i have a 2007 audi q7 v8 and recently in Houston we’ve had lots of rain. well without thinging i went into some watet. water came into my suv but it still runs and drives normally should i be concerned?
If the carpet got soaked, then you’ll likely have to tear out the carpeting and padding to dry it. Otherwise you’ll have a nice mold farm going in a few days.
does vacuuming help. because i vacummed the water with a shop vac and opened the doors for the whole day to let it air dry.
How much water, damp, soaking or a couple of inches? Besides mold, the problem is the wiring and electronics under the carpet. It the wiring remains damp, corrosion is going to set in. Were you able to get under the seats and all the nooks and crannies with the shop vac?
I used to live on a barrier island that was prone to flooding. When a vehicle was submerged and recovered, usually all the fluids would be replaced, i.e. oil, coolant, trans, differential, etc. Since your vehicle is new and rather expensive this might not be a bad idea.
A trick I use after shampooing the carpets in my vehicles is to leave the engine running, the heat on full blast, and the windows cracked to dry out the vehicle completely. You might want to check a detailer or body shop and have it done professionally.
Ed B.
i dont know what i was thinking but it left puddles but not up to the seat. mabey about 1 and a half inches. what would be a cheap alternative. what might happen in the long run.
One area of concern is suspension components and wheel bearings. Water can seep around dust boots and wheel bearing seals, dilute the grease, and cause problems later on with those components.
Don’t be surprised if down the road in a year or so if a suspension component or wheel bearing becomes a problem.
It’s the same reason you often see boats and the trailers they’re loaded on sitting on the side of the highway with a trailer wheel missing. Water diluted grease eventually kills the wheel bearing due to hot wheel bearings being backed into cold lake water.
Heat attracts moisture so that’s reason behind that.
Not a problem if you stay on top of things though.
Why are you trying to cheap out on a $40-60k vehicle? The best thing to do with a couple of inches of water is to remove the interior, seats, carpet and padding at the least. Dry out all the wiring and connectors underneath, the electrical problems that will pop up down the road will be a nightmare to diagnose and fix. The carpet and padding should be washed and dried since mold is already setting in. Have you considered making an insurance claim, it would probably fall under comprehesive?
I’m speaking from experience. My first attempt off-roading in my 2000 Blazer was going well until I hit a mudhole 20 feet wide and 2 1/2 feet deep. This is when I learned that Blazers don’t float worth a darn. It was on a tilt and ended up with about 6" of water and mud on the passenger side. Once I got it home I removed the seats, carpet and padding. There was a lot of wiring on the floor that had to be dried out. I took it to the mechanic for a once over. He said another inch or two of water would have taken out the ABS and Engine computers. An oil change and I was on my way.
That was 5 years ago this July and the truck is doing fine. I did not make an insurance claim because I was embarassed and the truck would probably have been totaled anyway.