Kinda dipped my headlights...in two foot of water

Kinda dipped my headlights...in two foot of water

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Zippyworld

Original Poster:

805 posts

189 months

Wednesday 16th February 2022
quotequote all
Been a while since I posted....

I drove through a flooded dip in the road accidentally.

Just didnt see it in the dark and no warning signs.

So my question, as soon as I resurfaced i had an instant rasping / rumbling noise from under the centre console and a dash warning lamp saying Gearbox fault.

I drove for three miles to find a safe place at no more than 15mph.

I was doing about 35 - 40 mph when I hit the water.

What advice dies anyone have regarding fixing this, is it a gearbox out strip and clean then rebuild ? Or am I just gonna be buying an exchange ?

I realise I am asking a huge question open to a lot of variables, has anyone ekse been daft enough to cause similar damage ?

Could it be a weight stripped iff the drive shaft maybe ?


saaby93

32,038 posts

183 months

Wednesday 16th February 2022
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has the light gone out?

Zippyworld

Original Poster:

805 posts

189 months

Wednesday 16th February 2022
quotequote all
It did briefly and then came back on.

It also clunks a little when the the gear selector knob is rotated into Park.

reddiesel

2,309 posts

52 months

Wednesday 16th February 2022
quotequote all
As far as i read it , your Post says absolutely nothing to indicate a gearbox failure , what I suspect is that the gearbox has simply gone into limp mode and that can be caused by a number of things . Hard to say much more as at this stage , the details you have provided are very scant ???? Ultimately the car will have to be scanned by a Diagnostic Tool , I think thats probably inevitable .

Edited by reddiesel on Wednesday 16th February 21:08

Zippyworld

Original Poster:

805 posts

189 months

Wednesday 16th February 2022
quotequote all
I did mention that a Gearbox Fault lamp came on the display, I think that would be accurate !

Simpo Two

86,571 posts

270 months

Wednesday 16th February 2022
quotequote all
A gearbox is a strong waterproof metal box full of cogs. Hence I can't think a one second dunking is going to bother it. My suspicion therefore falls on the electrical/electronic trickery associated with it.

As so often with modern cars, the metal bits are OK, it's the trendy microchip gubbins that cause all the problems!

reddiesel

2,309 posts

52 months

Thursday 17th February 2022
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Zippyworld said:
I did mention that a Gearbox Fault lamp came on the display, I think that would be accurate !
You also mentioned exchanging , stripping and rebuilding Gearboxes which in my view is a complete nonsense . Its clearly a Diagnostic Tool and take matters from there . Once you do that , report what you find and there will be plenty of other advice offered . At this stage any other advice is guesswork

Zippyworld

Original Poster:

805 posts

189 months

Friday 18th February 2022
quotequote all
My car goes up on the ramp tomorrow morning.

It seems to not recognise the car going into Park and the lovely gear selector cog that raises and lowers no longer functions.

The insurance company actually wanted to write it off without inspection, based on some software that they have.

No other warning lights are present which I hope is a good sign but I guess its now a bit of a lottery as to where else the water may have ingressed.

Definitive mechanical issue with the gearbox, the noise it makes suggests so.

I also pondered if there are weights on the prop shaft that may have been dislodged and the gearbox recognises this...

£2k for a rebuild is the quote


reddiesel

2,309 posts

52 months

Saturday 19th February 2022
quotequote all
Zippyworld said:
My car goes up on the ramp tomorrow morning.

It seems to not recognise the car going into Park and the lovely gear selector cog that raises and lowers no longer functions.

The insurance company actually wanted to write it off without inspection, based on some software that they have.

No other warning lights are present which I hope is a good sign but I guess its now a bit of a lottery as to where else the water may have ingressed.

Definitive mechanical issue with the gearbox, the noise it makes suggests so.

I also pondered if there are weights on the prop shaft that may have been dislodged and the gearbox recognises this...

£2k for a rebuild is the quote
At that money its got to be a replacement unit Zippy and the actions of the Insurance Company doesnt surprise me . Hopefully the ramp will through up some definitive answers .

Zippyworld

Original Poster:

805 posts

189 months

Saturday 26th February 2022
quotequote all
Just thought I’d put closure on this.

I never let the insurance company near it and it turns out its not as bad as I thought.

The force of the water ripped off the heatshield which partially wrapped itself around the main drive shaft, and in turn, it dislodged the handbrake cable too.

So new diff and gearbox oils as a precaution and a sump of course and we are mobile again

reddiesel

2,309 posts

52 months

Saturday 26th February 2022
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Great news Zippy , genuinely pleased for you that things weren't as bad as you initially feared .

Zippyworld

Original Poster:

805 posts

189 months

Sunday 27th February 2022
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Thankyou reddiesel, glad it wasnt my 98 XJR.....!