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- ChaddersP
- Member Since: 15 Sep 2026
- Location: North Scarle
- Posts: 46
Wade sensing!!
Folks I don’t have wade sensing which is in some ways disappointing especially as I thought it was standard?! I’ve read somewhere that when wade sensing is engaged. As well as a graphic representation of the water depth on the display, the air vents into the car close off to help prevent water entering the vehicle.
My question is if this is the case and I don’t have wade sensing, is there a possibility of water entering the vehicle via the air vents? And if so surely this is a design fault because the wading depth is a generic depth across the disco5 range (with air suspension)
Thanks
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- JonM
- Member Since: 30 Jun 2016
- Location: North Yorkshire
- Posts: 733

Wade sensing is the least useful gimmick on a D5. It looks flashy, but doesn't actually do anything useful.
It doesn't close off any vents, all D5's have the same wading depth regardless. If you go too deep, you'll float away and if water is going to get in, it will.
All wade sensing does is tell you how far up the side of the vehicle the water has got. You can tell that by looking out of the window.
What would be useful, but there is no way it can tell you, is how deep the water will get as you drive further in to it, whether there are any large boulders, tree trunks or potholes ahead under the water, or how fast it is flowing. Even quite shallow water can sweep a vehicle downstream if it is flowing.
My D5 has it, but I don't use it for any decision making about safely driving water crossings.
MY2026 D5 Metropolitan D350 - finally arrived after the cyber attack.
MY2022 D5 HSE D300 - sold....MY2019 D5 HSE SD6 - sold
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- ChaddersP
- Member Since: 15 Sep 2026
- Location: North Scarle
- Posts: 46
Thanks I had heard it was not as useful as it perhaps appears. I just like my gimmicks and toys I guess 😂
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- Wolfpack
- Member Since: 25 May 2019
- Location: Norfolk, UK
- Posts: 591

I’ve been through a few fords and unexpected floods in my time,, even stopped halfway across Holy Island causeway as tide was coming in to photograph Eider ducks out of the roof…much to the bewilderment of people sensibly stopped on the shoreline.
I actually started to feel the car move sideways as the tide lapped the doorsills…and that was the heavy D4…..soon high tailed it to the shore. Not a pleasant or sensible experience in hindsight.
I stay away from wading these days.
I am reminded of a retired RAF flight engineer who came to work for my company some years ago. When asked by one of the girls in the office to sponsor her for a tandem parachute jump he remarked….”anyone who jumps from a perfectly serviceable aircraft needs their head examining”.
I tend to feel that about needlessly taking cars through deep water. Probably getting too old.

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- ChaddersP
- Member Since: 15 Sep 2026
- Location: North Scarle
- Posts: 46
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- Mole HD
- Member Since: 19 Nov 2024
- Location: Orkney Islands
- Posts: 940

Yeah looks flash, watched it once on the centre screen the last time we had severely flooded roads up here... but it serves absolutely no practical purpose as Jon and Wolfie said. Just open the window and look out.
A short vid of it in action...not my vid I should stress.
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- Mole HD
- Member Since: 19 Nov 2024
- Location: Orkney Islands
- Posts: 940

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- Darras
- Member Since: 16 May 2020
- Location: Inverness
- Posts: 875
👍
Last edited by Darras on 24th Oct 2026 8:23 am. Edited 1 time in total
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- Mole HD
- Member Since: 19 Nov 2024
- Location: Orkney Islands
- Posts: 940

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- ChaddersP
- Member Since: 15 Sep 2026
- Location: North Scarle
- Posts: 46
That’s an interesting bit of info where are the air intake vents on the wings and are they lower than those on the bonnet. I wonder if the design by LR was deliberate and that they didn’t want or think a snorkel would look good or even work.
I knew the side (vents) were cosmetic cos I’m replacing mine with all black ones😊
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- Mole HD
- Member Since: 19 Nov 2024
- Location: Orkney Islands
- Posts: 940

Just check on yours where the trunking comes from that goes direct into the back of your air filter box...I think it's fed along inside the bonnet lid...but don't quote me on that, I've never actually looked.
Here's what's quoted online...
Quote:
The L462 Discovery 5 air vent intakes are located at the crease between the bonnet and both the bumper and headlight, drawing air into a plenum before it passes through a labyrinth in the bonnet to separate moisture.
...Just in case you were wondering like me WTF a 'plenum' is...I googled it.
Quote:
A condition, space, or enclosure in which air or other gas is at a pressure greater than that of the outside atmosphere.
So, it seems it was a clever and conscious design decision from Land Rover...which seems to work fairly well since I haven't seen any embarrassing online videos of D5's being hydro-locked after charging through village fords.
Last edited by Mole HD on 23rd Oct 2026 11:30 pm. Edited 2 times in total
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- JonM
- Member Since: 30 Jun 2016
- Location: North Yorkshire
- Posts: 733

MY2026 D5 Metropolitan D350 - finally arrived after the cyber attack.
MY2022 D5 HSE D300 - sold....MY2019 D5 HSE SD6 - sold
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- Mole HD
- Member Since: 19 Nov 2024
- Location: Orkney Islands
- Posts: 940

Love that article, Jon...almost as much as watching amateur video footage from the sadists who hang around all day at those village fords filming the victims.

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