Will driving through water without stalling affect the engine?
3 Answers
Since the engine did not stall, there should be no impact on it. Only automatic stalling and breakdown would cause issues. Below is relevant information about water-immersed vehicles: 1. Concept: A water-immersed vehicle refers to a car that has been submerged in water, typically meaning the engine or transmission has been soaked, with water depth exceeding the wheels and seats, and prolonged contact between the chassis components and water. Such vehicles pose significant risks, as the electrical circuits are prone to short circuits and fires. 2. Insurance: There are two types of insurance related to water immersion: the most common is vehicle damage insurance, and the other is called engine special loss insurance, commonly known as water immersion insurance.
Last time I drove my old Accord through standing water. Although it didn't stall, the engine sound became noticeably abnormal afterwards. The mechanic said the intake pipe might have sucked in water mist, causing the air filter to deform and allow sand particles to enter the cylinders, resulting in slight scoring on the cylinder walls now. What's more troublesome is that water seeped into the transmission vent hole, causing the fluid to emulsify half a year later - a major repair cost over 4,000 yuan. The rusted chassis bearings with abnormal noise also stemmed from that incident. It's recommended to inspect chassis seals promptly after water crossings, with special attention to clearing debris clogging the radiator fins.
I once repaired a BMW X3 where the owner drove through water without stalling the engine, and two months later, fault codes appeared. Upon disassembly, it was found that the MAF sensor connector had oxidized, causing signal drift, and the spark plug electrodes showed corona discharge. Oxidized chassis wiring connectors led to headlight module failure. The most troublesome issue was the intermittent faults caused by oxidized pins in the engine wiring harness, making diagnosis difficult. Although the car was drivable at the time, water-soaked electronics act like ticking time bombs. A reminder to everyone: after driving in rain, pop the hood to check wiring harness connectors for water stains and apply WD-40 for rust prevention.
