There is a recurrent misconception regarding snorkels. There's always someone who believes that snorkels are good for wading through water, and they’re half right because water doesn’t get to the air filter. Still, it won’t help at all if the water is deeper than the vehicle’s wading capacity.
Snorkel or no snorkel, driving your vehicle through water deeper than the vehicle’s wading capacity results in damage to various electrical components. Those in the engine bay are especially vulnerable. The fuse panel isn’t properly sealed, and obviously enough, the alternator isn’t waterproof.
A Bronco owner recently found out the hard way that Broncos don’t like high water. As you can tell from the featured pic, the water is almost as high as the vehicle's rubber boots. From the air filter to the MAF sensor to the coil packs and plugs, a ton of things could have gone wrong in this scenario.
Ford says the maximum water fording depth with the Sasquatch Package is 33.5 inches (85.1 centimeters), regardless of body style. The Sasquatch Package comes with 315/70 R17 tires, which is 34.4 inches (87.3 centimeters) for the overall diameter. The Area 51-painted Bronco in the featured clip was driven into the water too fast for comfort, with water getting above the hood, meaning that some water got into the air intake and alternator as well.
The Bronco was towed to safety, had its air box cleaned, then sputtered as it drove away. At the 5:12 mark, Krista of Buckle Up Buttercup highlights that "three Broncos were having misfire issues." Even though she didn’t drive her Bronco through water, Krista still experienced a charging system error and a 4x4 error. She believes that the alternator is the root cause for both.
This video serves as a cautionary tale for everyone who thinks that a little water can’t hurt an off-roader, more so if you remember that modern vehicles feature a lot more electrical and electronic stuff than an OG Bronco.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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