125shifter

When I bought my air suspension equipped Cayenne I thought it might come in handy in my neighborhood that tends to flood on the entrance during a super heavy rain. Tonight came that rain. While cars were turning around and the really unlucky ones were stalled out or stopped in high water I raised suspension to the highest setting and slowly drove thru. I did stop to roll down the window and check the water level on my wheel to make sure it wasn't over 19" and off I went

Unfortunately this good fortune was preceded by hitting something earlier in the evening that bent my 21" wheel which allowed me to try out the spare

nodoors

Badass. It's a decent thrill, right? Last time I heard a story like that, my buddy stalled and sunk and ultimately totalled his Touareg! Doh. Get a dashcam so we can watch too next time!

hahnmgh63

Anything like this?

colowhisper

^^wow! No issues after that dunk?

deilenberger

I'm not him, or the owner of the vehicle - the intakes on that series Cayenne are near the level of the top of the engine.

What won't work after that dunking is the horns. In that photo they are submerged.

It's all fun and games until someone gets hydrolocked..

knfeparty

I've had mine almost that deep, and yeah so long as you aren't getting up to the headlights (where the intakes are) you should be good. My serpentine belt did fling mud everywhere inside the engine bay, but the door seals worked well and nothing came inside the car even though water was several inches above the door sill.

wkearney99

As always, avoid driving through water especially if it's moving.

Your tires can can lose traction due to the moving water being pushed under the tread. Water's does not compress in a forgiving way. You essentially hydroplane on a cushion of the water and then the sideways direction of the moving water carries you away. You don't float, at least not that much. Going slowly can help in that you avoid some of the hydroplaning problem. But you're still dealing with loose material being swept in under the tread and that causing traction loss. Then it's the flat sides of the vehicle acting like a sail being pushed by the water.

If it's standing water then I'd be more inclined to four-wheel it and go around it off-road. That said, I've four-wheeled my past Jeeps through know sections of water-covered trails... it's a blast!

A tip, if you get stuck and your door seals are holding then DON'T open the doors. Climb out a window and hope you can do whatever's necessary quickly enough to avoid the seals failing. And DO NOT stop the engine. Keep the idle up. Otherwise water pressure will force it's way back in from the exhaust.

Given the fact there's a LOT of wiring that runs under the carpet (and the battery(s) being down low) there's not many reasons I'd want to deliberately risk fording water with the Cayenne.

Too many people die because of a misguided sense of confidence (or just plain ignorance) when it comes to driving through water.

prosled8

I used the high setting the other day too! Seems like I may be using it a fair amount since we have another foot probably two where that picture was taken a couple of days ago.

thescratt

It's great in winter.. especially when snow ploughs block your drive entrance.. Just lift her up and make a new drive exit.

My other favourite use is going over high pavements when some idiot boxes people in in tight parking areas in our tiny Capital. =)

wkearney99

Nice!

deilenberger

Great pictures!

Snipe656

I watched a GTS Cayenne last week think it could go through high water on Braeswood. Hours later it was still sitting there dead. I have a picture of it on my phone but I took it after a bit of the water had gone down. In May 2015 when the bad floods happened I saw a nice Cayenne Turbo sitting dead on the 610 feeder near where I live.

Personally I avoid going through water, too many unknowns. But really it is because 10+ years ago I was sitting at a flooded intersection in my old diesel F250 looking at the water debating going through. I then watched a lower height 1/2 ton go through it then come back through it. Figured okay no issues for me then. I made it about 75% through and engine died, hydrolocked. I got lucky and someone stuck on the other side had a 4 wheeler on a trailer and convinced them to pull me out after I had sat in my truck and watched multiple cars and other trucks attempt crossing but all died. Had I not got that guy to pull me out I'd had a totaled out truck. Instead I had a really hefty repair bill to more or less replace all fluids and clean the carpets since water got over those.

I am curious to see how water tight a Cayenne is. That same flood in May 2015 my 2013 ML350 and the 2003 F250 were out in my driveway. The ML did not get a drop in it that anyone could find, it had water almost over the top of the tires for 6+ hours. The F250 even though with new door seals and a higher ride out still got wet carpet that later smelled like rotten eggs. Certainly be nice if get that lucky with the 2015 Cayenne if/when another flood hits us since Houston loves flooding.

nodoors

I have a buddy who totalled his Touareg when he had too much confidence that it could navigate some flooded streets of FL. I won't forget that. Water is an easy way to ruin your car. I save deep water fording for my purpose built offroad rig. Right tool for the job.

Snipe656

I am not sure which is worse. It totalling the car out or insurance deciding to fix it and then deal with gremlins.

In the last 1.5 years we have had some really bad floods here. I have witnessed many a vehicle get ruined and for no real good reason just simply impatient drivers.

hahnmgh63

Yea, before fording through water as wkearney99 said, no what you've got to work with. Your vehicle, weight, tires, ground clearance, where the air intakes are located, etc...
Also water depth, speed, what is under the water (floating, mud bottom, gravel, Big Rocks?). Unless you're doing a Top Gear episode and/or have much experience with it then you should always err to the safe side. You are taking a chance with your vehicle and/or your own safety.
With that said and the pic of the Cayenne above, not a drop of water inside. That pic is in an off-road park with as you can see plenty of tow vehicles available (waiting to cross), no moving water (except what the pig is pushing), and a known flat bottom with good traction. Everything in that crossing is a known factor, the flooded street can be an unkown (depth, debris, etc...).