what to do if your car was flooded...dont start it, call the insurance

When Hurricane Ida pounded New Bailiwick of jersey concluding calendar week, thousands of vehicles were impacted. Flooding, whether caused by hurricanes or astringent storms, is the most common natural disaster in America, co-ordinate to Census.gov. And while yous may take successfully forged ascent flood waters, it doesn't mean that your vehicle is out of the woods. If floodwaters partially or fully submerge your car, information technology can mean extensive damage and costly repairs. Here's what to do after the waters recede.

Tin can a Motorcar exist Stock-still later on Being Flooded?

While in many cases y'all CAN get your vehicle fixed afterward flooding, it is a matter of how much it costs to gear up a overflowing-damaged machine compared to its insurance value. So earlier yous start guessing if it's worth fixing a flooded car, appraise the extent of the damage to your car.

• Check out the Damage - Survey the car's potential damage and annotation how high the water rose in your car. This will vary vehicle to vehicle. How high water has to be to flood a auto, truck, or SUV depends on your vehicle'southward ground clearance. Trucks and SUVs generally have higher footing clearance (the measured height from the ground to the bottom edge of the vehicle's undercarriage) and can forge water a sedan traditionally can't.


• Certificate & Photograph - Take plenty of pictures and/or videos of the inside and outside of the vehicle. Encompass every bending of the flooded motorcar. If you are planning on requesting a water damage machine insurance claim, yous should certificate the evidence as presently every bit possible.


• Open an Insurance Claim - Contact your insurance amanuensis as soon as possible. Since you can merits water damage on car insurance if you lot have comprehensive coverage, an adjuster would need to inspect the vehicle earlier approval flooded machine repair costs. If you aren't certain if your vehicle is covered or not, you should still open a claim with your insurance visitor. And submit early! In the event of a large natural disaster, information technology is likely many others will be submitting their claims as well, so go in before the rest.


• Dry Your Motorcar - If you lot collection through loftier waters and your vehicle is still running, allow it to dry out. Information technology is difficult to tell if you got water in your engine or if you accept water damage to the car's electrical organization. Driving with residual water in the engine or a faulty electrical system tin cause even more damage. Then, bring your car to a Flemington Motorcar & Truck Country authorized service center for a full evaluation of potential damage.


• Telephone call a Professional person - If your vehicle became submerged and the engine stopped, DO NOT endeavour to restart your car. Excess h2o can cause a multifariousness of problems to different aspects of your vehicle, including the engine, electric systems, fuel line, and filters. Instead, contact a towing service to get your vehicle towed to one of our Flemington Machine & Truck State dealership service centers for evaluation.


• Schedule an Engagement - Contact 1 of our Flemington Car & Truck Country service centers so a certified technician tin can assess the harm to all the mechanical components, including the engine, transmission, axles, brakes, and fuel system for h2o contamination. And in some instances, h2o exposure will not surface earlier than 90 days, when calculator and other electric components begin to corrode.

How Hard Is Information technology to Fix a Inundation-Damaged Auto?

Considering water damage is not always visible to the untrained eye, information technology is important for a factory-trained mechanic to inspect the vehicle as before long as possible. The technician will about probable begin by looking for the most immediate signs of engine damage. This will probable exist found in the engine oil and transmission fluid. By only checking the fluids with a dipstick you can run across if in that location has been exposure. Water volition make the transmission fluid look milky in consistency. Water in the oil pan volition dilute the engine oil every bit well.

If the vehicle was exposed to salt or muddy water, the corrosion from either can crusade rust inside components that will lead to further repair problems. Engines and electronics are not designed to handle these conditions, and the car will corrode and fail. That'south an expensive suggestion to remedy, and thus, the insurance visitor will often total a flood-damaged automobile. That'due south why it is all-time to have the vehicle to an authorized dealership for evaluation.

One time the extent of your vehicle'due south flood damage is determined, your insurance company volition weigh the costs to repair the vehicle against the cost of replacing it. If your automobile is totaled (considered a total loss) by the insurance company, be sure to review what that means with your insurance agent.

Whether your vehicle can be repaired after experiencing a flooding event, or deemed a loss by your insurance company, our team is here to help. Contact whatsoever of our Flemington Car & Truck Country family of brands serving NJ, PA, and NY to repair your vehicle or notice a replacement.

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Source: https://www.clintonhonda.com/what-should-i-do-if-my-car-gets-flooded.html

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