Have you ever seen off-road pickup trucks being driven across a river? I used to see it a dozen times a day at a campground in a state (I have since coloradicated). It was quite surprising to see most modern vehicles keep working after crossing the river, despite all the electronics and connectors under the hood.
One expensive German car wasn't so lucky: the alternator was at the bottom of the engine compartment. The vehicle became electrically dead. They couldn't even shift it into neutral to make it easy for the tow truck driver.
Still, is driving all that electrical and electronics through water such a great idea? It isn't just the short circuits -- what about long term corrosion in electrical connectors and modules? But it looks cool on the internet.
My GM van is rather new. Splashing through a puddle the other day, the Check Engine Light came on, instantly. Hmmm?
Even though the van was still covered by the Powertrain Warranty, the warranty does not cover sensors, connectors, and electronic modules, which is half the car these days.
GM found a defective Chassis Control Module. It was only about 13" above the puddle. After paying for the repair and returning home, I performed an autopsy on the old, defective electronic module.
Water and mud was easily found on both sides of the circuit board. A module's waterproofness depends on the quality of the gasket/sealant. And the connector pins from the circuit board simply poke through matching holes in the plastic cover: it's not like they put grease or tiny little O-rings on each pin. Nor does the outer connector use heat-shrink tubing with meltable sealant.
So I'm surprised that trucks do as well as they do, when driven deliberately across water. But long term, if not short term, it seems like an expensive sport to me.
Comments
I wouldn't be surprised to learn that all automobile manufacturers have similar exceptions to their warranties. It is certainly something that should be looked into before buying a new vehicle.