Flooded the car

[Ady]

The weather got me yesterday. I drove through what I thought was a big puddle which turned out to be about 2ft deep. The engine died and left me stranded in the middle. Within a minute or two all the electrics started going mad. The passenger seat moved all the way forward all by itself, luckily my wife was in the back with my daughter. By the time I was pushed / towed out I had lights flashing all over the dashboard and the nearside main beam and fog light were on even after I locked the car. The passenger side had about 3inches of water inside the car. I called Mobilife and they arranged for a truck to collect the car and take me home. As the car is over 3 years old I had to pay for it as it was flood damage. I sat in the car, soaking wet, and waited for 3 hours for the truck to arrive as everyone was busy with similar incidents.
Now I am dreading to find out how much it's going to cost to get it sorted.

I hope other had a better weekend.

 

[rf065]

I hope the good news is that the engine is still running & water was not ingested into the cylinders?

Russ

 

[Dieselman]

I hope the good news is that the engine is still running & water was not ingested into the cylinders?

Russ

The engine died and left me stranded in the middle. Within a minute or two all the electrics started going mad.

I hope you have comprehensive insurance as this is probably going to write the car off.

 

[Howard]

I agree ... the car is toast.

BrianWH had the same thing happen to his brand new CLS , flooded , car went mad , written off ...

Sorry to hear this .

 

[Ady]

I agree ... the car is toast.

BrianWH had the same thing happen to his brand new CLS , flooded , car went mad , written off ...(

Thats what I fear and am trying to talk my self out of

It is about time for a new one but this wasn't the way I had envisaged it going. It has given me a bit of grief over the years but I still love it and would like to think it was going to another loving owner and not the scrap heap just yet.

 

[A210AMG]

Think I would start looking for a E320 CDi


every cloud and all that.........

 

[Dieselman]

Think I would start looking for a E320 CDi

Yep. That should take an extra litre before the engine is fully drowned, bigger puddles..

 

[stumpy1]

I feel for you. The river Mole in Cobham has burst its banks and earlier there were a dozen or so cars stranded. It's about the only time the Chelsea tractors do what they are designed for round here.

Doesn't bode well for you though. I reckon the car is a write off. Only on seriously high value stuff will they think about repairing it for you.

 

[Ady]

Think I would start looking for a E320 CDi

Yep. That should take an extra litre before the engine is fully drowned, bigger puddles..

I like your logic, I will keep that in mind

 

[Marque]

In case this happens to others, would switching everything off as soon as the engine dies save the car? Also, how deep is safe to drive through?

 

[Chattonmill]

In case this happens to others, would switching everything off as soon as the engine dies save the car? Also, how deep is safe to drive through?

Depends whether you have Airmatic or not

 

[Dieselman]

In case this happens to others, would switching everything off as soon as the engine dies save the car? Also, how deep is safe to drive through?

The engine is already dead as soon as it stops, the rest is the battery feeding the electrics. Some may live but most won't.

 

[Brian WH]

On mine, the only thing working properly was the engine thankfully. I drove 40 miles with all the electronics going berserk.

They wrote it off because it was contaminated, as well as being left for 3 weeks before they inspected it. I hope also that you are fully-comprehensive and with a decent insurer. I was with Direct Line and they were excellent.

In answer to how deep the water should be, the answer is sill height only, as once water gets into the car ALL the electronics are shot, as they are under the passenger floorboard on a modern MB.

 

[A210AMG]

Its not just how dweep, its how fast..

Hence when proper off roading you can drive just quick enough so you create a sort of bow to the sides and not too quick that it goe over the bonnet.

Brothers weekend toy several months ago

 

[Londonscottish]

I like your logic, I will keep that in mind

That logic says get a 500

or 55

or 63

Go for the 500

 

[rf065]

Its not just how dweep, its how fast..

On most modern cars, the biggest factor is the position of the air intake, some of them are really low down.

Russ

 

[Smatt]

On most modern cars, the biggest factor is the position of the air intake, some of them are really low down.

Russ

Also the exhaust height- water can get sucked backwards; that is why one should keep to a low gear/high revs when wading to make positive pressure in exhaust

Also drive at a steady slow speed to avoid making bow waves

 

[popuptoaster]

If the electronics are on the floor then it dont matter how fast or slow you go, if your in the water long enough it WILL get in and kill them.

No point showing pics of 4x4's wading, they all have the ECU mounted up high AND in a weather proof box, rally cars can wade serious depths (for a road car) but it takes a LOT of modification to make it reliable, even the alternators have the elctronics moved off the back of them and into waterproof containers.

I have taken a deisel transit through water as deep as the door handles, BUT it did start coming in the door shuts and holes round the pedals and it wasnt my van and i needed to get back to the yard on time to get up the pub.


I suspect though flood damaged cars are written off more because of the health risks from flood water as its got a lot of sewage in it, while dipping one into a river may not be as bad, guess it depends on how much the electrickery is gonna cost compared to the value of the car.

 

[A210AMG]

It still makes a difference how fast you hit the water. The electric are not THAT low if your sensible (how come your tranny was ok?). Ok if we are talking 3 ft of water and standard car yes your goosed.

Its pretty academic anyway as the fact is the cars probably knackered and the 'puddle' was much deeper than the OP thought.

Any update by the way from the OP ?

 

[Londonscottish]

The electric are not THAT low

Some of mine are - the transmission ECU's are under the carpet in the passenger footwell