Cars used to have an air cleaner up top in the center of the engine. Since the air intake was so high, these engines were able to go into quite deep water before any concern of drawing water into the engine. Many motorists don’t realize how much things have changed.
With fuel injection and the concern over feeding an engine cold air, many modern engines draw in air from points as low as the front bumper. When driving through deep water, these cars are far more vulnerable to the danger of drawing water into the engine.
Simply stalling would be enough of a problem, but water doesn’t compress like air. When water gets in an engine cylinder and the engine tries to compress it, the engine not only seizes, but may even bend a connecting rod. This will require the replacement of the engine.
To prevent this costly problem, motorists are cautioned to avoid driving through high water.
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