Wading depth on flooded roads

[Chaddie]

Well according to Volvo's own details, my XC70 has a Wading Depth of 300mm (or in English about 12" or 1ft of water).

I'd guess Volvo will be playing on the saver side, but I'd really think twice in going though anything deeper than 6" and that would only be on roads I know, I won't want the water to get to the door sills. The only time I'd go in deeper than 6" is if it was a real emergency but still keep it under 12".

[Chaddie]

Originally Posted by Auldgit

No mine's an '07. The brochure for mine doesn't seem to give details, but I expect it will be similar to the later model. Cheers AG

I thought it was the older shaped one, I've been looking at old XC70 manuals but its not listed; from memory it was a little less, I know the Angles were a degree or two less on the old shaped one.

[Missing Lincs]

Also remember that water hides things. Can you remember/do you know where all the drain covers are, and are they all in place. Floodwater will often push manhole covers off leaving holes that cars don't like.

[p.swan]

Amazing watching people in Pershore today going to great lenghths to drive around Road Closed barriers, to be faced with the river Avon half a mile wide and flowing fast, and having to then turn around. Drivers are so cocooned in their cars they have no idea of the power of flowing water. KEEP OUT!

[Dimpsy]

Most interesting to see there is an official wading depth for cars! I've had to drive through a lot of water recently - and do it the old fashioned way - I get out and walk through it first to see how deep it is! (Hasten to add this is on single track roads - I'm not strolling down motorways!!)

[Brendan W]

I used to be a sill level keep it moving type until I got a shoulder high fountain between the front seats through a hole I didn't know I had. Wading depths are presumably for still water at the paddling end of a company test pool. Every year at a local low spot cars are recovered from about 200mm. It's about 100 metres wide and there is the temptation to go a bit too fast like the graveyard gate at night.

[RM955I]

300mm for an XC70 as far as I know.

The flooded road that prompted the question does not effect people's houses and is single track so no worrying about other people.

[100K+]

Does the sudden chilling of the cat by the cold water not cause damage?? I seem to remember reading/hearing about that a long time ago - perhaps design has changed and its no longer an issue...


Cheers

Bob

[Puddle2]

I am waiting to hear from the Volvo garage after we drove through a puddle/flooded road on Saturday, the car just stopped and needed to be recovered. "Expert" friends are saying it could be a right off. Its an XC60 nearly 3 years old. To add insult to injury an old small car just drove through while we were being winched on to the pickup truck. I am about to read all the comments about depths of puddles.

[Paul240480]

I recall on a night shift as observer in a Police area car BMW 330i my crewmate who was an 'off-roader' in spare time wanting to go through a flood on the front at Hillhead (Fareham). I suggested he didn't . But he did and went with the 'gradual' method creating a bow wave. We got through, foot wells got a tad damp. Once through I got out to have a look round the car to find the headlamps were full up