How many inches of water can a Prius drive in before stalling?

In my 2010, I've gone through water that came up to the top of the front fenders. Slowly and I didn't stop the car until clear of it. I had no issues afterwards and it only happened one time that I can recall.

 

Meh...I would just park it and find another way around. A few extra minutes of walking can save a ton of money on repairs and heartache for your baby.

 

Rainwater: 4" to 5" before important stuff in enclosed places get wet.
Saltwater: 0" (Don't even go there!)

 

I think the ground clearance is 5.5". I wouldn't go deeper than that.

 

Hurricane Sandy one guy said ocean water got in his car above the floor and insurance declared it a total loss something about salt water and the batteries makes them dead.

 

Saltwater is an electrical conductor and the dry salt remains a conductor while it is corroding whatever it is on. The high voltage cables run under the car. Simple math...

 

I stated earlier that the water was up to the top of the fenders. It was probably up to the top of the wheels but when moving through the water, it looked a lot worse than it was. I was on the way home and flooding on US130 in Pennsauken/Camden, NJ became intense and unexpected. There was no way to get around it and traffic was heavy. The water was rising and it was either abandon the car and risk getting run over or plod on through.

It wasn't salt water and I had no issues for the next two years of owning the car. I'd be very cautious driving through deep water since there's no way of knowing whether there's any pavement left or worse.

 

i wouldn't do more than 2 or 3 inches. just as a caution.

 

I assume that the interior of the car flooded? If not, with that level of water the vehicle should almost float...

 

Find your air intake filter for the ICE. Bottom of intake is the highest water level you can risk before you get Hydrolock. That = water into cylinders. Water will cause sizure of moter. Did not know about Salt Water issue till I read this thread. CAI"s (Cold Air Intake) are put as close to the ground as possible to get Cold air into engine. That also means less tollerence to ground water flooding. So is that 2-5 hp gain really worth the risk? Check out the snorkles on FJ's & Jeeps. Your getting very wet before the engine gets water in thru the intake.

 

Yea! my son found out the hard way, Sucked water in to pistons and made the connecting rods look like u bolts.
Hello new engine!

 

Same thing happened me years ago. €8k later I had a new engine fitted. Intake on a TDI Bora (Jetta) is very low under the front bumper

 

I drive a pickemuptruck, and I avoid water when it's too deep to see the road underneath....ESPECIALLY when it's moving.
I really don't care so much if I damage the truck, but I just don't want people at my funeral wondering why I wasn't smart enough to avoid getting swept away like those (yeah...I know: other) morons that you see on TV.

People in a Prius DANG well ought to know better!!!!!
No.
I do not subscribe to the theory that Prius Drivers are smarter than other drivers.
I have way too much time in this forum to think something like that...but with only about 4-inches of ground (or WATER!) clearance????
They ought to be a little more cautious than pickemuptruck drivers.

If driving causes a bow-wake?
It's too deep.
If you can't see the road under the water?
It's too deep.
If you don't know how deep it is?
Yup.
It's too deep!

Turn Around....
Don't drown!

 

That's my philosophy too

 

Yep !!!! I had that .. it was a little bit higher then the floor of the cab in my case. 100% touched the battery line in the trunk. It was about up to the top of the tire... or so. It was declared total loss no haggle at all (and got blue book value in good condition).

The insurance adjustor's report was hilarious though, thinks like starter motor, or generator ... and no mention of HV battery damage .... well his sript engine did not have Prius ....

 

Yep I remember that. Sounds like you got a new a Prius and all is well

 

Thanks and yes I got a 2012 Prius 2 the monetary loss was such that my car payment restarted (little lower though I believe I got 1.75% lower rate then I was paying), basically the depreciation was my loss but of course I used that car for 26 months. I am not a financial guru especially no expertize with car financing but I think I did just fine.

(wish the same with the house still unrepaired but livable)

On the water level, anything over the rim is potentially dangerous. The above car was floated off the wheels, but it was not in the flow of the water being on the driveway btw the two house. Same water level litterly moved cars on the street some just a few feet some a lot more !!! The water was kind of flowing on the street. Nothing like I saw on TV recently in Colorado, but still passanger cars were floated and moved. Also one of the neighbour's car some chevy sedan about the same water level, same salty water, was fixable, but their SUV was not which I was totally surprised. So it definitely depend on the car and what parts are where.