Occasionally get flooded where I live, not massively but about a foot around every entry into my village. My current superb gets through ok most of the time but sometimes I don't want to risk it. No problem I thought, I'll get a kodiaq next time round. Well read the manual via the link on here this morning and the kodiaqs only rated to a wading depth of 18cm! That's less than my wife's 1 series coupe which is about 4 inches off the ground.

Ok I don't expect the kodiaq to compete against a disco in this regard but 18cm?! Off to read my superbs manual as I think it has a better wading depth as well.

I think you may be getting mixed up between ground clearance ( which is I believe 180mm as stated) and wading depth.

Hmmm.... Ground clearance is listed as 187 or 188mm depending upon number of seats, but they don't seem to give a measured depth, just a reference point.

Graham's covered this before in the Yeti forum suggesting that this is a convenient reference point to keep people (and Skoda!) out of trouble.

I'm sure it'll go deeper - but only at your own risk!

Yep 18.7 or 18.8 cm. Being as Skoda own promo videos have it charging through streams this seems a bit silly to me. I suspect I'm unusual in this respect but it's a complete deal breaker for me. I was a definite sale before reading this.

Any water should be treated with caution, especially if it's moving.

 

I'd suggest that you look at a Land Rover Discovery or similar if you want proper mud & water plugging, albeit the latter somewhat cautiously.

Really, Charging through streams! 

or was that driving across a burn with water not much deeper than the height of a tyre wall?

 

Crossing fords or actual wading is a bit different from going through not much more than a deep puddle.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=A5PHZJqPW50

Edited 5 December, 20169 yr by Offski

Any water should be treated with caution, especially if it's moving.

I'd suggest that you look at a Land Rover Discovery or similar if you want proper mud & water plugging, albeit the latter somewhat cautiously.

Thanks. No need for a disco as the wading is only required three or four times a year, approx 30cm deep and is never moving water. I had no delusions about the kodiaq being a proper off roader but to have a wading depth so low I think is an oversight. It's only 3cm higher than my superb.

Has anyone said yet in this post what the official wading depth is.?

The Spec are there to check in another thread.

Yes the official wading depth is up to the bottom of the sills. 187 or 188mm depending on model. Either way it won't make it through anything much bigger than a puddle.

But as I said above 188 is the ground clearance, not the wading depth.

It's as I said in my first post. The manual states the max depth for driving through water is up to the bottom of the sills. It details this depth as 188 or 187mm depending on the model. So yes it's the ground clearance and the wading depth....

I don't think so, on the Yeti the ground clearance is 180mm, and the wading depth is around 300mm so not the same. With the Kodiaq ground clearance being quoted as 188mm, the height to the bottom of the sills (which is usually the wading depth quoted by Skoda) will be much more than 188mm.

The clearance given is not the height of the sills., The sills are higher than lowest point of the vehicle, 

as to dipping hot components like DPF's and Exhausts then that is another whole matter.

Air intakes another again.

 

As to the likes of a Defender, anyone that has had them will know all about Wading Plugs and Axle Breathers, waterproofing etc etc.

Many an unprepared 4X4 dies a death, and many a AWD as well, or Softroaders,

Not all the gear and drivers without much between the ears.

 

My old 110 had a few drownings before the engine was waterproofed the air intake was high and the axles had breathers..

A freeze after a soaking was still not pleasant though.

Edited 4 December, 20169 yr by Offski

Page 214:

The following must be observed to avoid damage to the vehicle when driving through bodies of water (e.g. flooded roads).

›Therefore determine the depth of the water before driving through bodies of water. The water level must not reach above the lower edge of the lower brace » Fig. 263.

›Drive at a maximum speed of walking pace, otherwise a shaft may form in front of the vehicle which could enable water to enter the vehicle system (e.g. in the air induction system of the engine).

›Never stop in the water, do not reverse and do not switch the engine off.

 

How can I attach image?

Edited 4 December, 20169 yr by romanv

The clearance given is not the height of the sills., The sills are higher than lowest point of the vehicle, 

as to dipping hot components like DPF's and Exhausts then that is another whole matter.

Air intakes another again.

 

 

 

Don't forget the electricals in the Haldex coupling, previous generations have had issues with water ingress on the connector although i'm sure they have improved it since.

 

Why don't you lease a Kodiac? I've heard the wading depth of a lease car is double that of one that is privately owned   

Edited 4 December, 20169 yr by SuperbTWM

Don't forget the electricals in the Haldex coupling, previous generations have had issues with water ingress on the connector although i'm sure they have improved it since.

Why don't you lease a Kodiac? I've heard the wading depth of a lease car is double that of one that is privately owned

:-)

Edited 4 December, 20169 yr by Bugginbob

I don't think so, on the Yeti the ground clearance is 180mm, and the wading depth is around 300mm so not the same. With the Kodiaq ground clearance being quoted as 188mm, the height to the bottom of the sills (which is usually the wading depth quoted by Skoda) will be much more than 188mm.

Not according to the manual.

According to the 'Manual' when does water start entering the passenger space or do door seals keep it out even if the wake is coming up the flanks of the Kodiaq.

Do you know the air intake height for the Petrols & the diesels.

 

All the testing is lovely, driving through the max permissible is all good and well, and then when the road surface drops and many regret there 

decisions and trust in the manufacturers,

If you get through nice and safe its the next day that many find that wading was not 'simply clever'.

According to the 'Manual' when does water start entering the passenger space or do door seals keep it out even if the wake is coming up the flanks of the Kodiaq.

Do you know the air intake height for the Petrols & the diesels.

All the testing is lovely, driving through the max permissible is all good and well, and then when the road surface drops and many regret there

decisions and trust in the manufacturers,

If you get through nice and safe its the next day that many find that wading was not 'simply clever'.

Hence I won't be buying one. i expect it's capable of making it through much deeper water than 188mm but if Skoda are that conservative with it I don't want to risk it. Shame as I think it looks a good car and having been largely happy (although a little underwhelmed) by my superb 3 I'd have leased one next year.

Even with my elevated defender 90 with vented axles/diff's and a high air intake, I avoided wading were ever possible, water is a real pain.

Sounds like the OP can't avoid wading at certain times of the year just to access his village. Looks like you need to check out the wading depths of other marques, if the Kodiaq is not good enough :(

Good info here: https://www.carmudi.com.ph/journal/thirteen-cars-that-can-pass-through-floods/

Forrester would be the next tool in my armoury if I had to choose.

If just looking for a really cheap wading vehicle to get out the village the Daihatsu Terrios has a very good wading depth of 700mm!

Edited 4 December, 20169 yr by Defenderben

Funnily enough several people have terios's in my village :-) have used my series 3 occasionally when the weather has been really bad but normally I get caught out when wasn't expecting the flooding and can't get back into the village.

It's as I said in my first post. The manual states the max depth for driving through water is up to the bottom of the sills. It details this depth as 188 or 187mm depending on the model. So yes it's the ground clearance and the wading depth....

 

Can you state exactly where it states the fording depth in the manual? 

Height to the bottom of the sills is NOT the ground clearance, since there are quite likely bits sticking further down than that, That is certainly true of the Yeti and many other vehicles. Try looking underneath any vehicle!

Personally I have driven through much deeper water than Skoda recommend in the Yeti. however as Ben says it is not advisable.

Edited 4 December, 20169 yr by Llanigraham

Can you state exactly where it states the fording depth in the manual?

Height to the bottom of the sills is NOT the ground clearance, since there are quite likely bits sticking further down than that, That is certainly true of the Yeti and many other vehicles. Try looking underneath any vehicle!

Personally I have driven through much deeper water than Skoda recommend in the Yeti. however as Ben says it is not advisable.

The manual doesn't make any reference to "wading depth" however it does state the level to which you can drive safely through water. Perhaps I should have been more clear. This level being up to the bottom of the "brace" pictured in the manual. This looks like the bottom of the sills in the picture to me. I didn't originally mention anything about ground clearance, only wading depth. I agreed with an earlier poster that the sills also looked to be the ground clearance level, perhaps I'm wrong, I don't know. I really am not worried about ground clearance I've not bothered reading what the gc is in the manual as it wasn't what I was looking for. As an earlier poster added detail is on page 214 of the manual.

Anyway I didn't start the post for an argument, purely just to try and have a discussion about whether people thought approx 18cm wading depth was any good or not. As I'm not going to buy a kodiaq now I'll head back over to the s3 forum where I don't seem to upset people so much.

Edited 4 December, 20169 yr by Bugginbob

The manual doesn't make any reference to "wading depth" however it does state the level to which you can drive safely through water. Perhaps I should have been more clear. This level being up to the bottom of the "beam" pictured in the manual. This looks like the bottom of the sills in the picture to me. I didn't originally mention anything about ground clearance, only wading depth. I agreed with an earlier poster that the sills also looked to be the ground clearance level, perhaps I'm wrong, I don't know. I really am not worried about ground clearance I've not bothered reading what the gc is in the manual as it wasn't what I was looking for. As an earlier poster added detail is on page 214 of the manual.

Anyway I didn't start the post for an argument, purely just to try and have a discussion about whether people thought approx 18cm wading depth was any good or not. As I'm not going to buy a kodiaq now I'll head back over to the s3 forum where I don't seem to upset people so much.

 

The link provided above shows the wading depth to be to the bottom of the sills, so just the same as the Yeti, and apparently most other Skodas.

The 180 mm that is mentioned in the manual is the height from the ground to the lowest extremity on the bottom of the car; that is not the sill height, so I am sorry but I think you have confused the 2 items.

I see no-one here who has argued with you, only pointed out your misunderstanding of what is explained in the manual.