Does a car being flooded mean it cannot be driven?

[LeDaisy]

Do not continue driving after the car has been flooded. If the vehicle stalls during the water crossing, do not attempt to restart it. There are three possible scenarios if you restart the engine, as detailed below: Air filter gets wet: The car can still be driven, but with water in the air filter, the engine will draw in some water into the intake tract, forming water vapor. This vapor mixes with gasoline and burns completely, having minimal impact on the engine. A small amount of water enters the engine: If a small amount of water enters the engine and mixes with the oil, the oil quality deteriorates. Oil containing water increases wear on engine components, potentially leading to increased engine noise and vibration in the future. The engine makes noise and stalls again after a few seconds: This is the most severe scenario. Since water cannot be compressed, when it enters the cylinder while the engine is still running at high speed, the inability to compress the water during the power stroke directly causes the valves and connecting rods to bend, the piston to seize, severe cylinder wear, and crankshaft bending. Replace the oil as soon as possible.