Model 3 vs flooding

[WilberDaForce]

Hi,

I thought I would ask this on the Uk board as we seem to be in monsoon season currently. Hard to drive for long in the Chilterns recently without an impromptu ford having appeared.

What I want to ask is - how well do Model 3s (and Teslas more generally) cope with medium to deep water?

Are they better than the average ICE saloon - as they have no exhaust or combustion engine to flood?

Or are they equally vulnerable for some reason?

I’m just a bit nervous ploughing through some of the deeper ones given how close they are to the road!

And what’s better - slow and steady? Or sprint through? (I know the former is the advice for an ICE).

Starting to suspect the Californian and Texan designers didn’t have our flooding, drizzle and potholes on their mind when designing these things under those sunny skies.

Any thoughts appreciated!

Will

 

[GRiLLA]

I would drive slowly and carefully just like an ICE, water is much thicker than air and the cars not built for smashing through water.

The drive train should be fine, but the doors aren't going to keep water out for long.

 

[Cilonen]

Drive slowly & carefully as there may be debris under the surface, otherwise you should have no issues.
I traversed several fords & floodwaters in the deluge in Oct last year as I had to travel from Notts to the Cotswolds, and the only issue I had was the loss of an aero cover somewhere along the way (suspect it wasn't put back properly after having that wheel straightened following a pothole dent!).

 

[WilberDaForce]

Drive slowly & carefully as there may be debris under the surface, otherwise you should have no issues.
I traversed several fords & floodwaters in the deluge in Oct last year as I had to travel from Notts to the Cotswolds, and the only issue I had was the loss of an aero cover somewhere along the way (suspect it wasn't put back properly after having that wheel straightened following a pothole dent!).

Very true about the debris - big chunk of bumper in a big one lane covering puddle today!

 

[Jason71]

Hi,

I thought I would ask this on the Uk board as we seem to be in monsoon season currently. Hard to drive for long in the Chilterns recently without an impromptu ford having appeared.

What I want to ask is - how well do Model 3s (and Teslas more generally) cope with medium to deep water?

Are they better than the average ICE saloon - as they have no exhaust or combustion engine to flood?

Or are they equally vulnerable for some reason?

I’m just a bit nervous ploughing through some of the deeper ones given how close they are to the road!

And what’s better - slow and steady? Or sprint through? (I know the former is the advice for an ICE).

Starting to suspect the Californian and Texan designers didn’t have our flooding, drizzle and potholes on their mind when designing these things under those sunny skies.

Any thoughts appreciated!

Will

As others have said slow is the key but in the unlikely event of water ingress to the battery or drive units don't expect the warrenty to cover it.

Here is a thread i pic osted on an experience of mine driving through water 18" deep complete with Video. I didnt suffer any later ill effects.

Model 3 Wading Ability

 

[Rangefright]

Also check for lost number plates as I lost my front one when I drove through what I thought was just a wet road during twilight but turned out to be standing water. Those plate holders are really flimsy and easily pulled through the two self tappers holding them on.

 

[rincewind]

I went through long, deep 'puddle' a few weeks after getting the car (2019 model), and the front undertray was damaged. It needed a new one.

Also, early model 3's can suffer from water ingress to the lower boot floor (the section under the flat tray where cables are kept). I had 2" of water in there a few weeks ago after having to drive through water about 12-15" deep for some way. All dry now and no damage.

 

[M1tch]

Gun it! Go as fast as you can and the car skips across the surface like a skimming stone. No video evidence, proof or common sense out there to the contrary….

 

[Goatex]

We hit some flood water, not too deep in the grand scheme of things, but fast enough to pop off one of the aero wheel trims and rip the underside panel by the rear motor…not surprising given how flimsy the material is.

 

[Jason71]

I went through long, deep 'puddle' a few weeks after getting the car (2019 model), and the front undertray was damaged. It needed a new one.

Also, early model 3's can suffer from water ingress to the lower boot floor (the section under the flat tray where cables are kept). I had 2" of water in there a few weeks ago after having to drive through water about 12-15" deep for some way. All dry now and no damage.

There are drain plugs in the bottom if you drive through water that deep they act in reverse and fill it up.
did you take the lining out? it won't dry otherwise there is a big bit of foam on the bottom which will hold water in-definitely.

 

[init6]

Gun it! Go as fast as you can

Seems to be the way:

And the wipers worked!

Although YMMV:

Can you drive your Tesla in the rain?

Hi all, I wonder if you heard the story about a couple facing a battery replacement bill from Tesla after driving their MY in the rain? Here is the article What are your thoughts on this issue? What are the news not telling us? Can someone ask Tesla spokesperson about this issue as this news...

teslamotorsclub.com

 

[rincewind]

There are drain plugs in the bottom if you drive through water that deep they act in reverse and fill it up.
did you take the lining out? it won't dry otherwise there is a big bit of foam on the bottom which will hold water in-definitely.

Yes, I removed the lining and dried it all out, including the foam - it all spent a day on a radiator in the house. I've just ordered a LR Highland, I'm hoping Teals have amended the build design to correct this. It was one of those journeys where, if I not driven through the water, I would not have got home. It was a bit of a squeaky bum moment though, as it was dark, p*issing down and on a country b road.

 

[rincewind]

Seems to be the way:

And the wipers worked!

Although YMMV:

Can you drive your Tesla in the rain?

Hi all, I wonder if you heard the story about a couple facing a battery replacement bill from Tesla after driving their MY in the rain? Here is the article What are your thoughts on this issue? What are the news not telling us? Can someone ask Tesla spokesperson about this issue as this news...

teslamotorsclub.com

Going fast risks tearing off the front undertray. They have made it a bit more robust than earlier designs, but still vunerable to this sort of sriving through water.

 

[Jason71]

Yes, I removed the lining and dried it all out, including the foam - it all spent a day on a radiator in the house. I've just ordered a LR Highland, I'm hoping Teals have amended the build design to correct this. It was one of those journeys where, if I not driven through the water, I would not have got home. It was a bit of a squeaky bum moment though, as it was dark, p*issing down and on a country b road.

I live in Shropshire. Here we call that Monday.

 

[init6]

Going fast risks tearing off the front undertray. They have made it a bit more robust than earlier designs, but still vunerable to this sort of sriving through water.

Tearing off the under tray is the least of your worries if you drive like that

 

[Durzel]

Heard from a ranger who was replacing a door handle on my car that for some reason the puddle lights are essentially a vital part of the electrics of the car, or at least an integral part of the circuit. This is why the car can have a bit of a fit if you replace the lights, making the window so weird things, etc.

I'm pretty sure I read on here of someone who drove their car through water deep enough to be up to the door gap, which somehow managed to get in the gap and mess up the electrics of the car.

I wouldn't risk it personally, not least of which because even if that doesn't happen there's been numerous cases of people tearing off bits of their composite material undertray, etc.

 

[Adopado]

I’ve driven slowly through some deep water on a couple of occasions, fortunately with no obvious consequences other than a wet sub-boot. My anxiety increased more recently when I became aware that the battery packs actually have breather valves/flaps that have some potential to allow water into the pack when submerged (though in theory they are designed to resist that possibility.) I can’t help thinking that this might lead to corrosion and consequent issues down the line.

 

[Jason71]

I’ve driven slowly through some deep water on a couple of occasions, fortunately with no obvious consequences other than a wet sub-boot. My anxiety increased more recently when I became aware that the battery packs actually have breather valves/flaps that have some potential to allow water into the pack when submerged (though in theory they are designed to resist that possibility.) I can’t help thinking that this might lead to corrosion and consequent issues down the line.

Doesn't matter what you drive. If you are going to do deep water slower is better. like litterally walking pace if its deep. that is not going to damage the undertray it is water+velocity that does that. like you I am much more worried than I was now I know about the breather.

 

[Roy B]

The Tesla warranty won't cover damage resulting from flood water. Although the risk may be small, if you get water ingress into the HV battery you're looking at a very expensive non-warranty battery replacement. You might be inclined to argue that the battery seals must have been faulty to start with if you suffered from water ingress from briefly driving through flood water but Tesla don't see it that way. (EDIT: Just saw @Adopado 's post re breather valves in the batteries. So the batteries are not sealed anyway - which makes sense, I guess, but all the more reason not to drive through flood water.)

Personally, I wouldn't risk it. But I think it's probably true that, in a life or death emergency where you have little choice, then yes, you can probably get away with it. Most of the time. Probably.

 

[Roy B]

Specifically, this is the incident I was thinking of. Owner seems to be arguing that they just drove the car in heavy rain. Subtext seems to be that Tesla are claiming it's flood water damage and are charging £17,000 for a non-warranty repair.

Edinburgh couple fume as they are handed £17K bill by Tesla as they 'drove in rain'

The pair have told of the "excruciating stress" that has been caused by the ordeal, with Tesla allegedly demanding they pay for the battery that stopped working after a drive in the rain.

www.edinburghlive.co.uk

EDIT: I see that @init6 already posted a link to a discussion of that article here on TMC.