Driving in Water{CAUTION:Driving through rushing water can bedangerous. Deep water can sweep yourvehicle downstream and you and yourpassengers could drown. If it is only shallowwater, it can still wash away the ground fromunder your tires, and you could lose tractionand roll the vehicle over. Do not drive throughrushing water.Heavy rain can mean flash flooding, and flood watersdemand extreme caution.Find out how deep the water is before you drive throughit. If it is deep enough to cover the wheel hubs, axles, orexhaust pipe, do not try it — you probably will not getthrough. Also, water that deep can damage the axle andother vehicle parts.If the water is not too deep, drive slowly through it. Atfaster speeds, water splashes on the ignition system andyour vehicle can stall. Stalling can also occur if you getthe tailpipe under water. And, as long as the tailpipe isunder water, you will never be able to start the engine.When you go through water, remember that when thebrakes get wet, it may take you longer to stop.See Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads on page 4-27 formore information on driving through water.After Off-Road DrivingRemove any brush or debris that has collected on theunderbody, chassis, or under the hood. Theseaccumulations can be a fire hazard.After operation in mud or sand, have the brake liningscleaned and checked. These substances can causeglazing and uneven braking. Check the body structure,steering, suspension, wheels, tires, and exhaustsystem for damage. Also, check the fuel lines andcooling system for any leakage.Your vehicle will require more frequent service due tooff-road use. Refer to the Maintenance Schedule foradditional information.4-26
