: “With these automatic washes you might expect a few scratches at worst. What you don’t expect is the doors to be opened and part of the roof taken off.”

Tesco expressed regret over the family’s experience at its Wrexham car wash, as well as their subsequent dissatisfaction with its investigation.

The company explained that all claims are considered on an individual basis and that, where appropriate, it will arrange for repairs and hire. Tesco suggested seeking independent legal advice as another possible course of action.

The retailer pointed out that disclaimer signage advises customers to “consult owner’s manual before using wash”. Furthermore, there is a notice on store payment machines warning Land Rover and Range Rover customers against using the car wash.

This news came as a surprise to Andrew and Cara, who were unaware that Range Rovers were particularly susceptible to damage in automatic, brush-based car washes.

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) was asked for its opinion on Tesco’s Range Rover disclaimer.

A spokesperson for JLR UK responded: “We welcome the opportunity to investigate this incident and are awaiting the appropriate client information and permissions to do so.”

“More broadly, and in line with what is standard across the automotive industry, our manufacturer documentation advises that commercially operated automatic car washes are not recommended.

“This guidance is common practice because this type of equipment can cause damage to exterior components. We therefore advise owners to follow the cleaning procedures specified for their model and vehicle specifications.”

Tesco’s car washes are owned and operated by Wilcomatic. The retailer stated that these are remotely monitored and inspected periodically to ensure they are functioning properly.

Routine checks are also carried out by Tesco staff, including a test wash before the car wash opens each morning. If a customer encounters any issues, Wilcomatic is summoned to conduct an inspection.

Cara is resolved to continue her fight, having gone public to alert other drivers to potential hazards.

She said: “I’m always a bit wary of using these car washes but we’ve never had an issue before. Being pregnant, constantly chasing Tesco for answers was the last thing I needed.”

“One thing is for sure – we won’t be using automatic car washes any more. From now on, it’ll all be done by hand!”

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