Does it hurt the Prius's battery or anything else if you drive thru some water if across the road ?

Answer 1

The battery and wiring are well protected, but the Prius is low to the ground, and not built to ford rivers. Sadly, people in almost any car tend to go into deeper water than they should, and find out the hard way.

When I went through a really deep "puddle" in my Prius, I thought I had escaped unscathed, but later discovered that my fog lights had partly filled with water, and blown one bulb. The dealer was good, and fixed it up under warranty.

Still, I'm more careful now about deep water.

Answer 2

No worse than on any other car...

The intersection outside where I used to work routinely floods when the rain comes down fast enough, or if the drain gets plugged up at all. (It's quite the spectator sport on heavy rainfall days there at work to watch the mayhem of cars trying to go through the huge puddle nicknamed Lake Mercer (Rd.) and stalling and the resulting clueless towtruck drivers...)

Because the flood waters usually completely cover the curb and sidewalk into the neighboring parking lot, most people don't realize where the curb is when they attempt to drive through (what is usually the deepest area of the puddle). Without fail, someone will loose a hubcap each time. Usually the hubcaps fall with the sharp pointy wheel-gripping bits facing up, and are right in the path of the silly drivers that continue through the puddle. I don't know where it came from once, but I've also seen a length of wood with some long nasty nails sticking out of it pointing upwards that was exposed when the rain waters finally receded. going through that puddle is just asking for tire damage either from debris or hitting the hidden curb, let alone the potential for debris to puncture the oil pan, or water getting into necessary systems (like ECUs)... (besides water rushing up into the exhaust and flooding/stalling the engine, and a stalled car getting water inside that creates smelly mold when not properly dried out...)

While I have taken my 2001 Prius through the shallow end of this puddle (since it's well-studied where I work ;-) ) because I could not leave work otherwise (no alternate driveway exit and lengthy storm) and have not had any issues, I've also been known to keep extra food at work in case I need to wait out the storm and have dinner while waiting for the waters to
subside down to below the bottom of my hubcaps.

It doesn't take much water to hydroplane, in any car, either...

(and yes, I have seen people on the TV news being rescued by helicopter from cartops of submerged cars that were swept away in floodwaters (just takes 2" of water to move your car!), and that includes a Prius or two...)

so, nothing special about high water hazards with a Prius, but crossing high water isn't a smart thing to do in any car.

Answer 3

probably no worse than any other car. I would not submerge the whole car or nothing. It will probably damage systems just like a regular vehicle. but if you were to cross water lets say up to the bottom of the doors that would probably be OK. warning crossing moving water is extremely dangerous. its easy for the vehicle to become buoyant and get caried away. good luck

Answer 4

NO nothing gets hurt --- and if you have any doubts you can just call the ''service writer'' at the dealer and have a chat with that person and put your fears to rest -- besides Toyota would not sell you a car that you could not drive in the rain or snow ...

Answer 5

I wouldn't cross the lake with your car. It is designed to be washed and rained on. If the water is up to the battery you shouldn't drive through it. Water splashing on the battery wont hurt it.

Answer 6

toyota made sure water did no damage to the battery and if it does you got a 100,000 mile warranty

Answer 7

its just like every other car, use common sense, even though it seem that that's rare these days