Experience in protecting cars during the rainy season and how to handle flooded cars
(Baonghean.vn) - In many provinces and cities, prolonged rain and storms have caused flooding, greatly affecting traffic. To drive and keep your car safe when moving in flooded areas, in addition to driving slowly and observing carefully, the following experiences are very useful for you.
Determine the depth of the flooded area
Drivers should consider the water level before driving through flooded areas. If the water level is more than 25 cm and exceeds the center of the wheel, the driver should not continue driving into the flooded area. In addition, vehicles traveling in the opposite direction create waves that also cause the water to rise higher, which is quite dangerous for cars. Therefore, you should be careful when driving through flooded areas.
Turn off the load devices
To reduce the risk of electrical short circuits and fires when passing through flooded areas, drivers should turn off auxiliary equipment such as air conditioners, entertainment systems, etc. and lower the car windows to reduce the load on the engine. Remove the air intake pipe from the air filter neck before passing through flooded areas and reinstall it after passing through that section to avoid reducing engine life.
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When driving through floodwaters, drivers should shift to the lowest gear. Illustration photo |
About the lowest number
When driving through floodwaters, drivers should shift to the lowest gear, and with manual transmission vehicles, be careful not to depress the clutch to avoid stalling. With automatic transmission vehicles, it is advisable to shift to semi-automatic mode, because if not, the vehicle will automatically shift to 2nd gear, which will cause the throttle to weaken, making it easy for water to enter the engine through the exhaust pipe.
Go slow and steady
Driving slowly, steadily, keeping the engine running smoothly and driving calmly are useful driving experiences when going through the rainy season. Absolutely do not accelerate suddenly because accelerating strongly will cause flood water to overflow the radiator grille and fall into the intake pipe. And accelerating suddenly will cause the engine rpm to increase, once the water flows in, it will cause water hammer and bend the connecting rod.
Maintain a safe distance and avoid oncoming vehicles
When driving through flooded areas, maintain a safe distance from the vehicle in front to prevent the vehicle in front from stopping suddenly. And keeping a safe distance will help limit the impact of water waves created by other vehicles.
Try to avoid oncoming traffic when passing through flooded areas, as two vehicles going in opposite directions will create waves or splash water onto each other's hoods, increasing the risk of water entering the air intake and engine compartment.
Turn on low beam or fog lights
If it is cloudy or raining heavily while driving, turn on low beam or fog lights, this will help you see the road better and help other vehicles recognize your path. Do not turn on high beam when there is a vehicle driving in the opposite direction because it can cause loss of visibility, causing danger to both vehicles while driving on the road.
Do not drive near heavy vehicles.
When going through flooded areas, you should absolutely not go near heavy vehicles because the water splashed from the large wheels will reduce your visibility, and at the same time create water waves that overflow the hood, flow into the air intake and straight into the engine, causing hydrolock.
Stay calm when the car breaks down
When driving in flooded roads, the car is very easy to stall. And the way to handle when the car stalls is that the driver should quickly turn off the engine, remove the ignition key, do not try to start the engine but try to push the car to a higher position and call for help as soon as possible. Besides, the driver should remember the highest flooded point for convenient inspection and appropriate cleaning.
Some other notes:
- To minimize and ensure safety during the storm and flood season, you should:
- Wait for the water to recede or choose another route to move.
- Have your vehicle inspected and serviced immediately after driving through flooded areas.
- Buy flooded car insurance to be compensated in case of loss due to the car being driven, parked or parked in flooded areas.
- When buying a car, you should read the manual to know how much water the car can wade through.
- Check oil and air filter. If water is present, replace immediately.
- Clean and check the vehicle after driving through flood water, remove trash or obstacles on the vehicle.
Save at least one traffic rescue phone number to call for help when needed.
