How poor road conditions can damage your Land Rover

Here in Sussex we’re blessed with beautiful countryside and rural roads. Although scenic routes make for a picturesque driving experience, they can also wreak havoc on the health of your Land Rover. To help you avoid any unnecessary damage and save you from costly Land Rover repairs we’ve put together this blog on how to adapt your driving to certain road conditions.

Flooding
Driving through water over 15cm (6 inches) has the potential to cause extensive and costly damage to your Land Rover, and can put your life at risk.

Be cautious of your air intake
Land Rover Defenders, or similar models may have raised air intakes ‘snorkels’ which allow them to drive through deeper water. However, if you own a Range Rover, or Land Rover with an air intake at the front of the engine bay you do not have this luxury... It will only take a small amount of water sucked into the engine to cause serious damage, which is usually more severe if your vehicle is a turbo-charged diesel.

Avoid damage to the exhaust system
If driving through floodwater slip the clutch and rev the engine, and avoid changing gears in order to avoid water being sucked through the Land Rover’s exhaust into the cylinders. The catalytic converter (part of the exhaust system) can be at risk of cracking if exposed to very cold water temperatures, so if possible avoid deep flooded areas and try to seek alternative routes.

Test your brakes
After passing through a flooded area it’s important to test the brakes on your Land Rover to ensure everything is still working as it should. Test them lightly before you pick up speed, and dry them out by touching the brake pedal lightly as you drive.

Avoid losing control of your Land Rover
Although costly repairs are something no Land Rover owner wants to face, nothing quite compares to the importance of keeping you and your passengers safe. We advise that you never enter flood water over 15cm, especially not when it’s moving. If you do have to pass through a flooded area wait for approaching vehicles to clear the water, and drive through slowly in a low gear to avoid creating a bow wave. One of the biggest threats of flooded road surfaces is aquaplaning, where your Land Rover’s tyres lose contact with the road, and subsequently you lose steering control. If you do experience this hold the steering wheel lightly and lift off the throttle until your tyres regain grip.

Potholes
Potholes can cause a great deal of damage to your Land Rover. A particularly nasty one has the power to not only damage your Land Rover’s tyres beyond repair, but to cause problems with your axles and suspension too. To find out more about how to avoid damage from potholes have a read of last week’s blog from Bognor Tyre and Exhaust.

We’re here when you need us…
As the South Coast’s leading independent Land Rover specialist we’re always happy to do our bit when it comes to keeping your Land Rover at its best and helping you stay safe on the road. If you should have a problem with your Land Rover just give us a call to find out how we can help you.