Drove through a puddle of water and now the car won’t start
I recently bought car used and it had no problems. It has been raining a lot where I live. I was driving home and exited the roadway, and went into a big puddle of water. The car went almost all the way through the puddle, and then it turned off. I had to use the emergency neutral lever so we could push it out of the way. I was able to push the car the few remaining blocks to my house. Then, I tried turning the car back on but it says 'service transmission'. Is it a sensor or a safety switch that prevents more damage? Or is it something else?
Experienced mechanics share their insights in answering this question :
In order to create a safe driving state and prevent damage to the automatic transmission, the transmission control module (TCM) will force the vehicle into "limp mode". In this state, all solenoids and regulating valves are de-energized and the last engaged gear remains engaged.
In addition, the TCM maximizes line pressure and disables torque converter lock up. The TCM will keep the vehicle in limp mode and display the transmission warning light until the problem is rectified and the corresponding diagnostic trouble code (DTC) is cleared.
There is a good chance that water got into the sensitive electronics of your vehicle. Having a trained professional inspect your vehicle is the only way to determine the exact cause of your starting problem.
How to Identify and Fix Common car Problems ?
Our sources include academic articles, blog posts, and personal essays from experienced mechanics :
Driving through water can damage: Engine intake system. Water in the intake system ultimately gets into the cylinders, in which pistons compress air. But water doesn`t compress, and the resulting pressure inside the engine can bend piston rods or crack the engine block.
After driving through water, your vehicle may not start. Often this is because of wet sparks plugs, an electrical short in the ignition system, or the engine has locked because of water inside. You can investigate and try to dry it out, but your best bet is to call a mechanic.
Transmission Damage
When driving your car through a flash flood, water can easily flow over the transmission and into the vent. Once water gets in, it dissolves the transmission`s linings and the lubricant begins to fail, resulting in total failure of the transmission.
The longer it`s driven with the contaminated fluid, the more damage it does. And it doesn`t take much. Just a tablespoon of water can cause complete failure to your transmission parts.
To fix a flooded engine, you basically want to get the air to fuel ratio back to its usual balance. You can first try to simply let the excess fuel evaporate. Open your hood and wait a couple minutes before you try to start your car again. And when you do start it back up, make sure you aren`t pushing on the gas pedal.
One fluid that should never be in your engine is water, as it can cause a hydrolocked engine. A hydrolocked engine is one that has too much water in its cylinders, causing the pistons and other parts to seize immediately.
When water has infiltrated it, the transmission fluid becomes gray and muddy in color. So when you drain it, you`ll be able to easily see if water swamped your car, truck, SUV, or sedan`s transmission. In order to fix a water flooded transmission, it`s going to need a total overhaul at best and replacement at worst.
If the car doesn`t start after 15 seconds, stop and wait a couple of minutes, to let the starter motor cool down, and crank again. If you just continue cranking past 15 seconds until the engine starts or the battery dies, you may overheat or damage the starter.
If there have been issues with the gears not engaging or slipping, this can cause the vehicle to unexpectedly start shaking when driving. If you are operating your vehicle at a high speed, this can be quite dangerous.
Perform transmission re-adaptation process / re-learn procedure (if possible). Required 500 break-in miles of easy stop and go driving. While driving you should be periodically running through the gears, up-shifting and down-shifting.
When a paper-based TCC clutch is exposed to water, it`s only a matter of time before a failure occurs. The friction material either will delaminate or will separate from the piston at the bond line because of rust.
If the flood waters reached the bottom of the doors, then odds are your engine is fine. Water may have reached as high as the oil pan, so let the underside dry for a few hours at least, and then try an engine start.
Even six inches of water can reach the bottom of passenger vehicles and if that happens it can set off a chain reaction of devastating damage to your engine.
Seized car engine symptoms:
Fumes/smoke: since the engine can`t turn over, fumes, smoke, and even fire can happen – all of which are a sure sign of an engine seizure. Nothing: the most tell-tale sign of a seized engine is when nothing happens. When your car won`t start no matter how hard you try.
If too much water gets into the cylinders, the piston or related components like the piston rod will very likely break as it tries to compress it, especially at high RPMs. One of the quickest ways to hydrolock your engine is to drive during flood conditions.
If an engine is hydrolocked, no, it will not crank.
This means it is in the line of fire when driving through any body of water that is only bumper height. Head gasket failure can also lead to hydrolocking, with coolant entering the pistons rather than keeping to the coolant chambers that course around the engine block to eradicate heat.
When driving during rain, rainwater enters critical parts of the car which can be beyond one`s control. If water enters through the engine inlet air tubing, the engine and other essential parts can be permanently damaged – making the car unstartable or slower than usual.
Water can cause corrosion inside your fuel system and injectors and keep them from monitoring your fuel delivery rate properly. If left long enough, your injectors can eventually fail altogether, meaning your car won`t start at all.
Jerking, grinding of the gears, and shaking are common indicators of a bad transmission. Some manufacturers have even issued recalls for such issues. In manual transmission vehicles, the grinding of gears is typical.
Grinding, Jerking, or Shaking
Shaking and jerking are good indicators of transmission trouble. Gear grinding is a common symptom in manual transmission vehicles. Automatic transmission failure often begins with some hesitation during gears shifting. Some might describe this a “slipping,” as well.
Ideally, pick a warm day. Warmer weather, especially low humidity with some wind, will help dry the engine and components after cleaning. If the car was running, flip the hood up and allow the engine to cool for at least 15 minutes.
When nothing happens, you turn on the choke and continue pulling until you detect the familiar smell of gasoline, which means the engine is flooded. The conventional remedy for a flooded engine is to let it set for 15 minutes or so to give the carburetor time to dry.
Even water getting in the tailpipe can cause serious damage. The catalytic converter can be ruined — a $1,000 repair — and it may not be noticed until failing an emissions test.
Relevant Questions and Answers :
the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue
Water was spilled in the trunk which soaked the car battery. Car won’t start now. Does water destroy a car battery?
ANSWER : Hi, thanks for writing in about the concern with the BMW 320i. If the battery was submerged in water then it’s completely possible for the battery to short out and die. Your friend will need to have the battery replaced. Also be sure to get all of the water out of the trunk. Have a certified technician, like one from YourMechanic, help you guys out if you need assistance with replacing the battery. Good luck.
Read Full Q/A … : Drove through a puddle of water and now the car won’t start
My car will not start Intermittently. I purchased a new battery 2 weeks ago and yesterday the car wouldn’t start. Got a jump and
ANSWER : The issue you are having is probably due to an intermittent fault in the starter motor itself or a deficiency in the starter electrical circuit, for example a large voltage drop due to a poor ground or a high resistance connection. These issues can be readily diagnosed and resolved on a mobile basis if you request a hard starting diagnostic. If you request that diagnostic, the responding certified mechanic will get this resolved for you promptly. Based on Toyota’s Factory Service Manual, the battery should not be disconnected if the vehicle engine is running. The battery acts as a large resistive voltage sink and consequently taking the battery out of the circuit, while the alternator is still running, can create a voltage spike on the car’s electrical system which is not good for voltage sensitive components such as the engine computer. If you have further questions or concerns, do not hesitate to re-contact YourMechanic as we are always here to help you.
Read Full Q/A … : Drove through a puddle of water and now the car won’t start
Map sensor car won’t start up good ?
ANSWER : Your MAP sensor is an important input for your computer. It helps determine the load on the engine to calculate the correct amount of fuel to inject. It sometimes takes a few seconds for the vehicle to realize that the sensor is not producing a good signal.
At that point, it will use other methods to determine the fuel rate, such as pre-programmed fuel maps, throttle position, etc. I would suggest replacing the MAP sensor and retesting. If you would like to have it checked first, a certified technician from YourMechanic will be able to scan your vehicle and test components to determine the root cause of your starting issue before making a repair.
Read Full Q/A … : Drove through a puddle of water and now the car won’t start
The car crank but won’t start
ANSWER : Hi there. This does sound like an issue with the wiring. If the check engine light is coming on every now and then this means that when it does not come on there is no power to the computer. This can be the wiring harness issue or an ignition switch problem. I would have to test for voltage to the computer when the problem is occurring to be able to find where the issue lies. If you need assistance, a certified YourMechanic technician can be dispatched to your location to inspect your vehicle’s non-start issue and suggest any necessary repairs.
Read Full Q/A … : Drove through a puddle of water and now the car won’t start
Car won’t start. The check engine light, battery light, and oil change light are coming on. I tried jumping the car and nothing happened. Why won’t my car start?
ANSWER : Hi and thanks for contacting Your Mechanic. If sometimes your vehicle will start with the new alternator and sometimes it won’t, then there is a loose connection in your charging system. Check all of the wires to the alternator and to the battery. Make sure that the battery cables are clean and tight. Make sure that the wires to the starter are clean and tight. A loose ground to the ignition system will cause the vehicle to not crank over. Check all of the ground wires from the battery to the starter. Make sure that they are clean and tight. If you need further assistance troubleshooting your no start situation, then seek out a technician, such as one from Your Mechanic, that can assist you.
Read Full Q/A … : Drove through a puddle of water and now the car won’t start
Why won’t my car start the low oil light came on i drove it about ten miles added oil started it drove about 3 blocks and it died
ANSWER : Hi there:
Depending on what type of car you own, there could be multiple reasons why your car won’t start. If the oil light comes on, it typically indicates that you have low oil pressure as opposed to low oil level inside the engine. If the oil pressure is low, it is caused either by a faulty oil pump or sludge or obstructions inside the oil galleys in the engine. If this issue has been going on for a while, it may have caused internal damage which may be the reason why the car won’t start. To know for sure, you might want to have a mobile mechanic complete a car will not start inspection; so they can determine why this is happening and what repairs need to be completed to fix your vehicle.
Read Full Q/A … : Drove through a puddle of water and now the car won’t start
My car will be starting perfect and when the gas tank gets lower it will start having problems .
ANSWER : Based on the information you gave, it sounds like a possible fuel starvation issue, caused by a partially blocked, in-tank fuel filter or a crack in the fuel pump housing. The remedy would be to replace the fuel pump assembly and filter. The overheating may be caused by several things, including a stuck thermostat, faulty water pump, or even a cracked head gasket. I suggest having a certified technician, like one from YourMechanic, inspect the relevant systems to pinpoint the cause of your vehicle’s hard starting issue and overheating problem.
Read Full Q/A … : Drove through a puddle of water and now the car won’t start
My car won’t start, neither does my auto. Start. Sometime it might start if I jump it sometimes it won’t.
ANSWER : Hi there. There are a number of issues that will make a car hard to start. Everything from the electrical system to the fuel system to the actual starter itself can be the problem. Finding the root cause of a hard starting engine can take some investigation. Ignoring a hard starting issue can further damage the vehicle, which will often result in a more expensive repair. You might want to have a mobile mechanic complete a car is hard to start inspection so they can pinpoint the source of the issues you’re having and recommend the right repairs be completed.
Read Full Q/A … : Drove through a puddle of water and now the car won’t start
