Last night on my way home from work at around midnight it was raining really heavily - there were loads of lorries on the motorway and the spray they were kicking up was incredible. I couldn't avoid driving through it so just took it easy and passed them as safely as possible. However, when I got home I could hear what I can only describe as a low squealing kind of sound when the car was idling which I hadn't heard before - it sounded like a loose fan belt but appeared to be coming from the exhaust area underneath the car... I'm just wondering if driving through heavy spray could have done any damage? I'm sure if any spray gets in the intake it can't be a good thing, but how do you avoid it in any car in weather like we've recently had? I haven't been out to the car to start it yet by the way... Cheers guys.

Probably just the auxilliary belt got wet, which will dry off and return to silence hopefully.

SILENCE....i kill you

As Tom said

At least your spark plugs will not get wet!

Thanks guys, it's lovely and quiet now... well, apart from the diesel clatter.

Thanks guys, it's lovely and quiet now... well, apart from the diesel clatter.

That can be fixed with one of these:

http://briskoda.development.scalr.net/forums/showthread.php?t=162363