Water coming into cabin

[Rickman]

Hi all

Out four wheeling last weekend & dunked the JKU into a river. Got through OK but water level was quite high, & at some points going over bonnet height. Doors sealed quite well from water ingress, but water started pouring in from behind the dash on the passenger side. Well & truly flooded passenger side. I would assume that the water has come in through the ventilation system which seems not to be sealed very well. Any info to stop the water coming in would be appreciated.

Rickman

[Yom]

so would you say the vehicle is improperly designed or would you say that maybe you asked more of the vehicle than its basic engineering can provide?

[Rickman]

I am quite a new Jeep owner. If this is design limitation, then maybe I might think a bit more before dunking it in water, Toyota, & Land Rovers on the same trip but no water coming from behind dash board. The last time I had a look there was plenty of wiring back there. So yes I may have to remember this on future trips.

[Rickman]

BTW Land Rover Defender did get flooded as the door seals are practically useless.

[SeaComms]

Ove bonnet height will have more implications than just water in the cabin. This is much higher than the diff and gearbox breathers so I would be checking diff fluids very soon. Also the stock air intake is below the bonnet line so water in the engine unless a snorkelnis fitted is also an expensive issue.

I would be looking to see if the water came through vents or through holes in the firewall for cabling etc or bungs missing.

[Rickman]

Water level was very briefly over bonnet height. I have a snorkel & I have checked under the hood & all seems OK. I will check the diff oils & probably replace them just in case. The water crossing was only a couple of Kilometers form the end of our trip. Turning back to avoid crossing was not even an option. It's just one of those things you don't like doing, but sometimes you don't have a choice. Lucky the weather has been warn in Victoria as it gave me a chance to dry the Jeep out.

[Das_Colonel]

Jeeps are pretty awesome, but at the end of the day they aren't submarines...