How Deep?

Just been watching the news and the floods around the country. What's a safe depth of water to drive through, bottom of the sills, bottom of the doors, centre of the wheels, what are your thoughts?

I was prompted to get my first RAV after driving through flood water in a Yaris - it left a "tide line" about half way up the door.

Note that this wasn't a conscious decision, I arrived at a flooded stretch of road and was waved on by the local plod, leading me to believe he knew it was OK for me to proceed. I'd have sought out an alternative route if I'd known the depth of the flood.

Anyhoo - revs up, low speed, little bow wave - no problem

I think the greatest danger is sucking water into the engine through the air intake. I wonder how high that is?

There is a member from a strange city in the east of Scotlandshire, ,Angelos, who totally writtened off a Rav in a wee puddle near his mud hut in said city. Heed his warnings well when you do a search.....the bloody car's name was Kev into the bargain.....search under Webley or he may come on shortly....be kind....new mortgage victim.....lol.

Dry Kev

I think the greatest danger is sucking water into the engine through the air intake. I wonder how high that is?

I think the greatest danger is sucking water into the engine through the air intake. I wonder how high that is?

No need for that language, mate.....sorry .....misread of sucking.......bloody Apple Eye Pad......

Will have a search!

In the handbook for my 4.3 diesel the max wading depth is given as 600mm with advice to go slowly to avoid creating a bow wave. About knee deep, although I wouldn't put it to the test unless absolutely necessary. I'd take a safer detour, you can buy a lot of fuel for the price of an engine.

Never thought of reading the manual. 600mm is quite deep, that's the top of the wheel rim, just the black of the tyre showing, way above the bottom of the door!

We got caught up in a traffic jam taking the Rav for its service the other morning.Turned out to be a flooded road further on up.

The cars in front were just driving through fairly fast causing big waves,i think they were just copying what the one in front of each other was doing.

We went through slowly and it was deeper than i thought,only about 6-8" but you could feel the resistance and was surprised how the cars in front all got through to be honest??

Question about air intake has not been answered, anyone got the gen? lots of floods in the shires at the moment (more to come), wading through with the RAV and the moment and all seems OK. Owned a Renault Espace once, waded, sucked up water through air intake on bottom of the front bumper!!!!! £3,000 for a new engine!!!!!

Lloydy28

Well.....i believe for mine ,wading depth is 400mm,but have been through worse than that,just keep that bow wave moving and a steady pace,mind you my permanent 4wd helps lol.

Only thing which happened to me was getting muck and debris from an nearby flooded meadow,all over the road,this got into and onto my front brake discs,had to have them skimmed shortly afterwards.

Wading is great fun.....just be aware of your air intake,mines behind my nearside headlight,with the pipe facing downwards,

Well.....i believe for mine ,wading depth is 400mm,but have been through worse than that,just keep that bow wave moving and a steady pace,mind you my permanent 4wd helps lol.

Only thing which happened to me was getting muck and debris from an nearby flooded meadow,all over the road,this got into and onto my front brake discs,had to have them skimmed shortly afterwards.

Wading is great fun.....just be aware of your air intake,mines behind my nearside headlight,with the pipe facing downwards,

I believe it was Hoovie who recently took his RAV paddling and then found the air filter to be sodden. Well worth a check in these current inclement conditions as a wet filter will seriously reduce airflow.

Well.....i believe for mine ,wading depth is 400mm,but have been through worse than that,just keep that bow wave moving and a steady pace,mind you my permanent 4wd helps lol.

Only thing which happened to me was getting muck and debris from an nearby flooded meadow,all over the road,this got into and onto my front brake discs,had to have them skimmed shortly afterwards.

Wading is great fun.....just be aware of your air intake,mines behind my nearside headlight,with the pipe facing downwards,

I believe it was Hoovie who recently took his RAV paddling and then found the air filter to be sodden. Well worth a check in these current inclement conditions as a wet filter will seriously reduce airflow.

Well said....mind you,we hav'nt had that much rain in this area......yet,does'nt seem to reach us here,the ' Tendring penninsula ' from Harwich down to Clacton and about 20 miles in inland,is one of dryest areas in Britain.

We have a local farmer...Guy Smith,who actually farms the dryest farm in the country in St.Osyth about 5 miles from me, irony is his fields are 100 meters from the sea wall.......all that water,and he can't use it.

If Mr. Toyota had intended us to use the RAV as a wader, he'd have wrapped the bodywork in rubber. When in dobt, use a boat.

As above, why would you want to risk it? If it says 600mm and you go through waist deep then you can expect a huge bill for your idiocy

Kingo

As above, why would you want to risk it? If it says 600mm and you go through waist deep then you can expect a huge bill for your idiocy

Kingo

I suspect that anything much more than the maximum recommended and the RAV would effectively become a boat with no rudder as it's a big bouyant box. Now a Landrover with a snorkel, on the other hand, has so many leaks it wouldn't have a problem as the water just goes in at the front and out the back

If an air filter is wet after going through water what ever the depth of the water is then its not long before that water is going to be sucked/drawn into the cylinders and its goodbye engine.

If the air filter is soaking wet and your engine is still running you have been a very lucky boy

We have seen quite a few vehicles over the years, mainly I have to say the company car / van driver who cares less about the vehicle they drive. Ive seen allsorts from Fords, vauxhall, Skoda and one or two Toyota (Hiace van and a RAV spring to mind) Some people think they drive boats me thinks

Kingo

.....and somebody back a wee bit quoted "knee high....600 mm or so"....good to know the Harlem Globetrotters all drive Rav 4's, whit....?

.....and somebody back a wee bit quoted "knee high....600 mm or so"....good to know the Harlem Globetrotters all drive Rav 4's, whit....?

Well, just call me Meadow Lark Lennon, then..................

.....and somebody back a wee bit quoted "knee high....600 mm or so"....good to know the Harlem Globetrotters all drive Rav 4's, whit....?

600mm - second bar on your Zimmer Kev..........................

Officially, its 600mm on a Discovery 4 too, 700mm with the air suspension extended.

And 700mm on the £70k, 309 bhp, 4.4 litre, TDV8, 2012 Range Rover Westminster that's sitting on my driveway just now :)

Courtesy car mind; they want me to hand it back at some point

I'm sure I've seen a RAV fitted with a raised air intake somewhere?

Officially, its 600mm on a Discovery 4 too, 700mm with the air suspension extended.

And 700mm on the £70k, 309 bhp, 4.4 litre, TDV8, 2012 Range Rover Westminster that's sitting on my driveway just now :)

Courtesy car mind; they want me to hand it back at some point

I'm sure I've seen a RAV fitted with a raised air intake somewhere?

Nah....that was Webler's and his "just in case ah do it again" periscope.......

I'm not sure where this 600mm comes from?

From the Toyota Europe site it says:

Off Road

Min. running ground clearance (mm) 180

Approach angle (°) 28

Departure angle (°) 24

Ramp brake over angle (°) 20

Wading depth (mm) : Speed under 10km/h 500

Wading depth (mm) : Speed under 30km/h 300

I think it varies from model to model, always check the handbook would be a sensible way I suppose

Kingo