What are the effects of a sedan passing through deep water without stalling?
2 Answers
Theoretically, as long as water does not submerge the air intake, it will not affect the engine. However, there are too many unpredictable factors, such as waves caused by passing vehicles that might splash into the air intake, or unknown underwater conditions like potholes, which can affect the vehicle's passability. If the car does not stall while driving through deep water, it indicates that the air intake did not take in water. Below are precautions for driving in rainy weather: 1. Slow down: Regardless of road width or condition, always drive slowly in the rain, constantly observing the distance between vehicles ahead and behind, and be mentally prepared to take emergency measures. Visibility is low in the rain, and the vehicle's emergency performance, such as braking distance, is reduced, so slow down in advance to allow enough time and space to handle situations safely. 2. Maintain distance: Driving in the rain obstructs visibility, so it's important to keep a safe distance from other vehicles, constantly observing the distance ahead and behind, and increasing the following distance. Stay especially far away from large vehicles, as they can block your view, and the water they splash can interfere with your driving. Additionally, large vehicles may pass through water that smaller vehicles cannot. 3. Use fog lights: Make full use of fog lights to enhance driving safety in the rain. Turn on hazard warning lights when necessary to alert vehicles behind you to your movements. 4. Do not restart if stalled: In heavy rain or storms, some areas may flood quickly. If you must drive through water, do so at a steady speed in a low gear. If the vehicle stalls during the process, do not attempt to restart it immediately, as this could severely damage the engine. Instead, contact a professional repair shop promptly. Only restart the vehicle after a mechanic has inspected it on-site and confirmed there are no issues.
Last time I drove my sedan through deep water without stalling, I thought everything was fine. But a week later, strange noises started coming from the chassis. At the repair shop, they found water accumulation in the exhaust pipe causing rust, and the catalytic converter was also damaged. Although the engine didn't take in water, the water pressure deformed the chassis guard plate, and the brake discs rusted from water contact, leading to longer braking distances. The most troublesome part was that sand and mud got into the wheel bearings, causing a humming noise while driving. The mechanic said that after driving through water, you should immediately check the chassis seals and exhaust system. Otherwise, these hidden damages will gradually show up and end up costing more than an engine stall.
