Will Water Enter the Engine If the Car's Exhaust Pipe Gets Water Inside?
2 Answers
Water will not enter the engine if the car's exhaust pipe gets water inside; it will only cause the vehicle to stall. Below are the relevant details: 1. Precautions: Do not attempt to start the vehicle. Seek assistance from a repair shop or insurance company to have the vehicle towed to a repair facility for cleaning and drying. Ensuring no water has entered the engine will allow the vehicle to start normally. The repair cost is relatively low and is the most effective solution for water entering the exhaust pipe. 2. Determining Water Depth: If the water exceeds half the height of the vehicle's tires, it is not advisable to drive through. If the vehicle is already navigating through a flooded area, maintain the engine speed. For manual transmission vehicles, avoid shifting gears, and for automatic transmission vehicles, avoid easing off the throttle. Drive at a steady speed to safely pass through the flooded area.
I'm the kind of seasoned driver who loves road trips. I remember one time driving through a flooded area during heavy rain, and water got into the exhaust pipe. I immediately stopped the car and didn't attempt to restart it. Actually, water in the exhaust pipe doesn't necessarily mean the engine is immediately flooded, but if you try to start the car at that point, the engine's suction force can draw the water back in, leading to hydro-lock in the cylinders and potentially causing severe engine damage requiring major repairs. That time, I called for a tow truck to take the car to a repair shop where they dried it out and inspected it. It only cost a few hundred bucks to fix the exhaust pipe issue. This is related to driving habits—always avoid water deeper than the height of your tires, drive slowly in the rain, and if water does get in, stay calm, don't start the engine, and have it towed for professional inspection to avoid damaging the engine's core. The lesson I took from this is that driving safety should always come first.
