Car Water Damage

Everyone hates water damage. Most of the time when you hear water damage you think of your home being flooded.

But what do you do if your car is flooded? Here we will give you some insights on what to do when you are unfortunately encounter car water damage.

Damage to a car can be more than just from a collision. One of the worst can be car water damage. Car water damage is a serious occurrence. You should be aware of what can occur to your vehicle if it is submerged in water or filled with rain water. Water damage may not seem as bad as a collision but that is not the case. You also need to make sure you have the proper insurance for this type of damage.

If you suspect water damage you need to be careful before considering driving the vehicle. The first thing that needs to be checked on is the engine and transmission fluids. You can use your dipstick to do this. The presence of water will be indicated by milky, beige, or diluted appearance. If this is the case, you cannot drive the vehicle. You need to have it towed to a mechanic’s shop.  Driving with water in these fluids can cause severe damage. A minor problem will become a serious one. The mechanic can drain the fluids and replace them.

The braking system will also not react well to resting in water for a long period time. Brakes have fluids. These fluids will have to be replaced. The whole system will have to be completely dried out and possibly replaced. You should not drive on brakes that have been exposed in a prolonged manner to water. You need to have a mechanic look at them right away. The whole system will need re greased and lubed.

Probably the area one would most think of with water damage is the interior. Your problems are not solved just because the material seems dry on the surface. Water can be found deeper into the material and stay there. The result can be a musty and mildew smell that will permeate the car for the rest of its life. This can be an annoyance as well as unhealthy. Usually the whole interior that is affected will need to be replaced.

Water damage can render a vehicle almost unusable. This is why you should make sure you carry insurance coverage that will cover water damage. You will want to have comprehensive coverage. Comprehensive coverage covers damage other than collisions. As discussed, collisions are not the only thing that can happen to a vehicle.

Comprehensive coverage will cover water damage. The insurance company might choose to have things just repaired or replaced. However, water damage can be so potentially troublesome that many insurance companies will just declare the vehicle totaled. Declaring a vehicle totaled means that it is unusable. It is not worth it for the insurance company to have it repaired. The insurance company will replace the vehicle.

You may think that flooding and water damage could never happen to your vehicle and do not want to have the insurance coverage. It is not worth the risk to not have it because if your car is damaged by water you may be left with an unusable and unsafe vehicle.

Make sure that if you do experience water damage that you contact your insurance company right away. It is advisable not to drive the vehicle. Have it towed to the mechanic.