Before taking the plunge…

OIL and water don’t mix. During the rainy season, check and maintain your vehicle’s lubrication.

We may count ourselves lucky that we only have two seasons—the dry and the rainy seasons—to worry about. The downside to having just two of them? At their height, the weather conditions go to the extremes. At its hottest, the summer, or dry season, can be stiflingly hot. At its wettest, the rainy season can bring heavy rains. And where there’s torrential rain, there are floods.

It has been two years since the nightmare of “Ondoy,” when an estimated 14,000 motor vehicles were inundated, sending them back to the repair shops, and setting their owners back tens of thousands of pesos.

Motorists know that the only place water is allowed anywhere near a car’s engine is in the radiator. When a motor vehicle is flooded at a certain level, numerous vital systems can be destroyed. These include the steering components (which require lubrication), the electronics (which controls most internal functions of cars nowadays), the transmission (both automatic and manual), braking systems, wheel bearings and possibly CV [constant velocity] joints. Damages to these can cost the vehicle owner tens of thousands of pesos.

The bad news is, as we enter a potentially nasty rainy season for 2011, there promises to be no short supply of typhoons dumping strong winds and heavy rains on the archipelago. The good news is, we still have our brains to enable us to think things through before driving over that flooded street or river and risking our money, lives and vehicles. Here are some driving tips during heavy rains and floods.

1.) Take the familiar route. Assuming you haven’t been driving blindfolded all this time, you must know by now which streets and highways are generally spared from deep floods. When heavy rains do come, it’s wise to take that route instead of making detours on unfamiliar roads and alleyways. Remember, it’s much better to get stuck in traffic in a high place than to get stuck in floods in a low one.

2.) Observe other vehicles crossing or traversing a flooded street. How deep can your vehicle safely wade through floodwater? A general rule of thumb is that the floodwater should not exceed half of your car’s tires. And you don’t have to alight from your vehicle and slosh in floodwater to measure the flood’s depth. Ferman Lao of Speedlab in Quezon Avenue offers this tip: If the sidewalk is already breached by the floodwater, it’s best to turn back, especially if you’re driving a low-slung sedan.

3.) Check your electrical systems after crossing deep floods. Fog lamps, because of their position close to the ground, are more vulnerable to electrical malfunctions caused by water breach. Another key component that may be more vulnerable to floods is the alternator. Have it checked as well.

4.) Oil and water don’t mix. During the rainy season, it would be best if motorists have their vehicles’ lubrication checked and maintained. Oil and grease must be maintained where they are most needed—and where they are most likely affected during the rainy season: at the ball joints, tire rods and other moving parts aside from the engine.

Inside the engine, oil is the lifeblood, as well. Hundreds of parts inside the engine move simultaneously and in harmony because of movable metal bearings that require oil as lubrication, Car Care and Maintenance writers Dam and Judy Ramsey describe.

Lao reveals that a new, water-resistant oil has been introduced. He says that this new oil would not be washed out even after the car is submerged in floods.

“It’s a chemical called Darathene that you can spray on electrical motors, electronics and electrical connectors before you drive through floods. It displaces water and temporarily allows electrical components to function when wet,” explained Lao, who has tried the chemical on his shop. “It’s cheap insurance than having parts replaced, but it is still advisable to have your car checked after being submerged in floods. Since you know that it’s already the rainy season, have a service shop spray your electrical connections with this,” he stressed.

5.) Check your batteries and electrical components even before the rains, advised veteran mechanic Olson Camacho, owner of Project O in West Avenue in Quezon City.

Pay special attention to the battery simply because it is your car’s electrical power source. The battery powers the starter, computer, radio and other important components. It is recharged by the alternator. According to the Ramseys, every time you open the hood, perform a quick visual inspection of your car’s battery to help you identify problems that could leave you stranded. Look for the following potential problems: obvious damage to the battery case; corrosion at the terminals or cables; loose cables on the terminals; and liquid. When you see any of these things on your battery, go to your auto electrician for assistance.

A GENERAL rule of thumb is that the floodwater should not exceed half of your car's tires.

Another part that should merit equal attention is the ECU. Acclaimed female auto repair expert Deanna Sclar, author of “Auto Repair for Dummies,” explains that a car’s electrical system includes several subsystems that provide your vehicle with that vital spark that makes it start and then keeps it running. It’s one of the many systems on a vehicle that’s monitored and controlled by a “super computer” called the engine control unit (ECU). It is the ECU, or what we Pinoys simply call the computer box, that gave many motorists headaches and restless commuter nights as part of the aftermath of the Ondoy tragedy. Make sure to know where your car’s ECU is, and never get it into contact with floodwater.

6.) Give the rains a brake. As a responsible and thinking motorist, you should know that braking on the dry and braking on the wet get different results. During rains or slippery conditions, anticipate stopping situations well enough in advance to be able to slow down. In slippery conditions or situations that call for slowing down rather than stopping, Sclar advised that if you have traditional brakes (meaning, brakes with no anti-lock systems), instead of jamming on your brakes and screeching to a halt, pump your brake pedal to reduce speed and avoid sliding.

“If the road is slippery and your vehicle is equipped with ABS, don’t pump the brake pedal; simply apply firm, steady pressure and keep steering,” she instructs.

7.) Be wary of your tires. Your tires are your car’s only contact to the road. Check the physical condition of the tires in any season. Excess wear can indicate improper inflation, suspension system misalignment or road damage. Visually inspect the condition of your car’s tires at least once a week for optimum service. The Ramseys remind motorists to check tire pressure for proper inflation regularly. Also check the tire treads, check for uneven wear and the sidewalls.

8.) Car breakdown causes. According to auto expert Steve Rendle, author of “The Car Book,” here are the 10 most probable causes of car breakdowns: a flat tire or damaged wheels; faulty battery; broken alternator; starter motor failure; ignition distributor cap or rotor arm problems; no fuel or improper fuel used (may include fuel contaminated with water); damage to clutch cables, faulty spark plugs; faulty ignition HT leads (the HT leads connect the spark plugs to the coil); and a leaking cylinder head gasket.

Most of these breakdowns can be caused by driving through floods. It’s best to think things twice, indeed, before taking the plunge. What may otherwise be a blessing from the sky can render you powerless and immobile from below.