Flood damaged your car? Here are the steps to restore it
- If your car caught the destructive waves of floods, don't worry. While a flooded vehicle can be considered a rather frightening affair, with proper care and attention, it is possible to restore it to its former glory.
Delhi-NCR has been at the mercy of relentless rain for the past week, and the fallout has been visible everywhere, traffic bottlenecks, submerged underpasses and entire stretches of roads swallowed by waterlogging. Beyond the daily grind being thrown off course, one of the bigger casualties of the deluge has been vehicles, many of them stranded in basements or left exposed in open parking lots.
For owners, a flood-hit car is often more than just an inconvenience, it’s the fear of unseen damage lurking in the electricals, the interiors or even the engine bay. Seeing water in a parked car can feel like the end of the line. However, the reality is, most vehicles can be saved and brought back to life by taking the appropriate steps and following the proper process.
It's important to know what to do. You need to know how to avoid the hasty decision to start the engine, how to enlist the help of a professional and understand what your insurance covers. Instead of panicking if you have had a flooding incident, take a deep breath and mentally walk through the course of action. A submerged car may seem discarded, but it doesn't have to be if treated correctly.
Avoid starting the engine
The most important thing to do in case of a flooded car is never to turn on the engine. This can cause severe internal damage, mainly in case water has gone into the engine or electrical systems.
Instead, open the doors of the car so that excess water is drained out. Open all the doors and windows to ensure proper ventilation. Do not have anything electrical switched on, including lights, radio, or even power windows.
Circulate air in the car to help dry faster with a portable fan. Let it be completely dried out before attempting to start again.
Seek professional assistance
While it may be tempting to try to set things right for your flooded car on your own, it is highly advisable that you turn it over to an authorised service centre. The reason is they have the necessary expertise and specialised equipment required to define the extent of the damage and undertake repair work if necessary.
Send the car to the workshop: The best thing to do will be to tow the car to the service centre so that it is handled with care and all complications are avoided. After all, trying DIY repairs on a waterlogged car may result in something irreversible with costly mistakes.
Disconnect the battery
Take out the battery terminals to avoid electrical damage while you perform the remaining operations. Locate the battery under the hood and move on by first disconnecting the negative terminal followed by the positive. This is to avoid electrical short circuits which can be dangerous.
Replace fluids
The sooner you act, the least amount of damage you will have in your flood-damaged car. First, remove the battery terminals to avoid any short circuits caused by electricity. Remove the battery and check on the water damage on the engine and other essential parts of the vehicle. If the engine and most of the major car parts are wet, tow the vehicle away to an authorised service centre so it can be professionally evaluated and repaired. Do not attempt to start the engine or activate any electrical systems to avoid causing further damage to your vehicle from the inside. Drain off excessive water, ventilate well, and replace all flooded fluids like engine oil, gearbox oil, or coolant. With this regard, the possibility of regaining its previous state is much higher when you attempt these above steps.
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Empty the fuel tank to ensure a clean, operational fuel system. Water contamination can affect both cylinders and fuel injectors or carburetors as well as other components. Drain the fuel tank, and then fill it up with fresh fuel after that. Once your fuel system has been cleaned, reconnect the battery terminals and slowly turn on the engine.
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