What to Do If the Car Stalls After Driving Through Water
2 Answers
Solutions for a car stalling after driving through water: The flooded car should be towed away from the water. When towing, use a hard connection method to avoid engine damage caused by accidentally engaging gears. After the flooded car is towed away from the water, promptly conduct a thorough inspection of all water-soaked electrical components, drain and dry them, and then use a multimeter to check for any short circuits in the wiring. Even after removing the car key, there is still a minimal current supply for the engine computer, anti-theft system, etc. It is essential to disconnect the negative terminal of the battery to prevent short circuits in the electrical components due to water ingress. Driving too fast through water can create a surge, causing water to be sucked into the intake and directly damage the engine, leading to stalling.
Oh man, one time I drove through a puddle and the engine suddenly stalled, which really scared me. I immediately stayed calm and didn’t turn the key again, because restarting the engine with water inside could totally wreck it. I quickly pushed the car to a dry spot on the roadside to avoid further danger. Then I took out my phone to look up the problem—it might have been water flooding the air filter or clogging the intake pipe. I tried popping the hood to check, but didn’t dare to take anything apart, so I just called a tow truck to take it to the repair shop. The mechanic told me to drive slowly through water and avoid depths above half the tire height. During the repair, the technician checked the crankcase and spark plugs, found some water had gotten in, and after cleaning it up, it cost me a few hundred bucks to fix. Now I always avoid deep water and drive extra carefully in the rain. If I ever face a similar situation again, I’ll never force it. The key takeaways: stop the car, don’t restart it, push it to safety, and call the experts.
