It’s Just Water. Can It Damage Your Vehicle?

Your Car Is Not a Boat

Unless you own one of the surviving classic Amphicars, your vehicle is not a boat. Therefore, it’s designed for use on dry land, not for running through high water. Of course, your automobile is going to get wet due to normal street use in damp weather. This is not a major concern (which is obvious since your car is equipped with features such as windshield wipers and protective coverings). However, “braving” deep water with your vehicle isn’t brave at all. It’s risky, and it can result in significant damage to your transportation. Should you need to know more or if you have incurred water damage, visit Dynamic Automotive in Frederick, Maryland, for auto repair.

Nothing Good Comes of It

You’ve probably been warned by your elders before that “nothing good comes of,” something they’re trying to admonish. In this case, trust their advice. Nothing good comes of driving through too much water. For instance, if water is sucked into your car’s intake manifold, you will experience hydrolock. This term refers to pistons trying to compress water as they do air and fuel. Since water is not compressible in this way, your engine sustains permanent damage or immediate catastrophic engine failure. Another problem is brake rotor/disc warping. The brake system components are hot from use. The sudden dousing with water can cool them so quickly that the metal warps. Water can also wreak havoc on your automobile’s electrical components, including the alternator. These problems are in addition to the cosmetic issues flood waters can cause. Most importantly, driving through flood waters can cost you your life. If water is deeper than three inches, your car can sustain the described mechanical damage. Just a foot can carry your auto away. That’s frightening because more than half the deaths caused by flash floods each year happen to victims in their cars.

Stay Dry and County on Us for Auto Repair

AAdvice point 1: If it’s not safe to drive in a certain area due to water, don’t drive there. Period. Advice point 1: Rely on the ASE-certified technicians at Dynamic Automotive if your vehicle has sustained mechanical damage or otherwise needs auto repair. Let us provide you with the level of care we’ve been providing to your neighbors since 1995.