C4 Cactus high tide snafu...

C4 Cactus high tide snafu...

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jimbo_wa

Original Poster:

1 posts

57 months

Monday 12th August 2019
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Hi - whilst on holiday last week in Norfolk, we had an unfortunate incident whilst kayaking...



My 2015 Citroen C4 Cactus BlueHDI and another person's Fiesta were both immersed by high tide - there were plenty of cars parked around us when we left an hour earlier (we asked if they needed moving, turned out that the chap running the kayaking didn't have local knowledge).

The sea water was almost at the level of the front door sill of my car, and I had to carefully close the door to ensure none entered. I was able to drive out to dry land. The Fiesta was further down the hard standing and sea water had already entered the cabin, but was still able to be driven out.

I was able to pressure wash the underside of the Cactus on the way back to our holiday let. However, the next morning the near side rear wheel was seized and only moved freely after driving off 2-3m.

After a few days of local, short distance driving with no further problems we drove home. During the ~70 mile trip back, the rear end started resonating around 30-50mph. Took the Cactus into our local independent garage that services it and they confirmed that the rear wheel bearings were shot on both sides. They are being replaced tomorrow, the car hasn't been used since diagnosis.

Apart from the rear drum brakes (they'll check them out during the works), is there anything else I need to be aware of in terms of potential issues? I'm assuming as a diesel that there's no catalytic converter to worry about as the exhaust was definitely submersed. Although no water seemingly entered the cabin, there is a bit of a fishy niff so think there may be an air equalisation flap somewhere underneath?

The day before setting off the front disks and pads were replaced, so I'm hoping that they will be OK after the initial pressure washing...

M1C

1,834 posts

112 months

Wednesday 21st August 2019
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I think you have been very very lucky!

I would have wanted to have been very carefully and slowly towed out as to not risk getting any water in the turbo etc.

But hopefully you've been lucky there.