Does anybody now the maximum wadding depth for the diesel estate on flooded roads?

Is it governed by the engine air intake level? (where and what height)

Some brands advise disconnecting the low level air intake pipe to prevent scooping water into the engine before driving through deep puddles?

Or is the superb governed by any low level electrics in the engine bay.

Or is there anything you can fit to prevent any damage if caught out by floods?

As a rule, don't drive through any flooded roads as you don't know how deep the water is. If you have to go along a flooded road then the usual rule of thumb is that you shouldn't go through water that is deeper than the sill.

Ian

I would turnaround and find a different route, if the water is ok when you enter the flood it might be deeper in the middle.

We were in Scotland last year following a Kia Sedona, a big flood covering the whole road and Kia man decided he was going for it, I would say about 12" of water, he was doing really well until a Log Truck coming the other way made a huge Tsunami that engulfed the Kia, it stopped instantly.

I did go through once it had settled down and nothing coming the other way.

Page 171 of the manual.

Read the advice in the manual BUT what would be the maximum depth of water any owner would risk driving through with out feeling that they are going to cause any damage?

What would you do if the you where put in the following situation a hear somebody experienced very recently.

You are driving along an 'A' road and you come across some local flooding approximately 3 car lengths long and depth just above the kerb (6”), you slow down and drive through very slowly on the limit of the depth advised in the manual.

5minutes later down the road an on coming 4x4 stops you and advises the road ahead is flooded up to 3 foot deep and he only just managed to get through.

You turn around and head back down the road, approximately 10 minutes has past since you drove through the first flood which has now greatly increased to about 12 car lengths long and you watch the 4x4 in front drive through the the water just over half way up this wheels.

Your hand book says only drive up to the sill level but the water ahead is approximately double the depth.

There is no other side roads to turn around and use.

Do you try and find the highest level of road between the 2 floods park up and wait a day or 2 in your car and hope the flooding does not get any worse if so you are trapped in your car?

Or

Drive through the first flood again at the deeper depth?

Hence what is the maximum deep owners would drive through in the really world not what the owners manual advises!!!

Is it a company car?

For me, as long as the bow wave does not exceed the bottom of the upper-part of the plastic radiator grille (i.e. not over the top of the number plate), I'd be reasonably comfortable. Anything above that and you'd risk inundating your central electrics module and potentially ingesting water through the intake.

Note: I've only ever driven through deep-ish water in a Pajero (think it's called a Shogun there in UK) so this is not advice, just an opinion. The Pajero floats, not sure the Superb would.

My advice if its any good is if you are going through a flood , do not stop . Friend of mine was following a car through a deep flood and car infront stopped causing him to stop and this caused the water crest to kill the engine, followed up car was a rightoff , 3 month old 3 series.

3ft in a 4x4 is risking it, especially if it's running water, at that depth the water would be almost onto the bonnet and there is a risk of being washed away even in what appears to be slow current!

If the first flood is up to the axles on a full-size 4x4 then it will be about 12 inches deep, OK for the 4x4, but most cars might struggle, especially as you don't know the true depth, I wouldn't risk it and would rather walk out or hitch a lift in a 4x4 and collect my car 24 hours later when the water has receded.

The deepest I've waded in my D3 (Discovery 3) is about 18 inches of standing muddy water in off-road conditions, that creates a big bow wave and a massive wash and that's slow and steady driving (not the ridiculous but popular 4x4 magazine style spraying water everywhere) the max wading depth of a D3 is just over 2ft (top of the 19 inch wheels).

My advice if its any good is if you are going through a flood , do not stop . Friend of mine was following a car through a deep flood and car infront stopped causing him to stop and this caused the water crest to kill the engine, followed up car was a rightoff , 3 month old 3 series.

One of the rules of off-roading, never follow someone into a hazard until they have cleared the hazard, no use to anyone if you both get stuck!

My advice if its any good is if you are going through a flood , do not stop . Friend of mine was following a car through a deep flood and car infront stopped causing him to stop and this caused the water crest to kill the engine, followed up car was a rightoff , 3 month old 3 series.

Got caught today when a river running next to a country lane burst it banks, was basically submerged with two vans. Stuck with water flowing around 1/4 of the way up the door. Nothing got into the car interior. Got pulled out by a local tractor. Left it for 2 hours and when RAC came started it and around 10liters (guestimate) of water poured out the exhaust. But it started and we left it running for a while but it didnt sound quite right. It's now at my local dealership and they're looking at it tomorrow am. Dreading whats wrong and the cost. Just for them to look is £90. Just praying its not buggered or an insurance job. (£400 excess) My advice is if you can avoid deepish standing water, please do. I feel sick through worry. Love my car :( Superb Estate 2.0TD 140 SE.

Years ago, whilst driving my Triumph Dolomite through one foot of water, water got into the clutch bell housing and wrecked the clutch. I wonder if water can get into a modern cars clutch or gearbox?

Anything like clutch housings and axles that have breather holes will take in water, that's why these breathers are extended on off road vehicles.

On modern diesels, you will not have a problem with electrics unless all of the engine bay is submerged for 30sec to a minute plus. So air intake is main issue as to how deep. On petrols electrics are more sensitive so I personally wouldn't go above half way up wheel on a superb.

The advice in the manual not to stop or reverse is rubbish. If driving in depths they advise, it's perfectly ok to stop. It's also perfectly ok to reverse too. There is plenty of back pressure in modern engines to make water ingress through the exhaust a non issue.

As to the speed advice and not creating a bow wave, again this is dubious. Creating a bow wave actually keeps water away from the vehicle and reduces level of water behind the vehicle, both of which are beneficial. Again it's perfectly ok to stop when like this as long as the depth of water is at an ok level. The momentum of the water is forward, so when stopping the bow wave dissipates forward and then the water back fills up to normal height. Again if its not above half way up wheel this would be ok.

The real issue with driving on flooded roads is that the majority of your reference points disappear. You have no visibility of soft verges, ditches, high kerbs etc, which makes driving extremely hazardous, so even in a raised and equiped 4x4 its dangerous. In flowing water you have added issues of water pressure build up and floating debris.

If ever in a caught in a severe situation in flowing water, the best advice I can give from personal experience, is to open the window/s and if possible open a door/boot to flood vehicle interior. Open windows give you an escape route and flooding the interior weighs the car down and gives you a better chance to drive out. Pick the lowest gear, keep revs high, stay in the middle of the road, where possible, and attempt to drive out with as little directional change as possible.

Cheers

Steve

Use a hire car!

I once saw video of a Land Rover towing a trailer, only the trailer was actually a boat with a drop back that the Land Rover could drive into - wonder if they do one for a Superb.....

You're all bonkers. Turn around and find anogther way. Do you really want to risk ruining your car for the sake of a detour?

Here's a nice movie indicating why it's never a good idea to drive on flooded roads:

You're all bonkers. Turn around and find anogther way. Do you really want to risk ruining your car for the sake of a detour?

+1

Do you really think it's a good idea to submerge the cambelt - that's down at the level of the crank. I'd say the manual is right and only gives a couple of inches to spare.

This guy clearly didn't follow the 'as high as the sill' advice

http://www.youtube.c...bed/Wc3BC-6Wp38

Not sure how he kept it going!

Edited 3 December, 201213 yr by JamKart

Anyone come across this or think any good?

 

http://www.as-auto-parts.com/Skoda-Parts/bc-Skoda-Parts-xh-SUPERB-Estate-%283T5%29-2.0-TDI-4x4-class1-Air-Intake-Snorkel.html

The recommended max depth for a standard Disco 2 if I remember correctly is 500mm about 20 inches which is about knee deep.

I've been dull enough to try all sorts of floods and got stuck in a Peugeot 405 due to water ingress to the diesel, amazingly with no lasting.damage. At the same time a colleague negotiated a shallower flood but failed to see the rock that smashed his Mitsubushi's bottom pulley which cost £200 for the part.

I'm older, wiser and more cautious - but sometimes one's options can be limited.

As per the comments above from smf. Unless you have eaded through on foot to check there are no hidden dangers like lifted drain covers or missing bits of road do not go though and certainly turn around if you dont know what conditions lie ahead in case things get worse and you get cut off.