Here's the story - I live in eastern Virginia, I just got about 2.5 feet of water (partially salt water too) in my yard and my garage from the big storm we just got. I was unable to get the S2000 out to higher ground in time, so I jacked and shimmed it up (front higher than the rear) so that hopefully it would stay mostly dry. I also put plastic bags over the exhausts and secured them with rubber bands.

The water got up to just above the bottom of the rims on the front, and close to the center of the rear wheels. The water did not get in the car, it stayed about 1 inch below the door sills.

Today I took a look - the engine bay was dry, the inside of the car (the floor) was dry, and I pulled the plastic bags off the exhausts and there was no water in there.

I tried starting it, all the lights came on the dash, but when I tried to start it nothing happened - no clicks, no starter - just silence. The Check Engine Light came on and stayed on. I turned everything off and tried again, but I got the same results.

I will be taking it to get checked out, but I was wondering if anyone has any ideas what the problem could be - am I totally screwed or might it be something simple?

Thanks for any help anyone can give.

 

Almost sounds like a coincidence since no water got in anywhere important, right?

 

Carpet's not wet at all?

Engine compartment's mostly waterproof so, I wouldn't worry too much about water there. I think you need to feel around on the floor in the passenger compartment for wet spots.

 

Sounds like a battery issue given the symptoms, "no clicks, no starter - just silence". Try to jump it first.

 

Pull the code.

 

verify there is no water in your intake, then jump start it and see what happens..

 

also check the oil make sure no water got in anywhere. maybe some water got into your cat or associated emission electronics?

 

Thanks to everyone who replied! I just went out and tried it again, I also tried a few more things:

1) brake lights came on, but were very weak
2) back up lights came on, also very very weak
3) headlights did not come on
4) radio would not turn on, head unit would not even do anything
5) battery terminals were nice and clean and attached well
6) no water or dampness inside, I even checked under the floor mats
7) no water in intake, no water or dampness on bottom of engine or behind the radiator
8) I thought I noticed that the dash lights got a little dimmer over the few minutes I had the key in.

I had driven the car on Thursday, but only for about 5 minutes - no problems. I will try jumping the car later tomorrow, there are still two more bad high tides due that I need to wait out. Oh, and the CEL didn't come on this time, except as part of the start up lights.

I really hope all that is wrong is the battery - if so I dodged a bullet. My last S2000 got drowned in a hurricane.

 

check the battery voltage and all the fuses. i wouldnt keep trying the car until further diagnostics. like a wet cellphone, sometimes if you let it dry out it will work after, where as trying to turn it on while wet may make more damage

 

Start with the battery