I've got a 2001 Cobra with a wrecked back end and an engine that won't start. Here's the story:
My buddy calls me at about 11pm to tell me his keys are locked in his car in downtown Detroit and will I come help him? Sure, so I gather up some tools, jump in the Cobra and start the 20 or so mile journey downtown to bail him out. Well it's raining like hell and I'm on I-75 when I spot a big water puddle under an underpass up ahead. I hit the brakes and bring it down to about 40 so I don't lose control when I hit the puddle. I hit the puddle, which turned out to be more like a pond, and it slows me down big time as you can imagine. The person behind me in an Explorer didn't see all this in time and slams into the back of me while I'm in the water. Come out the other side of this huge puddle and the car's limping and sputtering, service engine light glowing. Person in the Explorer takes off, never to be seen again. I barely get the car off the freeway, the engine hardly runs but I make it. So I informed my locked-out buddy I wouldn't be able to make it and eventually had the car towed to the dealer back home. The car will not start. I'm hoping the electronics and everything are just too soaked right now, but I'm worried water somehow got into the engine and caused major damage. How likely does this seem? I can't imagine 3 seconds in a big puddle (which wasn't big enough to submerge the car or be crashing over the windshield or anything, but large enough to cause a 3 car accident right after mine) would send enough water into the engine to cause a huge problem, but I'm obviously concerned for insurance purposes if something is seriously wrong. What do you guys think? Besides my troubles with the hit-and-run, should I be worried about the motor?
-Chris
My buddy calls me at about 11pm to tell me his keys are locked in his car in downtown Detroit and will I come help him? Sure, so I gather up some tools, jump in the Cobra and start the 20 or so mile journey downtown to bail him out. Well it's raining like hell and I'm on I-75 when I spot a big water puddle under an underpass up ahead. I hit the brakes and bring it down to about 40 so I don't lose control when I hit the puddle. I hit the puddle, which turned out to be more like a pond, and it slows me down big time as you can imagine. The person behind me in an Explorer didn't see all this in time and slams into the back of me while I'm in the water. Come out the other side of this huge puddle and the car's limping and sputtering, service engine light glowing. Person in the Explorer takes off, never to be seen again. I barely get the car off the freeway, the engine hardly runs but I make it. So I informed my locked-out buddy I wouldn't be able to make it and eventually had the car towed to the dealer back home. The car will not start. I'm hoping the electronics and everything are just too soaked right now, but I'm worried water somehow got into the engine and caused major damage. How likely does this seem? I can't imagine 3 seconds in a big puddle (which wasn't big enough to submerge the car or be crashing over the windshield or anything, but large enough to cause a 3 car accident right after mine) would send enough water into the engine to cause a huge problem, but I'm obviously concerned for insurance purposes if something is seriously wrong. What do you guys think? Besides my troubles with the hit-and-run, should I be worried about the motor?
-Chris