Crossing a Stream
Before driving through water, stop
and
make sure that:
The water is never deep enough
to cover your wheel hubs, axles
or exhaust pipe. You could stall
, and not be able to restart
the engine. The water could
also
damage important vehicle
components. The water is not flowing too
fast. Deep rushing water can
sweep
you downstream. Even
very
shallow rushing water
can wash the ground from under
your tires and cause you
to lose traction and possibly
roll
over. The banks are sloped so you
can
drive out.
The
banks and surface under
the water provide good
traction.
The water may hide
hazards such as rocks, holes, or
mud.
If you decide it's safe to drive
through
water, choose a low gear
and suitable speed, then proceed
without shifting or changing
speed. At fast speeds, water can
more easily splash on your
ignition system, which could
make the engine stall.
After driving through water, test
your brakes. If the brakes got wet,
drive
slowly while gently
pumping
the brakes until they
operate
normally. Off-Road Driving Information
