PowerWash Simulator crashing, not opening, loading or launching on PC

Some PC gamers have reported that PowerWash Simulator is crashing, not opening, loading or launching on their Windows 11 or Windows 10 gaming rig. This post is intended to help those facing similar issues with applicable solutions.

PowerWash Simulator crashing, not opening, loading or launching

If PowerWash Simulator is crashing, not opening, loading or launching on your Windows 11/ 10 gaming PC, you can try our recommended fixes below and see if that helps you resolve the issue on your gaming device. We suggest you start off troubleshooting with the initial checklist which is intended to provide quick solutions to the most common underlying causes to this issue.

1. Initial checklist
2. Launch Game in windowed Mode
3. Verify Game Files Integrity
4. Update Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable and DirectX
5. Update GPU drivers
6. Troubleshoot in Clean Boot state
7. Reset/Reinstall PowerWash Simulator

Let’s take a look at the description of the fixes mentioned above.

1] Initial checklist

• Check System Requirements. You may encounter this issue due to incompatible PC hardware. So, first and foremost, you’ll need to check whether your PC configuration meets the game’s system minimum requirements or not – if the latter is the case, you’ll need to take necessary actions to resolve the issue.

The minimum system requirement are as follows:

• • Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
  • OS: Windows 8 (64-bit) or newer
  • Processor: Intel i5-760 (4*2800), AMD Phenom II
  • Memory: 4 GB RAM
  • Graphics: GeForce GTX 760, AMD R7-260X
  • DirectX: Version 11
  • Storage: 6 GB available space
  • Additional Notes: Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system

You can check the game developer/vendor website for more information.

• Run the game as an Administrator. In some cases, if your game is not launching or crashing on startup, or not loading, etc. it could be due to you’re not running your video game with a administrator privilege. So, it’s better to simply run the game as an administrator on your gaming computer to see if that fixes the problem or not.
• Install all pending Windows Updates. Sometimes an incompatibility issue due to Windows being outdated, can also occur which can lead to conflict with the game preventing the game from running properly on your device. So, make sure you’re running the game with its latest patches and updates and as well check for updates and install any available bits on your gaming PC.
• Disable Antivirus and Firewall Program. Firewall and antivirus are important for your system safety, but sometimes these programs can interfere with Windows and cause certain apps or games to not work properly. So, you can temporarily disable your antivirus and/or firewall program (especially from third-party vendors) and see if that helps. Refer to the security software manual for instructions or check the program settings page. You can disable Windows Defender and you can disable Windows Firewall if you do not have any third-party security software installed and running on your system.

Read: Gas Station Simulator crashing, freezing, not loading on Windows PC

2] Launch Game in windowed Mode

Sometimes a computer with an average hardware specification can cause several issues with the fullscreen display mode while running the game. So, if you are running Windows 11, you can enable optimizations for windowed games.

On Steam, to have the game launch in windowed mode, do the following:

• Open the Steam client.
• Go to Library.
• Right-click on PowerWash Simulator > Select Properties.
• In the General section, click on Set Launch Options.
• Next, copy & paste the following command-line argument:

-windowed -noborder

• Save changes and exit.

Alternatively, you to run games in windowed mode on your Windows 11/10 gaming PC, do the following:

• Navigate to the location where you installed the game OR right-click on the game’s shortcut and click Properties on the context menu.
• In the Properties sheet, click on the Shortcut tab.
• Now, suffix -w at the end of the file path in the Target field.
• Click Apply > OK.

Now run the game again and see if the issue at hand is resolved. If not, try the next solution.

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3] Verify Game Files Integrity

If the game files become corrupted or missing for unexpected reasons, then verifying and repairing the game files using the game launcher can help you resolve the issue. To perform this task, do the following:

• Launch Steam client.
• Click on Library.
• Right-click on PowerWash Simulator from the list of installed games.
• Click on Properties.
• Go to Local Files.
• Click on Verify Integrity of Game Files.

Wait for the process to complete and once done, just restart your computer.

4] Update Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable and DirectX

This solution requires you to update Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable and update DirectX from Microsoft OR update these components via the game installation folder.

• Press Windows key + E to open File Explorer.
• Navigate to the following directory path:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Steamworks Shared\_CommonRedist\vcredist

• At the location, run all the following executable files:
  • 2012\vc_redist.x64.exe
  • 2013\vc_redist.x64.exe
  • 2019\vc_redist.x64.exe

If you’ve different folders, then run the vc_redist.x64.exe file in those folders.

• Next, navigate to the following directory path:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Steamworks Shared\_CommonRedist\DirectX

• At the location, run the DXSETUP.exe file to reinstall/update DirectX.
• Restart your PC when done.

5] Update GPU drivers

Most affected players reported an outdated graphics driver was the culprit here. So, to rule out the possibility that you’re also running the outdated graphics driver for your PC, you should check for and make sure your graphics card adapter driver is updated. Below are your options:

• Manually update the graphics driver via Device Manager if you have already downloaded the .inf or .sys file for the driver or you can update driver via Command Prompt.
• Get the driver updates on the Optional Updates section via Windows Update.
• Download the latest version of the driver from the graphics hardware manufacturer’s website.
• Automatically update your drivers using any of the free Driver Update software for Windows 11/10 PC.

Read: Fix Minecraft Drivers Outdated error message on Windows PC

6] Troubleshoot in Clean Boot state

Unnecessary system and cache files, processes, and services present or running on your computer can interfere with the smooth running of the game. In this case, you can troubleshoot in Clean Boot State. If the game runs smoothly in this system state, then you may need to manually enable one process after the other and see which the offender is that creates problems for you. Once you have identified it, you need to disable it or uninstall the software that uses this culprit process.

You can terminate any unnecessary background processes via Task Manager. Some affected players reported that disabling the in-game overlay apps such as Xbox, Discord, or any other resolved the issue of the game not starting.

7] Reset/Reinstall PowerWash Simulator

If none of the fixes above worked for you, you could repair/reset the game, and if the issue persists or there is no repair/reset option for the game in the Settings app, you can try reinstalling the PowerWash Simulator game. You can uninstall the game via the Steam library or simply use a third-party uninstaller software for a clean uninstall procedure. Afterward, download and install the latest version of the game on your gaming rig.

Hope this post helps you!

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Why is PowerWash Simulator crashing on Xbox?

A glitch in PowerWash Simulator causes the game to crash on Xbox if players look up at the sun during multiplayer. This issue only occurs during multiplayer gameplay and is reported to be related to the game’s lens flare effect. A hotfix is expected in the next game update. Until then, console players can work around the issue by not staring directly into the sun, just like in real life.

How many jobs in PowerWash Simulator?

As of Content Update 0.9 of Early Access for PowerWash Simulator, there are 16 Vehicle jobs and 18 Location jobs that the player can clean as part of the main story, and later on as part of Free Play and Challenge Mode. There are 4 Special jobs outside of the main story.