Why Shouldn't You Attempt to Restart the Engine After Water Ingestion?

[DelSara]

Because restarting the engine can cause damage, and insurance companies will not cover the costs if you do so. Here are the relevant explanations: 1. Driving Through Water: If water is sucked into the cylinders while driving through water, it can cause the engine to stall. Forcing the starter to crank the engine in this situation will make the pistons attempt to compress the water. Since water is incompressible, the result is often damage to the engine's connecting rods and crankshaft, requiring extensive engine disassembly for repairs. 2. Stalling in Water: In many cases when a car stalls while driving through water, it's not due to water entering the engine but rather the increased resistance from the water causing insufficient engine power and stalling. To check if water has entered the engine, simply open the air filter cover and inspect whether the filter is wet. If the filter is soaked, there's a high chance water has already entered the engine.