Auto news; Flood damage tips
Auto news; Flood damage tips Flooding can cause serious damage to a car. Here’s what you should be looking out for…
The horror floods that struck the UK in the summer of 2007 cost billions of pounds to clean up – and motorists didn’t escape lightly. Experts say the final bill for water-damaged cars topped £100million, and the effects are still being felt today.
In an average summer month, cover provider RBS Insurance usually deals with around 350 flood claims. However, in July 2007, it received more than 11,000 calls – including an incredible 3,900 in a single day.
The drivers hit by the floods would have experienced the devastating effect water has on modern cars. Around 75 per cent of the vehicles caught up in floods are written off and sent to the crusher, but some still make it back to forecourts – and it’s these you need to watch out for.
Problems
Water wreaks havoc with electrical components, and corrosion can lead to recurring problems long after the car has dried out. Sudden immersion can cause the honeycomb internals of catalytic converters to crack, while brakes and wheel bearings can be ruined. In addition, starter motors and alternators are likely to fail.
If water gets inside the engine, the issues are even more serious. Affected components will usually need replacing to guarantee they’ll be trouble-free – and it’s the cost of this which leads insurance companies to write off most vehicles affected by flooding. Obviously, the extent of the damage depends on how high the waters were. If it has come up to the axles, you’ll need to check the brakes and wheel bearings; if it gets as high as the window line, the entire engine compartment and interior will have been waterlogged – and the car is likely to be written off.
It’s not only the water that you need to beware of, either. Floods cause drains to back up and sewage works are often breached, mixing all manner of horrific contaminants with the water. Removing this will require the services of a professional cleaner. Silt and mud will embed itself into the interior fabrics, too, and if the water is salty, corrosion will be rife.
It’s vital your vehicle is inspected by a mechanic after a flood, as many of the problems will be hidden from view. However, there are a few things you can do yourself, such as cleaning the carpets and upholstery.
The best way to tackle flooding is to avoid it altogether. Move your car to higher ground if there’s a risk, don’t park near the shoreline, rivers or marshes, and never drive into water if you don’t know how deep it is.
HOW TO…
Drive through a flood:
Firstly, make sure you know how deep the water is and how fast it is flowing. Don’t follow a car through a flooded road – its bow wave will only make things worse. Instead, wait for the water to settle and drive through slowly at the highest part of the road (usually the centre).
Select a low gear and keep the revs high to stop water entering the exhaust. Once out, test your brakes.
Ensure you know where the air intake is on your car – sometimes they are lower to suck up cooler, dense air, but this makes them more susceptible to water ingress.
Spot a flooded motor:
Even to the trained eye, a flooded car can be difficult for a potential buyer to spot. However, experts from the leading recovery firms gave us the following tips – and all of them suggested carrying out a vehicle history check, too:
Rust buster Look for corrosion on screw heads and fixings in areas of the car which are usually sheltered from the elements.
Steamy windows If the vehicle’s glass has a tendency to steam up easily, it might be because of condensation from flooding.
Sniff test If there’s a strange smell inside, the fabrics (above) might have been soaked with filthy water.
Warp speed Look for ill-fitting or distorted interior panels – they may have been removed to dry the car. And it’s the same story for carpets.
Dirty job If there’s silt or fine sand in areas not readily accessible, it may have come in with flood water. Check below the dash and in small crevices.
Light saver Dash warning lights could point to electric gremlins as a result of water damage.
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