Important
Avoid wading when possible
Volvo recommends that wading is done with great caution and avoided when possible. It can be difficult to accurately assess the water's depth and the strength of the current. The driver is always responsible for driving in a safe manner and in compliance with all applicable rules of the road.
Warranty not applicable
Any damage caused by flooding is not covered by the warranty.
If the engine stalls
Do not attempt to restart the engine if it stalls while wading. Have the car towed to a workshop1.
- If possible, determine how deep the water is before you start driving. Only attempt to drive through if you are confident it's shallow enough to safely wade through.
- Activate off-road to increase your car's ground clearance.
- The recommended deepest water level when wading is up to 45 cm (17 inches).
- Limit your speed to walking pace.
- Avoid wading in strong currents, especially if the water is deep enough to risk flowing over the car.
- Oncoming traffic can cause waves that increase how high the water reaches.
- If possible, avoid stopping when you're in the water. Carefully keep driving forward or reverse out of it.
- Avoid driving though saltwater as it can cause corrosion.
Warning
Wet brakes
The car's stopping distance is longer if the brake discs are wet. Driving through water exposes the brake discs to water, and possibly mud or other sediment. After wading, safely perform a hard braking manoeuvre to remove dirt and water from the brakes. By engaging the brake discs while driving, they heat up and dry.