Driving In Water - GMC 2003 Sonoma Owner's Manual

Driving in Water

Heavy rain can mean flash flooding, and flood waters
demand extreme caution.
Find out how deep the water is before you drive through
it. If it's deep enough to cover your wheel hubs, axles
or exhaust pipe, don't try it — you probably won't
get through. Also, water that deep can damage your
axle and other vehicle parts.
If the water isn't too deep, drive slowly through it. At
faster speeds, water splashes on your ignition system
and your vehicle can stall. Stalling can also occur if you
get your tailpipe under water. And, as long as your
tailpipe is under water, you'll never be able to start your
engine. When you go through water, remember that
when your brakes get wet, it may take you longer
to stop.
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CAUTION:
Driving through rushing water can be
dangerous. Deep water can sweep your vehicle
downstream and you and your passengers
could drown. If it is only shallow water, it can
still wash away the ground from under your
tires, and you could lose traction and roll
the vehicle over. Do not drive through
rushing water.
See Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads on page 4-29 for
more information on driving through water.