Fully submerged 07 4runner in Freezing Kodiak River, Help

PAZZO

PAZZO

New member
HELP....
We luckly had our friend behind us when the road gave out and my wife and I dropped into a river at night here in freezing Kodiak, Alaska. The 4runner was instantly in a fast flowing Freezing cold river with water up to the middle of the windshield. We got a window open and got out because as soon as I put it in reverse everything died in the truck. we got it pulled out within 15 min or so. but the water inside the truck was already above the dash and the river was flowing through the windows.

I know we got lucky to have someone there to help us, we were in a really bad spot being up to my neck in freezing water hooking the truck up. The artic survival training helped me at least recgonize how bad tis was for us. It was a bad night and a lot of huddling together to get our heat back.

So now nothing works, after the second day i connected the battery and all hell broke out, the truck started turning over with no key in, water in dash, all lights, locks etc were going on and off. I figured the ecu is toast and that is why the truck won't engage the starter??

any ideas, and hopefully the insurance will cover this.
I figure I will need:
all fluids
ecu
starter, maybe
alternator
dash
seats
motors and wiring for all windows and doors
wire harnesses in eng compartment
headlights, taillights, blinkers

haghhhhhhh, anyone been through this before? what was changed out?

thank you and hope none of you have to deal with this
 
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This has never happened to me, I am just glad to hear everybody is ok. As for the 4runner, I'd say hopefully it will be totaled by insurance. There will be gremlins from here out if they decide to fix it.
 
that would be done and done. if the engine turned when there was h2o in the cylinders your rig will likely need a new engine.
 
Don't try to start that truck! pull all the spark plugs and tow the truck a hundred feet or so and it'll turn the motor over and spit out the water in the compression chamber or you could lock it up. Look up hydrolock

It'd really wait for everything to dry out more. most likely the ecu is dead and possibly some smaller controllers/switches. Most of the engine connectors are waterproof now, so that shouldn't be a big deal.

It's probably something the insurance would total out not knowing the extent of the damage.
 
I'd say to total it, collect the money, then look at another new/used one.....with as many things that have already gone wrong, replacing/fixing them could lead to even bigger problems down the road (if that's even possible at this point).

That way you know everything is working correctly, especially if the engine is a goner, ECU is potentially fried. Glad you/everyone else got out safely, though!
 
Glad you lived to tell. Sounds like you weren't expecting it to be so deep. I know river crossing is the norm around there. You got any pix? AK is about as far away as you can get from me.

In terms of the rig - it's forked! Ive see rigs swin and they are never the same after all that water.
Try honesty with your IC.
 
Last edited:
pics

i wish i was thinking about that, but the camera was next to the phone and glock underwater. Only the glock works now
 
snowbrdr033 said:
I'd say to total it, collect the money, then look at another new/used one.....with as many things that have already gone wrong, replacing/fixing them could lead to even bigger problems down the road (if that's even possible at this point).

That way you know everything is working correctly, especially if the engine is a goner, ECU is potentially fried. Glad you/everyone else got out safely, though!
Click to expand...
I see you have LED interior swap, does that mean interior bulbs? as in dome light, personal light etc. I have a 2003 and want to have the LED interior lights, what about the exterior? By that I'm guessing the LED taillights? If so how hard was that? Just un do the connectors & un bolt it and re do the connectors & bolt the LED one back in?
 
PAZZO said:
I want to know if i say we were offroad heading to a camp site, had to cross a stream, would that be covered? or do i need to say i was on the road?
Click to expand...

It doesn't seem like that should matter; if you have comprehensive, I'd think that would cover activities, on or off road, where the damage wasn't intentional. Also, if you were on an established trail, that's kind of a road, some are just better maintained than others, right?
 
PAZZO said:
HELP....
We luckly had our friend behind us when the road gave out and my wife and I dropped into a river at night here in freezing Kodiak, Alaska. The 4runner was instantly in a fast flowing Freezing cold river with water up to the middle of the windshield. We got a window open and got out because as soon as I put it in reverse everything died in the truck. we got it pulled out within 15 min or so. but the water inside the truck was already above the dash and the river was flowing through the windows.

I know we got lucky to have someone there to help us, we were in a really bad spot being up to my neck in freezing water hooking the truck up. The artic survival training helped me at least recgonize how bad tis was for us. It was a bad night and a lot of huddling together to get our heat back.

So now nothing works, after the second day i connected the battery and all hell broke out, the truck started turning over with no key in, water in dash, all lights, locks etc were going on and off. I figured the ecu is toast and that is why the truck won't engage the starter??

any ideas, and hopefully the insurance will cover this.
I figure I will need:
all fluids
ecu
starter, maybe
alternator
dash
seats
motors and wiring for all windows and doors
wire harnesses in eng compartment
headlights, taillights, blinkers

haghhhhhhh, anyone been through this before? what was changed out?

thank you and hope none of you have to deal with this
Click to expand...
I would most likely total it, it would be very very expensive to get it going again. I would take the $ and find a new one, I know its hard to move on but if I did you can to. (my 98 was totaled in a accident)
 
Total it out. If this were a 78 Ford Bronco with a total of 2 electrical sensors and 0 computers, then all you would need to do is pull the plugs and let the dang thing sit in a garage for a week..

Modern cars.. all those sensors. Computers. Electrical bits. Even if you get it running again, you will be dealing with the nightmares of electrical ghosts everywhere.


Find out the coverage you have. Comprehensive Coverage usually covers acts of god, meaning things out of your control. Flooding is a big one.

That said. Where were you? If you made this accident occur, a.k.a offroading, they might try to balk. You told us the road gave way, that is a cover able expense.

You are allowed to drive you vehicle where you want. Driving INTO a river offloading might void your coverage, but driving on a back road that gives way should be fine.

Remember. You don't need a police report with comprehensive converge. So, tailor your story to help. The road gave way. That is it. I was driving out to my cabin (etc.) and the old road shifted and I went in the river. That sounds like an accident to me.
 
Edit: I see you live in Alaska. Any insurance company that does business in Alaska has to expect this type of stuff to happen. Alaska is nothing but dirt, back country roads.

(I love Alaska, fyi.)
 
true
i was told i was covered, but is it better to get it covered from my comp or my collission. I was told by my insurance comp i could use either.

I have both
 
20034RunnerV84x2 said:
I see you have LED interior swap, does that mean interior bulbs? as in dome light, personal light etc. I have a 2003 and want to have the LED interior lights, what about the exterior? By that I'm guessing the LED taillights? If so how hard was that? Just un do the connectors & un bolt it and re do the connectors & bolt the LED one back in?
Click to expand...


Yep, I do. Just PM'ed you a bunch of info.
:guitar3:
 
Glad you and your wife are ok. Yeah, water everywhere isn't good. Having it totaled would be best. Not only electrical gremlins, but rust and mold. Unless you are the ultimate DIYer and get her back to running order

Good luck!
 
i would definitely total it because eventually over time rust and corrosion is going to set in and start messing new things up. I would take all your upgrades off if you have any and just get a new/used one. I think it would be worth the hassle/pain in the long run. Glad to hear you guys are okay. That'll be a great story for the grandkids :reddance:
 
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