Phev - wading depth?

[CBphev]

Hi, anyone seen a published wading depth for a 2021 phev !?

 

I have searched and can't find any data, I am not offroading but we do often get some decent puddles in Aberdeenshire, I am thinking up to top of wheels type depth - and impacts on electric motors etc!

[Hayzee]

Worth a look at this thread from the USA RAV4World site

https://www.rav4world.com/threads/how-deep-of-water-can-rav4-go-thru.310768/

[TonyHSD]

Yup better not going through anything deeper than axle nut. Anything above will cause long term illnesses as mentioned in the link provided. Other than that you actually can take it deeper up to the air intake point, but it’s not a smart thing to do. 👍 I had recently done few deep water crossings in London fur to the severe weather two weeks ago, there were few hydro locked cars but the auris hybrid did exceptionally well, slow and steady is the key . The water depth was around up to a feet or 25-30cm. Didn’t have sny choice anyway. 

[Cyker]

Yeah, I was thinking if I hit a deep flood I can quickly lift so the engine cuts out and doesn't suck in any water if it came to that, then just carefully crawl out on the electric motors alone

Thankfully I've been able to avoid the worst of it, and the Yaris is so narrow compared to these gigantic SUVs I've been able to skirt a lot of the deeper puddles on the roadside too (And then watch a massive roostertail fly up in my rear view mirror as the SUV behind me hits it at full speed  )

[Rhymes with Paris]

Best to just use the stalk next to the steering wheel, no need to go into deep water to dip the headlights.

[Hayzee]

39 minutes ago, Rhymes with Paris said:

Best to just use the stalk next to the steering wheel, no need to go into deep water to dip the headlights.

🤦🤦🤦

[Markyswan]

Never been in any really deep water puddles but it's made me think how deep can you go without problems.

[ernieb]

If I was going into deep water with my PHEV I'd ensure the ICE was running and change to 'charge hold' mode to maintain /charge the traction Battery. That way I'd ensure that the exhaust was pushing any water out of the tail pipes rather than it collecting in there if the car was running on pure EV. Even if the car was in HEV mode wadding slowly through deep water would at such a slow speed put the car into EV mode. 

So far I've not been through very deep water just enough to cover the lower door seals, no problems.

[Strangely Brown]

12 hours ago, Cyker said:

Yeah, I was thinking if I hit a deep flood I can quickly lift so the engine cuts out and doesn't suck in any water if it came to that, then just carefully crawl out on the electric motors alone

Thankfully I've been able to avoid the worst of it, and the Yaris is so narrow compared to these gigantic SUVs I've been able to skirt a lot of the deeper puddles on the roadside too (And then watch a massive roostertail fly up in my rear view mirror as the SUV behind me hits it at full speed  )

 

3" is not really that much narrower than these "gigantic SUVs".

[TonyHSD]

There will go, if Auris hybrid and Prius can,  Rav4 hev or phev should also do it 😂👌

 

[NASY]

But why would you want to?

[Vainona70]

The Rav4 HEV brochure (2022) gives the wading depth as 500mm.

OFF ROAD

Min. running ground clearance (mm) 190

Departure angle (°) 20

Ramp break-over angle (°) 15.5

Limit angle of vehicle turnover (°) 52

Climbing angle (°) 18

Wading depth (mm) 500

 

[philip42h]

1 hour ago, Vainona70 said:

The Rav4 HEV brochure (2022) gives the wading depth as 500mm.

OFF ROAD

Min. running ground clearance (mm) 190

Departure angle (°) 20

Ramp break-over angle (°) 15.5

Limit angle of vehicle turnover (°) 52

Climbing angle (°) 18

Wading depth (mm) 500

So it does - well found!  🙂

At 500mm the water would be deep enough to get over the sills and into the cabin - and I don't fancy that.

At 300mm you should be able to keep the water outside so long as you don't build-up too much of a bow wave.

But for me, 190mm is pretty much my limit - that way I'll mostly keep the underside dry ... 😉

 

[Rav Rob]

I watch regular video's of Rufford Ford on youtube, there are several channel filming it daily for the fails, daily hydrolocked engines, lost bumpers and number plates etc. (BMWs are especially feeble in getting water in the intake and written off)

Most vehicles have no problem with water even above the sill level as the seals stop the wells flooding, the water isn't under any pressure. The fatal step is opening the door, lots of people break down mid stream and have to climb out the window.

I went through deep water in my Ravs and my Outlander PHEV often without issues, the motors and electrics are all watertight.

[CBphev]

On 11/18/2022 at 6:53 PM, NASY said:

But why would you want to?

Maybe because if I want to get home I might have to?  Thanks for the troll!

[CBphev]

So my take away from all this is if I had to, a foot feels about the limit! 

 

Thanks for the (mainly) helpful comments!

[CBphev]

17 hours ago, Vainona70 said:

The Rav4 HEV brochure (2022) gives the wading depth as 500mm.

OFF ROAD

Min. running ground clearance (mm) 190

Departure angle (°) 20

Ramp break-over angle (°) 15.5

Limit angle of vehicle turnover (°) 52

Climbing angle (°) 18

Wading depth (mm) 500

 

Thank you, I looked in the manual, searched the net, never thought to look in the sales brochure!

[NASY]

Chris what does "The troll" mean in English? 

[NASY]

Chris, just found it - conflict raising. Sorry just asked why, not thinking it may be the only option available.

[Strangely Brown]

11 minutes ago, NASY said:

Chris what does "The troll" mean in English? 

It is derived from fishing terminology.

Trolling is a term that originated in the days UseNet and refers to someone who posts a deliberately inflammatory, antagonistic or contraversial statement with the intention of getting others to "bite".

Any reference to Scandinavian bridge dwellers is simply a modern corruption by a media that does not understand internet history.

[yossarian247]

On 11/16/2022 at 7:12 AM, ernieb said:

If I was going into deep water with my PHEV I'd ensure the ICE was running and change to 'charge hold' mode to maintain /charge the traction battery. That way I'd ensure that the exhaust was pushing any water out of the tail pipes rather than it collecting in there if the car was running on pure EV. Even if the car was in HEV mode wadding slowly through deep water would at such a slow speed put the car into EV mode. 

So far I've not been through very deep water just enough to cover the lower door seals, no problems.

I would do the opposite TBH and drive through in EV mode. Getting water in the exhaust doesn't matter in the slightest, its sucking water into the engine air intake which causes damage. If you look at a 4x4 which has been fitted with a snorkel designed specifically for wading in water they extend the air intake up above the roof line, but the exhaust is usually left in its normal position under the vehicle, (and therefore underwater).

It is a very commonly held myth that you shouldn't get water in the exhaust, which I suspect leads to quite a few people needlessly revving through a flood to prevent it and thus wrecking their engine by causing the air intake to suck more water in!

[spicyhotone]

12 minutes ago, yossarian247 said:

I would do the opposite TBH and drive through in EV mode. Getting water in the exhaust doesn't matter in the slightest, its sucking water into the engine air intake which causes damage. If you look at a 4x4 which has been fitted with a snorkel designed specifically for wading in water they extend the air intake up above the roof line, but the exhaust is usually left in its normal position under the vehicle, (and therefore underwater).

It is a very commonly held myth that you shouldn't get water in the exhaust, which I suspect leads to quite a few people needlessly revving through a flood to prevent it and thus wrecking their engine by causing the air intake to suck more water in!

Does the cold water on the very hot catalytic convertor damage or contaminate it? I always assumed this was the biggest risk?

[yossarian247]

10 minutes ago, spicyhotone said:

Does the cold water on the very hot catalytic convertor damage or contaminate it? I always assumed this was the biggest risk?

Water won't contaminate a catalytic converter, one of the main byproducts of burning petrol or diesel in oxygen is water. Hence all of steam/water vapour you see coming from exhaust tailpipes in cold weather. On cars which cover lots of short journeys its not uncommon to see water dribbling out of the exhaust in the winter when the engine is idling!

There is I suspect a small risk of causing damage by suddenly submerging a hot catalytic converter in cold water, but that's really damage from the outside rather than the inside. When the engine is switched off the exhaust is basically a 'dead-end' so there's no reason for water to go in from the tailpipe end in any quantity.

[TonyHSD]

 Nick, very informative and correct answers 👍

It seems a lot of people doesn’t really understand the real danger of going through deep water and carry on through it at high speed and kill their cars. Hydro lock is the biggest threat as this actually destroys your engine. However it’s not only that and hybrids should never be taken into waters deeper than half the wheels, anything above and the risk of getting water into the cabin is huge.
Behind rear bumpers there are vent holes on all cars btw and water can get in as much as you have an open door. Secondly the water can get in through many holes in the car under body, spare wheel well, doors too even closed  they are actually a gutters for rain , water drainage holes will fill them up too.  Cars aren’t designed to go through deep water at all. They are designed only or be ok in heavy rain and splash of water going onto paddles at speed to some extent, but here is a physical damage risk too.
Wheel bearing, ball joints, stabiliser bar links, anything that has a joint connection and rubber boot to protect the grease inside is affected and the life is significantly reduced if you immerse them in water especially deep one. Shock absorbers top mounts bearings too. These parts are only ok on splashing not immerse or submerges. Also cars with snorkel dies too because their stupid drivers goes through at speeds the water disconnects the air ducts from the snorkel and enters into the intake and hydro locks the engine, you really need few drops of water and engine will fatally stop with metal clunk. 

If anyone ever needs to cross a deep water just drive slow and never increase the speed while still in the water. There should be no noise of waves and only silence. If the car goes down and deep, stop and reverse out. Turn off engine and check air filter , if dry you can drive if wet do not turn the engine again until you remove the plugs. Turn few times to remove any water and if ok and lucky you may have saved your engine. 

[Cyker]

8 hours ago, Strangely Brown said:

It is derived from fishing terminology.

Trolling is a term that originated in the days UseNet and refers to someone who posts a deliberately inflammatory, antagonistic or contraversial statement with the intention of getting others to "bite".

Any reference to Scandinavian bridge dwellers is simply a modern corruption by a media that does not understand internet history.

Gold star for internet terminology!  

 

8 hours ago, yossarian247 said:

I would do the opposite TBH and drive through in EV mode. Getting water in the exhaust doesn't matter in the slightest, its sucking water into the engine air intake which causes damage. If you look at a 4x4 which has been fitted with a snorkel designed specifically for wading in water they extend the air intake up above the roof line, but the exhaust is usually left in its normal position under the vehicle, (and therefore underwater).

It is a very commonly held myth that you shouldn't get water in the exhaust, which I suspect leads to quite a few people needlessly revving through a flood to prevent it and thus wrecking their engine by causing the air intake to suck more water in!

That was my thinking too, as the biggest danger from fording water is getting water into the intake and bending a rod when it tries to compress it.

The water can't push the air out of the exhaust easily unless the car faces downwards so it will hopefully not travel too far up it even if the engine isn't running. Cold water hitting the cat would likely cause damage as the cat is made of a ceramic and rapid cooling would likely cause it to crack, but it would have to travel very far up the exhaust, and as the main cat on current Toyotas is built into the exhaust manifold it would also have to go against gravity.

But the main reason I'd avoid fording if possible is all the guck in the water! Smeg knows what flesh eating bacterial diseases are floating around in it! Just think of all the animals that have been pooping and peeing in it alone! Brrrrr....