What is the difference between wading and water immersion?
2 Answers
Here are the differences between wading and water immersion: 1. In terms of hazard level: Wading can cause certain damage to the car's chassis as well as some car's headlights and precision components; Water-damaged cars can be repaired to some extent, but even after repair, there are serious hidden dangers. 2. In terms of definition: A wading car refers to a vehicle driving in low-lying, waterlogged areas, passing through water; A water-damaged car refers to a car that has been soaked in water, mostly referring to the wiring harness being soaked, with the water immersion depth exceeding 1/3 of the wheel, and the car's bottom components being in prolonged contact with water. Such cars have a very high risk coefficient.
Driving through water and water submersion are two entirely different things! With over a decade of driving experience, I've seen plenty of water-related incidents. Driving through water involves actively navigating through flooded areas, such as post-rain street puddles, where the water level typically reaches half the tire height, leaving critical components unaffected. In such cases, the risk is relatively lower, but if water enters the engine intake, it may stall or even damage the engine. Water submersion, on the other hand, is when the car is passively submerged in high water levels—like a flooded parking lot—where water rises above the hood or higher, soaking the entire interior and frying all electronic systems, leading to moldy seats and rust. The key difference lies in the severity of risk: after driving through water, a simple check of the air filter might suffice; a water-submerged car, however, requires replacing the ECU, deep-cleaning the interior, and repairs costing thousands or even tens of thousands. Safety-wise, drive slowly when crossing water and never exceed tire height; a submerged car is often totaled, so parking away from low-lying areas can be a lifesaver.
