[GTO]

Water Wading and Bow Wave test

The Ford Fiesta was put through intense water wading tests that includes leaving the car in .45 meter depth of water for eight hours, a typical situation in Indian monsoons, to check for leaks and functionality. In addition, Fiesta was also put through a bow wave test that ensures water from waves caused by passing traffic don't affect it when parked in water-logged areas.

The key word here is parked. They dont say anything about driving through floods, but only about the car being stationary.

[planet_rocker]

@ vid - i have received your PM. i will co-ordinate with Kolkata gang and see what we can do about it. in the mean time ask your uncle to tell the ford guys not to start working on the engine. let us check it out in person. there are a few non-ford-garages who are quite good in terms of reliability.

[namit]

Originally Posted by vid6639

Namit that's an excellent find. Just what I was looking for. Thanks for the effort

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

I had this feature at the back of my head bcoz of my research for Fiesta vs Aveo at the time of my purchase.

Its all pleasure if it can actuate you in geting your car sorted out without you bearing any expenses.

Also GTO is right that the point is 'PARKED in water' but anyways fight with full conviction and who knows you may get compensated in some way.

All the best !!

[sbasak]

Sorry to hear the incident. But thruout the world, manufacturers are devising ways to refuse payout/repair under warranty. Hope Ford will ultimatly pay out. Team-bhp is strong enough to give them a rough time.

Slight off topic

In September 2006, there was torrential rains in Kolkata. One early morning (at 5 AM), I had to catch a flight. Me and my dad started in our Alto but the all the city was under water. We couldn't even go beyond 1 km from our house in the Alto. The water entered to the car's footwell and engine started groaning. The water was over a foot deep. The battery and check engine light came on the dash. We then put the car back to garage and started looking for a taxi. Unfortunately, there wasn't one! I had to walk half kiometer on knee deep water with a suitcase. Then finally got a taxi who was willing to drop me at airport for Rs 300 (just 10 km from my home). The Ambassador travelled like a speed boat over water. At a place (near Jessore Road bridge), the water touched brink of car's seat! I sat on the back seat of the Ambassador with my legs folded over the seat. The passers by was asking us and the driver to stop the car because they said "you can't go in car over waist deep water". The driver decided to take a chance, the water touched the lower part of the headlight of the Ambassador. He drove the car at full rev ofer 3 minutes thru that waist deep water.
What a surprise.... the car crossed the waterlogged road with flying colors! I reached the airport in time. Later the driver told me that even he was nervous over driving waist deep water.

The moral of the story, 50-year old design will last another 50 years!

[Vid6639]

I hope my uncle doesnt read that. I made him buy the fiesta when he wanted to buy only an Amby.

[Jaggu]

diesel normally aspirated non ecu engine with air filter on top of the engine can indeed do lot of stuff

[spadival]

Originally Posted by GTO

The key word here is parked. They dont say anything about driving through floods, but only about the car being stationary.

A bit of semantics here.. How can you wade thru water if you are "parked" (i.e. stand still) ????? I think the parked car reference is for the bow wave test.

Either way, They cant escape providing warranty cover, considering that they have advertised this so called "feature" of the car surviving .45 meter depth of water for eight hours. They need to provide warranty cover or its a case of fraudulant advertising.

[Vid6639]

Good point noted spadival. Also why would I want the car to be safe parked. Does that mean when there is also waterlogging I should stop the car in the flooded place being rest assured that my car will still work since it's parked within the limits? Then wait for the water to dry up before driving off again. Sounds a bit silly if it's parked.

[nevertouchme]

Vid,

I guess this might help you. I found this article from one of the Auto Mag's.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ford India Launches nationwide TOLL FREE Customer Care Number.

A new Initiative by Ford service, the Nationwide Toll free number will provide Ford Customers 24/7 access to Ford Customer relationship personnel.

Customers with BSNL & MTNL connections can Dial 1-800 - 425 - 2500 to reach Ford. [CRC - Customer Relationship Center]

Other subscribers can Dial 60002500 with the STD code of the state capital prefixed to the number.

Ford Customers also can write to custmail@ford.com.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cheers,
Jai

[lohithrao]

Originally Posted by vid6639

Recently it rained in Kolkata and he was coming back home from work. There was a patch of road which was slightly waterlogged. All car's were going through with out any problems. He says the water was just till his calf. The driver did the half clutch and took it in first gear revving the car throughout. In between the car got stuck. They tried to start the car but it din't start. they pushed it out of the water and the ford guys were called. They towed the car back and said water has gone in the engine. My uncle tried telling them that the water wasn't deep. There was a WagonR in front and my uncle says the exhaust of that car wasn't under water. They have just done the estimate and have given the estimate attached below.

Biggest mistake, if the car stops one should not attemp starting it. if he/she does then it will ruin the engine.

Last month even i had to go through knee deep water, luckily dint get stuck. but after getting back home i dint use the car for few days. resulting in alternator bearings failing. was told by *** guys that its recomnded that we run the car well.

coming back to the topic, when i had go to the Whitefield honda to collect my car. came to know that a Accord had got stuck in the water and the driver tried to start the engine which damaged the engine. the owner had to shell out couple of lakhs.

Golden lesson, when stuck in water dont attemt to start the car.
Secondly if you have driven through water then make sure that you drive it for some kms. just to ensure that the water has dried up.

good luck

[lohithrao]

Originally Posted by sbasak

In September 2006, there was torrential rains in Kolkata. One early morning (at 5 AM), I had to catch a flight. Me and my dad started in our Alto but the all the city was under water. We couldn't even go beyond 1 km from our house in the Alto. The water entered to the car's footwell and engine started groaning. The water was over a foot deep. The battery and check engine light came on the dash. We then put the car back to garage and started looking for a taxi. Unfortunately, there wasn't one! I had to walk half kiometer on knee deep water with a suitcase. Then finally got a taxi who was willing to drop me at airport for Rs 300 (just 10 km from my home). The Ambassador travelled like a speed boat over water. At a place (near Jessore Road bridge), the water touched brink of car's seat! I sat on the back seat of the Ambassador with my legs folded over the seat. The passers by was asking us and the driver to stop the car because they said "you can't go in car over waist deep water". The driver decided to take a chance, the water touched the lower part of the headlight of the Ambassador. He drove the car at full rev ofer 3 minutes thru that waist deep water.
What a surprise.... the car crossed the waterlogged road with flying colors! I reached the airport in time. Later the driver told me that even he was nervous over driving waist deep water.

The moral of the story, 50-year old design will last another 50 years!

WOW, Amazing.

Have heard that diesel engines perform better in these situations? dont know how true it is.

[Sudipto-S-Team]

This most definitely sounds like a con job. I am sure Ganges is flooded with piston and con rod stocks and wants to clear it. Go to a non-Ford garrage. I think Sanjay Ghosh runs one of the most dependable independent garrages that doesn't have any affiliation with anyone.
He should konw Fords well. His personal vintage Ford wins the best maintained car trophy every year at Statesman VC Rally. He charges more than the average non-branded garrages but he is very dependable.
If you want to talk to him over the phone for his opinion I suppose you can. Let me know.
But I wanted to know where is the car right now? And how do you propose to move it from Hyde Road? If it has to be towed, that itself will cost a lot. No?

[suman]

Originally Posted by Sudipto-S-Team

I think Sanjay Ghosh runs one of the most dependable independent garrages that doesn't have any affiliation with anyone.

Is he really a diesel engine specialist, I'm not so sure?

I would, personally speaking, not take a car under warranty to a non-Ford workshop. If it can be proved that Ganges Ford are taking Vid's uncle for a ride (which most of us seem to agree they are), I would threaten to sue their *** off and put pressure through the company & get the repairs done in the Authorized service center itself.

But this is my personal opinion - I'll wait for P_R & others to pay a visit to Ganges Ford, lets hope something useful comes out of it; and I would think Vidyut's letter to Ford should also elicit some kind of response

[anandpadhye]

Can the Turbo Charger be guilty of forcing water into the engine through air-intake?

How low is the TC located?

It may help to read Shivsumana's case where he took detailed snaps of the car and engine and created a detailed report from a third party.

Looks like TBHP is going to have to help out here.

I don't have the knowledge or "pull" (read contacts) to help in this case but my thoughts are with you.

It our childhood dream to own and drive a lovely car and dream should not be broken.

[Zappo]

Hmmmm... that it is a con-job looks almost certain unless vidyut missed something while describing the scenario. My worry is how do you know your engine now that it has been dismantled? The workshop will have hundreds of damaged parts from various cars. Just to prove their case they can change parts and present it as the one under check.

I think the best way to deal with this scene is to bring in enormous pressure on them. P_R and the gang can visit the workshop. Put their most knowledgeable sounding guy (there will be one whom they will present to push their case) under most excruciating scrutiny. Take some photographs etc... Also, tell them that you are getting Ford engineers in besides some independent engineers to inspect this case of how some 10-12 inches of water that does not even reach half the wheel hubs level can damage the engine so severely. Without mincing word tell them that something is wrong. Either they are wrong and in that case they make just rectify whatever small is wrong and we may think of dropping the case. Or else it will have to be the Ford guys who will do the questioning since Ford assures about the water wading capabilities of the Fiesta. You can even unfurl the site page at that time.

If required some members can even call them up, if possible from Chennai or Mumbai, and posing as some big AutoMag or may be some auto body or federation tell them that they have recieved the "wierd case of a ford that stopped all of sudden in 10 inches of water and now facing a claim of failed engine. That it is being taken up at the appropriate levels and that they wanted to confirm it once from Ganges that the case is indeed of failed engine". The idea being put the fear of the god in them. Let them get a feeling that they bit off a larger chunk than what they can swallow. When so many different unrelated people start getting involved it causes the con guys to get apprehensive. And that helps. They may even retract under pressure.