How deep is too deep

thomasm · 29-06-2012 3:11pm #1

How far up on the front\sides of your car would flood water have to come before you do so damage. Driving an S-Max 2007 model 1.8TD and a regularly travelled road floods quiet often.

Probably about 12-14 inches deep, occasionally higher. The round trip to avoid this takes an extra 10-15mins and I'm basically wondering what depth you drive your car into without fear of damage.

ongarite · 29-06-2012 3:14pm

All depends where your air filter intake is located.

I wouldn't be driving any car through a foot of water myself. 10-15 min extra journey will be a lot cheaper than a new engine if you flood it.

thomasm · 29-06-2012 3:22pm

Fair enough, round trip it is then, thanks

Del2005 · 29-06-2012 3:33pm

Generally your air intake is where most water would get in. But every car has breather pipes and vents, so water can get places it shouldn't be even if the water is below your intake. You should only drive in water to the bottom of your wheel, any deeper is risky.

Henry Ford III · 29-06-2012 3:37pm

Air intake obviously but any deeper than the sills is asking for trouble. If in doubt, don't.

T-Maxx · 29-06-2012 4:37pm

IMO you stand a bigger chance of soaking the electrics or simply getting washed away.

When in doubt don't chance it.

Dartz · 29-06-2012 5:59pm

Yeah. Ploughing through flooded road was what finally killed off my Laguna. It got into the wiring loom and played havoc.

In the end, it wasn't the patchy build quality that killed it, but a driver ignoring the manufacturer's suggestion that it not be driven through water deeper than the bottom of the wheel rims.

Still laboured on for months, but it was obvious the thing was like the granny with cancer just barely clinging on.

CianRyan · 29-06-2012 6:55pm

Dartz wrote: »

Yeah. Ploughing through flooded road was what finally killed off my Laguna. It got into the wiring loom and played havoc.

In the end, it wasn't the patchy build quality that killed it, but a driver ignoring the manufacturer's suggestion that it not be driven through water deeper than the bottom of the wheel rims.

Still laboured on for months, but it was obvious the thing was like the granny with cancer just barely clinging on.

Uhh, sure it was the floods. :pac:

dgt · 29-06-2012 6:56pm

I saw the thread title an thought of something much more sordid... :pac:

Not above the door shut lines. That's a no no. Think of the electrics...

Dartz · 29-06-2012 7:26pm

CianRyan wrote: »

Uhh, sure it was the floods. :pac:

Well, It ran like clockwork since I got it (Minor glitches aside) then finally started playing up ten minutes after I gave it an accidental U-boat treatment and it decided it had a gearbox.

Seems like there's a correlation.

It was a lovely, comfy car that gave better than it's reputation. Ten years old, and finally sold off today. It made it to its new owner under its own power. (Looks like the heat dried it out or something)

I miss it already.

thomasm · 29-06-2012 7:58pm

dgt wrote: »

I saw the thread title an thought of something much more sordid... :pac:

Not above the door shut lines. That's a no no. Think of the electrics...

I could only imagine the responses in After Hours

How deep is too deep

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