Volvo 940 & 960 Wading Depth

[Forrest]

Nowadays, some manufacturers appear to quote a maximum depth of flood water that one can safely negotiate in modern cars. This appears top be a fairly recent thing.

This evening coming back from visiting friends in rural Herefordshire flash flooding was an issue. Having safely negotiated a couple of reasonably significant floods in my V90 Mk 1 I decided discretion was the better part of valour when I came to a long stretch of flooded road with a broken down vehicle just the other side.

I ended up getting through on the third route I tried by going quite a long way out of my way. I still had to negotiate a pretty substantial flood with the added complication of a stationary fire engine pumping water. However, cars seemed to be making it through that one OK.

It got me wondering what is the safe maximum depth of water a 900 series Volvo can negotiate. A bit of internet research suggests up to the sills is no problem but over the bonnet and you're relying on luck and how much water gets into the engine.

Is anyone aware of an actual maximum safe "wading depth" for these cars? Is the cold air intake the limiting factor? Or will something electrical give up the ghost before water gets to that height? Obviously assuming a modicum of sense when it comes to driving; e.g. not trying to overtake your own bow wave, etc.

[SalvadorP]

An interesting question and yet a very british concern. Don't think that would be a great selling point on these parts.

Glad you made it home without appearing on one of those rufford ford type compilations on youtube.


EDIT: The owner's manual doesn't saying a maximum height, just not to drive on water over 300mm high, but does say this:
"CAUTION: Driving through standing water
Drive slowly and carefully if going through standing water (i.e. flooded roadways, etc.). Damage to
engine could result if excess water is ingested through the air intake system."

So it seems the major concern would be air intake.

[Simmy]

dont do it.... take a different route cheaper in the long run.

[john.wigley]

As a (very crude) 'rule of thumb', I have always taken the 'wading depth' of any car to be the centre of the road wheels. Hence your '9' series car running on 15" wneels can safely negotiate proportionately deeper water than can, say, an early Mini on 10" wheels, 'Forrest'.

But at your own risk and probably best avoided as 'Simmy' says if at all possible.

Regards, John.

[360beast]

A few years ago we had flash flooding and I was driving down a flooded road, it was part of our road test route so I knew the road very well. People were wading through it fine and it was up over the sills in my 940. That particular spot that flooded went up in the middle so while everyone was aiming for the middle and stopping oncoming traffic I drove to the left like normal as even though it meant the water went up further it meant the driver's side with the air intake was up higher so I knew I would be fine. I think that as long as the air intake doesn't suck anything in you should be fine, so really a bit above the sills should be okay.

[Moomoo]

Driving on a flooded road the biggest danger can be a wheel entering a blown manhole cover access.

I never enter more than a few inches of water.

[volvo always]

When I lived in County Kerry, Ireland I came quite close to killing my 1989 240 GLT auto estate.

Went through the flood with the drivers side on the footpath. Unfortunately as I drove through there was a gate to a field and the water pouring through it.

The car started to go lower and lower as the path /road dipped down to the entrance to the field gate. Water started to splash over the bonnet. Had no choice but to carry on.

Got out of the flood but car spluttering and switched off 30 feet from the flood.
Looked under the bonnet and everything soaked. Viscous fan had splashed the water everywhere. Let it dry for 10 minutes and started it up.

Fired straight up, but spluttering. Steam and water coming out of the exhaust. Decided to just head home and during the 11 mile drive it stopped spluttering and drove excellent again.
Parked on the drive and went round the front and there was debris stuck half way up the grill!!

Had no ill effects and sold it 6 years later at 234,000miles.

I learned a valuable lesson! 940 and my Auris up to sills maximum.

James

[john.wigley]

Originally Posted by Moomoo

Driving on a flooded road the biggest danger can be a wheel entering a blown manhole cover access.

I never enter more than a few inches of water.

Good point, 'Moomoo', and certainly good advice when faced with floodwater of unknown depth. But what about when negotiating fords, of which I believe you have several in your neck of the woods?! I've driven through Tissington many times with no ill effects.

Regards, John.

[Moomoo]

Originally Posted by john.wigley

Good point, 'Moomoo', and certainly good advice when faced with floodwater of unknown depth. But what about when negotiating fords, of which I believe you have several in your neck of the woods?! I've driven through Tissington many times with no ill effects.

Regards, John.

Of course, a ford isn’t flood water as a rule. There should not be unknowns but I don’t like going through Tissington ford if water is too high, fortunately it has depth markings.

[Paulk]

Has anybody measured the height of the air intake on a 940/960 (I suppose they may be different)