Help, my car went through a puddle now it doesnt' run right

[Ted]

So I was coming home from work tonight and I was turning onto the highway. It's like vietnam down here right now so it's been raining really heavy for the past 2 days. It's kinda hard to pickout puddles at night with lights glarring on them but anyway. I hit this huge puddle, i mean this thing was huge!!! When I got on the highway my SES light was blinking like crazy and the car is stuttering so bad if i try to get up to highway cruising speed let's say about 30+ mph I can hear something hitting, i have no clue what it sounds like, and it's only while it's moving. I made a quick call and tried to make it home which was only 2mi away. So i'm cruising down a major highway at like 20mph and a mile later the SES light is now solid and the car feels like normal. I hope nothing is wrong, has anything like this happened to anyone here before? What do you think it could of been.

[99Camaro99]

you could have ruined your coil pack(s) and wires. A flashing SES light can mean a misfire in one or more of the cylinders. Check the pack and wires and replace if necessary. Hope this helps.

[12secondv6]

Went through a puddle???
Well, at work when Mercedes owners call in and say I drove through a puddle they consider 6 feet deep a puddle so how deep are we talking?

SES flashing typically means multiple misfire code.
You may want to check all your plugs.
Hmmmm, I wonder if ya sucked up water in the intake???

So, how deep?

[Ted]

I wasn't driving through an ocean or nothing, lol. It was about a foot or two. It was a pretty long puddle if ya know what i mean, it took me a while to get out of the thing and there was lots of water shooting up and stuff. I probably shorted out a wire or something like that. Man and i just changed all my plugs and everything not too long ago.

[John D.]

If the cars running OK now I wouldn't worry about it. I would bet you just got some water on your plugs or coils. Just reset the computer and see if the SES goes away.

[chazz]

Take it to AutoZone they'll pull the trouble
code free !!

-----------------

'96 firebird 3.8L V6, a4, Y87, ;)

[BillyCobin]

I had the exact same thing happen. I hit a puddle on an on-ramp. The car lights all dimmed and just about went out, the car stuttered real hard like it was misfiring, and the SES was flashing. A mile later the car seemed to be running just fine, and the SES was solid. I figured the water probably shorted a sensor or two, and let it sit over night. The next day I got AutoTap out, but when I started the car, the SES light was gone, and AutoTap didn't bring up any codes.

I would say let it sit and dry out, if the light is still set after that, find out what the code is.

[99Camaro99]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by BillyCobin:
I had the exact same thing happen. I hit a puddle on an on-ramp. The car lights all dimmed and just about went out, the car stuttered real hard like it was misfiring, and the SES was flashing. A mile later the car seemed to be running just fine, and the SES was solid. I figured the water probably shorted a sensor or two, and let it sit over night. The next day I got AutoTap out, but when I started the car, the SES light was gone, and AutoTap didn't bring up any codes.

I would say let it sit and dry out, if the light is still set after that, find out what the code is.<hr></blockquote>

mine did the same thing. It was bad wires. The light turned off because the car wasn't misfiring as hard as it WAS, but for me, it was still hesitating. Basically the SES light has a tolerance. Give the car a good "run" around town and see how the motor responds.

[TheV6Bird]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by BillyCobin:
I had the exact same thing happen. I hit a puddle on an on-ramp. The car lights all dimmed and just about went out, the car stuttered real hard like it was misfiring, and the SES was flashing. A mile later the car seemed to be running just fine, and the SES was solid. I figured the water probably shorted a sensor or two, and let it sit over night. The next day I got AutoTap out, but when I started the car, the SES light was gone, and AutoTap didn't bring up any codes.

I would say let it sit and dry out, if the light is still set after that, find out what the code is.<hr></blockquote>A similar thing happened to me. I went throught a smaller puddle, got water on my cat (which emmited some major league steam, thought I was on FIRE! :eek [img]smile.gif[/img] . SED and ABS Inop lights come on. Get home, sit in car for less than 5 min, restart car, all gone! [img]smile.gif[/img]

[helios]

Haha yeah it has been pouring here the past few days. Ah well makes it more fun lighting up the tires all the time ;) What part of Delaware are you from? Dover/Felton area here.

As for the problem itself: Can't really help have been driving through puddles and hydroplaning like crazy lately but no problems.

[Ted]

Im from bear, dover isn't too far away from here. Like 50 60 miles or so...

[nikon]

did you say a foot or two!!!!thats crazy!....and ya let it dry out, it probably got up on the belt or something...it should be fine

[V6FirebirdPride]

I had the same problem... it was the night before i was going to the track too... i hit a puddle of water.. (lake i say) and my cai sucked water into the intake and killed my car for a few day's... got it running and was sluggish.. got it to work fine and now it's back in the shop for misfire... i had it on the jackstand's for two week's putting header's on.. when i got them on the car was running strong.. and then got warmed up and boom... sluggish again.. i changed my idle pulley and tension pulley car run's strong and them boom ses light come's on and it's in the shop again