Dealing With Flooded Car Problems

A flooded car is a terrible thing. The adverse effect a flood can have on your car can be quite extensive. Sometimes, you might not even be aware of the problems until much later. The good news is some issues can be fixed without taking to a professional; but others will need expertise and can be costly.

Car Problems and Fixes

Listed below are some of the more common and most probable ones to occur and ways they can be taken care of, so you can attempt to salvage your car.

• Problem – Electrical systems malfunctioning. This should be obvious. Electricity and water don’t mix very well with each other, do they? Water and even something as harmless as a little moisture can damage the car’s electrical systems, leading to faulty or inoperable headlights, brake lights, audio systems, air conditioning; many other parts of the car

• Fix – This is just a simple matter of drying everything out before you attempt to start the car again. Clean all parts of the car (plugs, switches, everything) and then dry out the areas that can’t be reached. This can take a while so be prepared to wait it out.

• Problem – Caked and hardened mud. Drying a car out might solve many problems but sometimes, it can contribute to others. Mud might be lodged in many parts and drying the car out hardens the mud. Even worse, this mud could be in very hard-to-reach areas of the car.

• Fix – Again, it all boils down to cleaning. You must be as thorough as possible: The engine compartment, the underbody, in-between the panels in the trunk; all of them must be cleaned. If it’s necessary and convenient, use a damp cloth. Water can also be used  but very sparingly

• Problem – Mechanical issues and damage. The part of your car to most likely suffer mechanical damage is the engine first and foremost. The engine’s piston will by default attempt to compress any water that enters it and by so doing, damage the piston or even break its rods entirely.

• Fix – The first thing to do is check the condition of the engine. Doing this entails checking the oil dipstick for any signs of water damage (water droplets will be visible on it and oil will be more pale than black in color).

If there are signs of damage, then loosen the oil drain plug to allow clogged water to run off; change the oil and the filter too. And spray oil on the cylinders because that helps.

There are of course damages that are too extreme for you to handle; or damage that renders a car component completely unusable. If such is the case, then the component in question must be replaced. This may result in  engine repair or engine replacement.

More often than not though, a flooded car can be up and running again as long as it is properly cleaned and taken care of. It will take a while for everything to return to being functional, so patience is a must. You should absolutely get your car checked out by a qualified and experienced mechanic to be sure that everything is as it should be so you don’t end up with a bigger problem later down the road. Stop by or contact us today, let us help you!