Why does my car stall when I hit a puddle?

Why does my car stall when I hit a puddle?

Driving through deep puddles can cause a cracked catalytic converter. This device operates at high temperatures and is part of the exhaust system. When it comes in contact with cold water, rapid contraction can crack its sides and potentially cause the vehicle to stall.

What happens if you drive your car through a deep puddle?

But many vehicles are damaged after a storm, when drivers try to navigate deep puddles of standing water. Driving through water can damage: Engine intake system. Water may get into the brake lines and cause brake failure immediately or later, when you least expect it.

Why does my car shut off in the water?

If the car stops in standing water, there is a chance that water may creep into vital parts like the intake and exhaust. Wading through water puts additional strain on the engine and using the third gear, instead of the first, could lead to the car stalling.

What depth of water can a car drive through?

Unless you’re driving a high-riding 4×4, the maximum depth most experts advise you drive a standard car through is 10cm. Modern cars are generally water-tight so they can start to float when driven through water that’s only 30cm deep.

How high does water have to be to flood a car?

* Six inches of water will reach the bottom of most passenger cars causing loss of control and possible stalling. * A foot of water will float many vehicles. * Two feet of rushing water can carry away most vehicles including sport utility vehicles (SUV’s) and pick-ups.

Why is my car smoking after driving through water?

White or grey smoke indicates water in the cylinders, likely due to a coolant leak through the intake gasket or head gasket. Blue smoke comes from oil burning in the cylinders. Oil usually gets in through either a leaking intake valve seal or through worn piston rings.

When driving at night be sure that you can stop?

Keep the instrument panel lights bright to be more visible to other drivers. Explanation You should drive more slowly at night than during the day because it is not possible to see as far ahead at night. You should make sure that you can stop within the area illuminated by your headlights.

What is a flooded car?

The facts about flooded cars By definition, a flood vehicle has been completely or partially submerged in water to the extent that its body, engine, transmission or other mechanical component parts have been damaged.

How do you know if your water is too deep to drive through?

Six inches of water is enough to hit the bottom of most passenger cars, flooding the exhaust and leaving you immobile. If you cannot walk through water (especially moving water), do not attempt to drive across it. It doesn’t take much for most cars to float.

When driving through a ford or flood water what gear should you use?

wait for approaching vehicles to clear the water before you start to drive through. Using first or second gear (L or 1 in an automatic) drive slowly to avoid creating a large ‘bow wave’ (a small wave can be helpful but too much and the water can wash back into the engine).

How do you know if water got in your engine?

Check Engine Oil Clear the dipstick, then check your oil level. If there’s water droplets on your dipstick, there’s water in the engine. If you start the car, it’ll mix the oil and water. If there’s water on the dipstick, see step seven.

What causes a car engine to stall when it gets wet?

It is most likely an electrical problem with waterlogged or even shorted out electronics. However, if the water was pulled into the engine, you could have significant problems because water in not compressible and ingested water can cause significant damage to the moving parts inside the engine.

Is it safe to drive through puddles?

We would recommend that drivers in ‘normal’ vehicles – i.e. not 4×4’s or anything designed to travel off-road – avoid driving through the very large puddles found on our roads during flooding, which are deep enough to reach the under tray of the car. Puddles a few inches deep are not something they need to be unduly concerned about.

Do you see drivers going through puddles at a fast speed?

Lee Boyce, from This is Money, replies: I also see drivers going through puddles at quite a fast speed (sometimes on purpose to target poor pedestrians). Britain has been gripped by wet weather over the last few weeks. In fact, according to the Met Office, April 2012 was the wettest since records began in 1910.

What happens to your car when you drive through water?

Robert King, technical editor with Glass.co.uk, said: The last time we suffered widespread flooding in the UK, the engines of many cars were damaged by driving through water. Modern cars tend to have air intakes fairly low down at the front of the car.