Jeep will not start after flooding. FIXED

[migyb]

Hi everyone,
(this will be quite a long post)

Thought I would make a post here before going to the dealership. Took my 3 little sisters out off-roading in a very muddy/watery area. Long story short, I try clipping an edge of a puddle with my driver side tire (because that is fun and it entertains my sisters (the youngest is 4yo). Right as I go over the puddle, land begins to collapse (maybe due to the weight of the Jeep?) and turned a fun off road trip to a nightmare. Water gushes in, driver side is tipped into the water while the passenger is still ok (water going in door seals). I get my sisters out (through passenger side windows)and made sure they were safe. My jeep however was partially submerged (driverside more than the passenger).

Jeep kept running as I was in the water but I feel like everything was shorting out. Lots of flashes on dash, error messages that I do not remember - ended up stalling while in the water. I hop out to comfort my sisters as this freaked them out.

My dad was in his rig but was quite a ways back from me. He ended up pulling me out, electricals were being wonky but I managed to get it back to park and attempted to start it. It started out fine and my dad noticed that water spewed out of the exhaust.

While cleaning up the tow strap we used to pull me out, the engine just stalled (after 5 mins or so of starting it). After this, it never started again and was stuck on ignition on/accessory on mode. We were rescued by 2 fellow jeepers who flat towed us from where we were to the main road (30 mins at least), from then on the jeep got towed back home. There was no way for me to turn off the ignition. It was stuck on ignition/accessory mode, no matter what I did to it. Normally I would just cycle through OFF/ACC/RUN, but it would not cycle.

I figured out how to cut the power to the jeep by removing both negative grounds of both batteries, (mainly the negative terminal of the aux battery). I had to put power back on as it was night time and needed as much visibility as possible. When I got home, my headlights were barely on, the battery has been depleting the entire day 7+ hours so I know for a fact it had little juice.

Main issue is we thought it was hydrolocked. Mind you, air filter was dry when I got home, plus that side of the vehicle was never submerged in water.

The next day I did an oil change, and oil was not milky and looked like what oil should look.
I took out spark plugs, they were bone dry.
I wanted to get starter to crank to see if any water shoots out of spark plug hole, but there was no way to get it to crank (no way that I know of). Remind you that the push button was not cycling through the OFF/ACC/RUN modes. We ran 125 PSI using an air compressor through the spark plug hole to simulate a starter engaging, nothing but air came out.

With the oil looking like normal oil, and no liquid coming out of spark plug hole (oil in dipstick looked normal to) I assume there is no water in the engine. (Which is good for me)

Are there other things to look out for to know if it is hydrolocked? or if water did get in?


Now, my jeep is in the carport. Even after anight of having all power cut from the vehicle, after connecting power again, it still thinks its on ignition on /accessory mode. Is there a way to do a hard reset on the Jeep? If I can get it back to off position, I may be able to use remote start or start it normally back again.

Update: The jeep is just now showing "Press brake + push to start engine" on dash. Nothing else is on. I follow the instructions and nothing. Sometimes it thinks its on accessory on/ignition on until I cut power again and it will just show "press brake + push to start engine" on dash.

What do I do?

Radio/ac fan uconnect all work. locks/key fob buttons dont work anymore.

jeep is being charged with trickle charger currently

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[sf5211]

I’m probably level 5 out of 10 mechanically but it seems more likely electronic than a mechanical problem.
Being that your getting a startup option (although not working yet) I think is positive.
You’ve already done what I’d have (battery disconnect)..
I say give it another day or two to completely dry out.

 

[fat_head]

All I know is this sounds expensive. Good luck!

 

[migyb]

I’m probably level 5 out of 10 mechanically but it seems more likely electronic than a mechanical problem.
Being that your getting a startup option (although not working yet) I think is positive.
You’ve already done what I’d have (battery disconnect)..
I say give it another day or two to completely dry out.

Thanks for your reply. After a day of just sitting and box fans blowing inside, it shows signs of promise. Radio functions normally and isn’t acting weird. Push start still don’t working. I’ll let it sit some more, and then some

will update!

 

[sf5211]

Thanks for your reply. After a day of just sitting and box fans blowing inside, it shows signs of promise. Radio functions normally and isn’t acting weird. Push start still don’t working. I’ll let it sit some more, and then some

will update!

Yea Miguel, it’s Monday morning, I’d say Wednesday. If you’re in this situation Wednesday then you probably have to make dealer arrangements.
Over the years as a plumber I’ve dropped cell phones, key fobs under water.( Although your Jeep is more intricate ) I’ve had them come back fully many times.

 

[limeade]

If it was hydrolocked, it wouldn't have run for the few minutes after your dad pulled you out. The engine would've locked up pretty quickly as water doesn't compress and you would've bent a rod, valve or something.

I would look through the engine compartment/front end for all of the electrical connectors which were submerged. I'd then take each one of those connectors apart and spray electrical contact cleaner in them, ensuring you get out any of the grit and grime from the muddy water. Once each connector is clean and dry, I'd then put Dielectric grease in each of the connectors and then re-connect them.

Also check the fuse box and all fuses to see if any water got in there. Check the firewall for any pass through connectors to the cab, clean those too.

It'll take some time, but hopefully you can get your electronics dried and cleaned out so they'll work normally.

 

[four low]

Use of a hair dryer to remove moisture from harness connectors, clean, reassemble as noted above. Even a little resistance in a circuit can cause problems, once its dried out, hope its good. What engine , ?

 

[AnebuR]

How high did the water reach on the driver's side? Our Jeeps are supposed to be able to ford 30" of water at 5mph, according to FCA specs.

 

[Big Hoss]

If the driver's side was deep enough in the water, your pcm may have been submerged. (It is located above the tire towards the front in the engine bay), This would explain a lot of the issues you are having.

 

[SwissSteph]

Bravo to you for not being totally panicked !

I'm not in the automotive business, but what is explained above makes a lot of sense and should really move the problem forward to a positive solution.

Unplug, dry, clean (+ dielectric grease) all connectors that may have been "underwater".

A long time ago I had a "YJ" and quite often in the mud (was I too young and therefore unconscious) ... I never had a problem.

Now that I've been several times lying under my YJ ... I am very, very afraid of what I saw with connectors, sensors everywhere and in places not at all protected from water or shocks, it's horrible what's left of the "Willys", of the "CJ" now. Or just one wire for the "+" and another for the "-".

In any case, cheer up and come back here to tell us if the problem decreases! If the problem is not "solved" ... Cleaned very well your JL inside and outside and go to the dealer, given the price of these vehicles, it's just incredible and abnormal that they can be broken for a "small amount" of water that would have exceeded by a few centimeters the famous "30" of crossing in water" so much highlighted in advertising or even on official websites.

 

[jeepdabest]

I still have a few issues.

 

[migyb]

I still have a few issues.

Shit thats tough. I thought my situation was bad but man... What happened?

 

[sf5211]

Hey Miguel, being this thread was reopened, how’d it work out? Did your Jeep dry out on its own or did you have to bite the bullet and hit the dealer?

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