The main Tidal Wave car wash lawsuit was a federal trademark case brought by competitor Waterway Gas & Wash Company in July 2024 and dismissed in June 2025. Separately, Tidal Wave Auto Spa carries an active Better Business Bureau “Pattern of Complaints” alert covering hundreds of consumer grievances about unauthorized membership charges, cancellation problems, and denied vehicle damage claims.
The Waterway Trademark Lawsuit
On July 18, 2024, Waterway Gas & Wash Company sued Tidal Wave Management LLC in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri, case number 4:24-cv-00471, before Judge Fernando J. Gaitan Jr.1CourtListener. Waterway Gas & Wash Company v. Tidal Wave Management LLC
Waterway brought the action under the Lanham Act (15 U.S.C. § 1125), alleging infringement of U.S. Trademark Registration No. 4,562,588. The public docket identifies the registration number but does not disclose whether the mark at issue was a name, logo, color scheme, or other branding element; those details sit in the sealed complaint and exhibits.1CourtListener. Waterway Gas & Wash Company v. Tidal Wave Management LLC
Both companies run similarly named subscription programs. Waterway’s is the “Clean Car Club.”2Waterway. Waterway Gas & Wash Company Tidal Wave’s is the “Tidal Wave Clean Club.”3Tidal Wave Auto Spa. Manage Your Club
No preliminary injunction or temporary restraining order was sought. Tidal Wave moved to dismiss on May 6, 2025, and the court entered an order of dismissal on June 17, 2025. The docket does not indicate whether the dismissal was with or without prejudice, or whether the parties settled.1CourtListener. Waterway Gas & Wash Company v. Tidal Wave Management LLC
Consumer Complaints About Billing and Membership
The Better Business Bureau lists 269 complaints against Tidal Wave Auto Spa over the past three years, with 107 closed in the most recent 12-month period. The BBB has posted an active “Pattern of Complaints” alert on the company’s profile. Tidal Wave is not BBB-accredited, and 155 of the 269 complaints are categorized as unanswered.4Better Business Bureau. Tidal Wave Auto Spa BBB Complaints
Billing is the largest single category, with 115 complaints. Customers describe unauthorized charges, membership price increases rolled out without direct notice to members, and difficulty getting refunds after cancellation.4Better Business Bureau. Tidal Wave Auto Spa BBB Complaints Some customers say they thought they were buying a single wash or a trial at the kiosk and only later realized they had been enrolled in a recurring monthly plan.5Better Business Bureau. Tidal Wave Auto Spa BBB Complaints – Buford
How Cancellation Is Supposed to Work
Tidal Wave’s own help pages say members can cancel through an online “Manage Your Club” portal or by visiting a location in person, but the request must be submitted at least seven business days before the next billing date. Refunds are not issued; wash privileges simply continue through the end of the paid cycle.6Tidal Wave Auto Spa. Help & Support
Complaints describe a recurring breakdown. Customers try to cancel online and are told the system cannot locate their membership. By the time they try another method, the next billing cycle has already run. The company has told some complainants that it has no record of their cancellation request and will not issue a refund. Tidal Wave has also said that once a customer disputes a charge through their bank, the company can no longer process a refund internally.7Better Business Bureau. Tidal Wave Auto Spa BBB Complaints
Vehicle Damage Claims
Sixty-seven of the BBB complaints involve service or repair issues. A separate BBB profile for the company’s Buford, Georgia, area lists eight of nine complaints in that category. Reported damage includes scratched paint, cracked windshields, broken side mirrors, and damaged wheel rims. One complaint alleged more than $18,000 in damage to a Porsche Macan plus $1,500 in rental car expenses.5Better Business Bureau. Tidal Wave Auto Spa BBB Complaints – Buford
According to multiple complainants, on-site managers often deny liability by pointing to pre-existing conditions, and some customers say staff refused to file incident reports or share corporate or insurance contact information. Several complaints describe corporate follow-up that stopped after an initial acknowledgment.5Better Business Bureau. Tidal Wave Auto Spa BBB Complaints – Buford
Tidal Wave’s official policy instructs customers who experience damage to return to the specific location and notify a wash attendant to start a claim. Follow-up questions can be sent to a dedicated claims email address. The posted liability disclaimer excludes a wide range of items from coverage, including antennas, aftermarket accessories, non-factory paint, emblems and moldings, moonroofs, and any damage to vehicles over ten years old or attributed to pre-existing conditions.6Tidal Wave Auto Spa. Help & Support
Not Unique to Tidal Wave
Automatic renewal practices in the express car wash industry have drawn broader legal scrutiny. In June 2024, a proposed class action was filed against Whistle Express Car Wash in the Western District of North Carolina. That complaint alleged the chain’s kiosks enrolled customers in recurring “Wash Club” subscriptions without adequate disclosure, in violation of North Carolina’s consumer protection statutes. The plaintiff said he paid for a single wash and was then charged monthly for six consecutive months without authorization.8Truth in Advertising. Curry v. Express Wash Operations LLC
If you believe you were charged for a Tidal Wave membership you did not knowingly sign up for, cancel through both the online portal and an in-person visit, keep records of each attempt, and file a complaint with the BBB. Note that the company has said a bank chargeback can foreclose an internal refund, so the order in which you escalate matters.