At what water level should you not drive your car?
2 Answers
The height of the air intake is the most critical indicator of a vehicle's wading depth. Once water enters the air intake, it can cause the engine to stall, and in severe cases, water can be sucked into the engine, causing permanent damage. Therefore, if the water reaches this level, you definitely should not continue driving. More relevant information is as follows: 1. Exhaust pipe height: Safe wading depth. Many people worry that water reaching the exhaust pipe might backflow. In reality, the pressure generated by the engine during exhaust is strong enough to expel any water that backflows into the exhaust pipe. As long as you don't stall the engine manually and maintain stable power, you can prevent water from backflowing into the exhaust pipe and safely pass through such water levels. 2. Half-wheel height: May cause water to enter the car. Modern cars are filled with various electronic components and sensors. If water enters the interior, it can be troublesome. Although cars today have good waterproofing and generally won't leak unless submerged for a long time, there's always a chance. If the door seals are aged and not as effective, water might seep in.
Water levels are something to be really careful about. Personally, after driving through flooded sections a few times, I feel that half-wheel height is the critical point. When the water reaches about 30 centimeters, it starts to overflow the chassis, and there's a risk of the air intake being submerged. Once the water level exceeds the exhaust pipe, it can stall the engine. Last week, my friend's small car got stuck in 40 centimeters of water and broke down, costing over 5,000 yuan to repair. Even more dangerous is when the water exceeds about 60 centimeters, reaching the bottom edge of the car doors, causing the vehicle to float and the steering wheel to become completely unresponsive. Every time it rains and I pass under a bridge, I keep a close eye on the water level markers. If the water exceeds one-third of the tire height, I decisively take a detour. Actually, poor visibility during rain is the most deadly. If you can't see how deep the water is, it's better to wait for a tow truck than to take the risk.
