So I drove into an innocuous looking puddle this morning, which turned out to be rather deeper. The car (Golf mk5 GT TDI) died abruptly on the way out, water not quite up to the door sills, but slightly deeper on the bit I made it through.

Got towed out, car started with a little provocation, spat out some water, and is now running fine, if a little damp! Mr AA said to drive it straight to the garage for new oil/air filters or all the kittens in the world would die instantly. Local garage (who I have confidence in) were quite blasé and said they’d do it Wednesday and if it was running ok then it’s probably fine.

I’ve driven it about 30 miles since (home), and it still feels fine. I’ll get the filters done for peace of mind, but what are the the collective thoughts on driving it in the interim? No visible water in the oil, or increase in the level. All electrics behaving as expected. Anything else to check?

YOU ARE ONE LUCKY SOB

put the lottery on NOW

Have you checked the air filter for any dampness or water in the airbox?

You are lucky you didn’t hydraulic it – hydraulic lock where engine ingests water then promptly cracks the block

The rule of thumb with insurance coys is that if the water comes over the sills then the vehicle is a write off.

dont tell anyone, dry it out change filters and oil yourself and FLOG IT

Definitely change air filter NOW and dont drive it till you do. It will suck water in still which can’t compress like air fuel and could bend rods etc. Lucky I would say

*Makes a mental note not to buy anything from jock-muttley.

Yep, realise I’m bloody lucky! Not checked the air filter.

20 years ago I drove a 1.5TD Corsa through a ford by accident in Langdale. The bow wave went over the roof and I ended up stalling in 2′ of water. Anyway, water forced it way through paper air intake filter causing hydraulic lock. Pushed car out of ford, drove to Ambleside garage with smoke pouring out of exhaust (as I only had 3 working cylinders and 1/4 of the diesel was just igniting in the exhaust). Had the car towed back from Ambleside to Harlow where a local garage stripped and rebuilt the whole engine, inc new con rod and piston. Got another 100,000 out of the engine after that.

I hydraulic locked a 306 1.9DT. The water was picked up by the exceptionally low air intake mounted below N/S passenger bumper and a slightly deeper than expected puddle. After the car stalled I managed to get to going again, drove home and the next day replaced the soggy air filter & changed the oil. All was fine for about 300 miles.

Then whilst travelling in the outside lane of the motorway doing 70, one of the con rods snapped punching a hole in both sides of the block and the sump. I can only describe the sound as driving over a bag of spanners!!

Brown pants moment.

Sell the car.

It’ll be fine.

some motoring rescue companies charge for retrieveing cars out of water, so lucky there,

Replace air filter its only paper and soaks up water like a toilet roll dropped in the bog, and you wouldnt use that again,

some insurance companies clas driving into deep water as stupidity/negligence and wont pay out.

It never occurred to me that I could claim, so I just coughed up the £930 for a complete engine re-build.

Always remember when I worked for the IT & Telecoms infrastructure team for the “Coonsil” the sight in my rear view mirror of rebounding waves closing over the roof a hapless year old Citroen Xsara that had for some rather unwise reason chosen to follow me through a 100 yard flooded stretch of road cutting.

The reason he had chosen to follow a beat up classic Range Rover that was equipped for the role of coping with water – raised air intake, winch, amber beacons, radio antennas, 2″ body and 2″ suspension lift and a “Scottish Borders Council” banner plastered across the rear window was never adequately established.

The image of the driver in a sodden suit stood in upright in his open sunroof like a forlorn u-boat commander staring at the large oil slick forming from under his bonnet will never leave me…..

I had almost exactly the same experience as iBaa, trashing a Pug 309 diesel a week after the engine died in a cill-height puddle. Luckily, it was a company car, and had already notched up a 6 figure mileage, so no tears.

some insurance companies clas driving into deep water as stupidity/negligence and wont pay out.

Don’t blame them, completely retarded, I’m furious at myself! I work for an insurance company too 😳

FWIW, car is one of these:

And when I stopped it was just below the grilles with the fogs – ie not hugely deep. At the back it was just touching the VW logos on the wheel. Engine bay appeared totally dry earlier, but will check the air filter tomorrow and replace. Definitely wasn’t hydro locked – ticked over straight away – AA man disconnected turbo(?) pipe, jump started it and it came to life on about the 5th turn of the key. Booted it and a spray of water came out, and lots of white smoke.

Did get a bit in the cabin, which is a massive PITA, carpet underlay is rather damp.

Not selling car, I’ve had it 4 days. Double 😳 my mk4 TDI had been through deeper water with no ill effects, although far from advisable.

Inspect the air filter, if it is damp replace it. A fool could do this themselves.

A couple of years ago I drove into a puddle that was so deep it was like hitting a brick wall. Maybe going a bit too fast, but hey. Head and fog lamps full of water was the worst of it (Volvos are tough).

In my day job as a hydro-electric engineer I get to ford rivers fairly frequently, squishing freshwater mussels, salmonoids etc. as I go. Few things more fun than driving through water in a company vehicle 😆

Yeah perfectly happy to do the air filter – will check it in daylight, for the minimal expense I’ll probably change it anyway.

It will be fine, had my TDI Leon through a large ‘puddle’ the other day. When it washed up over the bonnet I got scared but managed to get it out the otherside and its been fine since.

As above, pop lid off airbox, check for puddle in bottom of box (it shouldn’t have one, because the bottom of the box will have a “ducksbill” water exit tube, but these can become blocked (with dead leaves etc if you are unlucky)

If that’s all good, just go one a nice long motorway journey, with the cabin heater/fans on high (to dry out carpets etc). About an 45min 80mph run will also dry out any remaining water in the intake and dirty air duct etc, and evaporate any water in the oil (make sure the revs are kept high for a bit to ensure oil gets nice and toasty)

Job done.

(no point changing airfilter if it isn’t full of debris, because just driving the car will have dried it out (enigne is pulling hundreds of litres of nice dry air through it as you drive remember)

I ran it with heaters on full blast while I drove home then mopped the carpets earlier, so that’s probably been done frankly!

Thanks for the advice all, quite a way from any motorway, but I’ll take it for a bit of a blast tomorrow after I’ve checked it.

Can’t help but think its a bullet dodged!

Car was ostensibly serviced before I bought it, so air filter should be brand new – and thus easy to check if it’s full of new crap!