Driving in Flood Waters

[mixalot]

All right, I'm the dumbass. It was raining like hell and I decide to drive through a flooded street. It started out fine, with water spraying off to the sides, all cool-like, but then it got to be maybe about a foot deep. Then some water splashed onto the hood, so I slowed down and kept going. I get through the low area, and seconds later my CHECK ENGINE light comes on. I made it out safe, but it was certainly an unnecessary move.

Since then my car has aired out, but the damn light is still on. Can anyone point me to the possible problem?

I didn't think water could harm my car, since I often spray off the engine, and pelt the radiator to get the bugs off.

What's the deal?

[007ben]

it all depends on where the water got...

in the intake?
o2 sensor?

you should be able to do the "stomp codes" and look up the error/problem.

[mixalot]

I checked the air intake - it was dry. Where is the O2 sensor, and what is the "stomp codes?"

Thanks

[El Presidente]

press the gas pedal 5 times in 3 seconds after turning the car to run (not start). the check engine light will blink a sequence of numbers, designated by blinks.

it will go somethins like this:

long blink
long pause
blink
pause
blink blink
pause

and two more sets of numbers. Codes are read as 12xx. A 1221 is the o2 sensor. If it comes up other than 1221, come back with the code and I can tell you what it is.

[mixalot]

Wow. that was amazing. It came up with the code 1263 - I found that is the "purge valve." What the heck is that? Plus, now the light only comes on occasionally. So, it's only intermitantly broken.

[d3ity]

nice trick, work on the 525 as well by chance?

[bitcore]

Be careful with doing that, if the engine's really hot and splashing cold water on it like that can cause the metal to fracture or at least weaken. This is how you get a cracked block. I drove through some flood waters once before, excpet it turned out to be sewage ridden water..... Eww.

[El Presidente]

d3ity, as far as I know it works on any OBDI bmw.

[clubin]

Originally posted by El Presidente@Jul 5 2004, 06:34 PM
d3ity, as far as I know it works on any OBDI bmw.

That is too cool. First I read about the M3 SMG Easter egg and now this. Do most car companies hide features behind cryptic/fun access methods or is this basically just a BMW thing?

Of course, the only thing cool about it is the momentary excitement of finding something new; they could have just incorporated it into the OBC, taking advantage of the LED display and making things much simpler, too. o_O

[CiscoKid]

whats the smg easteregg?

[El Presidente]

what's a BMW?

[007ben]

Originally posted by CiscoKid@Jul 5 2004, 09:30 PM
whats the smg easteregg?

the acceleration asssist by holding the stick over for a few seconds then stomping on the gas.

[CiscoKid]

launch control?

[007ben]

ya.