Driving on a minor road near Bala in the Principality, we went through what I estimate was about 10 inches of water right across the road for about 40 yards. Loads of the roads around here have flood warnings, but not this one. All was fine, with water splashing all around, including on to the windscreen. Any advice about driving through floodwater (apart from dont) ?

Drive very slow but keep going.

get out and have a good look for surprises lurking in there

 

create a steady bow wave and stay behind it  

Low gear, low speed, and hold constant revs going through. DO NOT lift off because that can draw water up the exhaust pipe.

If possible,keep to the crown of the road where the water is likely to be less deep.

The fording depth of a Yeti is officially up the bottom of the sills, so about 9", however I have been deeper. The door seals are very effective!

  

Hitting water at speed can be very dangerous, although it is fun.

You don't know what is under the surface, so if you can, stop and have a look.

Use a stick to plumb it's depth if possible and to also feel the bottom. 

Water that is smooth is generally flowing over something smooth, rippled probably over rough, waves are definitely over rough!

 

Moving water can be very dangerous. It does not take much to push a car sideways, especially when it hits the bodywork side-on.

A Yeti will probably float in about 2' of water.

 

Do not closely follow someone else through. Stop and watch them. Learn from them.

Try not to enter the flood if there is something coming towards you. Their wash can cause you problems.

Be aware that cars moving the water around can also move other things, like branches.

 

On a straight the middle of the road is shallowest, on a curve the outside is generally shallower.

Don't drive on the verge, you don't know what has happened to it.

 

If equipped, turn on the off-road button and wipers.

Turn off low mounted fog lights.

 

Enter water at a slow speed and try to gently accelerate so that you build up a wave in front of you. Too fast and the wave can break over the bonnet, too slow and it doesn't form. Your aim is to build a "hollow" under the front of the car. You should not need to slip the clutch.

 

Even with disc brakes try a few gentle stops after the flood.

 

If the engine is running you are very unlikely to get water into the exhaust. The greatest danger is getting water in the air intake and hydraulically locking the engine. 

 

As a last resort it can help reversing through the water.

 

If in doubt DON'T!! 

 

Also remember that your wave has to go somewhere, and it very easy for it to over-top someones flood prevention barrier at a house. 

 

This was the route to work when things were bad:

It's about half a mile long and the tarmac is about 4' wider than the car.

 

And a bit of fun:

Edited 17 December, 201510 yr by Llanigraham

As an addition - if your Yeti is DSG equipped, manually select "1" and stick with it, don't leave it in auto!

As an addition - if your Yeti is DSG equipped, manually select "1" and stick with it, don't leave it in auto!

 

 I hadn't thought about it (we don't get many floods up here) but that's probably what I would have done...

Thanks for the advice everyone - I'll know next time.

Driving on a minor road near Bala in the Principality, we went through what I estimate was about 10 inches of water right across the road for about 40 yards. Loads of the roads around here have flood warnings, but not this one. All was fine, with water splashing all around, including on to the windscreen. Any advice about driving through floodwater (apart from dont) ?

 

Carry a pole to test the depth, you should not tackle anything deeper than halfway up your wheels.

My B-in-L driving a new Landrover, started to ford a flooded road and ended up nose down where

the road had washed away.

Carry a pole to test the depth, you should not tackle anything deeper than halfway up your wheels.

My B-in-L driving a new Landrover, started to ford a flooded road and ended up nose down where

the road had washed away.

 

That is NOT the recommended fording depth of a Yeti!!

Handbook says bottom of the sills.

If possible,keep to the crown of the road where the water is likely to be less deep.

... and hopefully you keep clear of raised/missing ironwork. I went through what I thought was a puddle in my then new Fabia (swapped when only a few months old for the Yeti) and hit an 8 or 9 inch square drain without a cover which cost me a new tyre. I counted myself lucky though 'cos the wheel was OK. You need to know what's lurking under the surface!

Edited 18 December, 201510 yr by longedge

That is NOT the recommended fording depth of a Yeti!!

Handbook says bottom of the sills.

 

I didn't say it was, it is a general rule for the less experienced.

 

Incidently my sill to the bottom is 11" and the centre of my 17"

wheel is around 13".

I used to work out in the Mendips and one morning (4:45a.m.)

with the rain still stair rodding down I took a sloping l/h bend

out of a village and ran slap bang into a pool of flood water

it was about three cars lengths wide.

I was in 3rd for the bend and just kept my foot at the same

setting and tried to steer for the middle of the road, luckily it

did move over but the wheels had no grip and the car

aquaplaned on its belly pan until the wheels bit and restored

my forward travel to safe roadway. Returning at the end of my shift

the water was almost gone but there was a car still there looking

all forlorn it has obviously hit the big pool of water in the dark but

had not been as lucky.