A car for sale has had "storm water damage". What is the worst that I can expect?
What is the worst thing (or most expensive) repair i could potentially end up having to do on this car if i buy it?
Experienced mechanics share their insights in answering this question :
Hi there. The worst thing you could run into is having to replace everything electrical that came into contact with the water. You could also have a vehicle that was removed quickly enough to avoid many of the water intrusion problems that occur. However, you wont know until it happens and there is no way to predict what can and will happen. A good thorough inspection by a qualified technician may help uncover any potential hazards that may be lurking under the carpet and behind the dash. YourMechanic has several technicians available that can assist you with a pre-purchase inspection for some peace of mind on the purchase.
How to Identify and Fix Common car Problems ?
Our sources include academic articles, blog posts, and personal essays from experienced mechanics :
Water can ruin electronics, lubricants, and mechanical systems. It may take months or years, but corrosion can find its way to the car`s vital electronics, including airbag controllers. Consumers need to carefully inspect any used car before buying one (or pay a mechanic to do it).
CARFAX, a company that supplies vehicle history reports, estimates that as many as 385,000 vehicles were damaged or destroyed in the storm in Florida and the Carolinas. Now there`s concern among some that these flooded cars may hit the market in other places.
Look for things like a musty interior odor, loose carpeting (or carpeting that doesn`t match), rust around the doors or inside the hood and trunk, and fog in the interior lights or instrument panel.
Typically when the vehicle is using a lot of water it`s because you`re using water instead of coolant. Coolant is designed to heat up, while water will evaporate much quicker when the temperature rises inside your motor. It is recommended to use a ratio of 50 percent coolant to 50 percent distilled water.
A flooded engine has too much petrol and not enough oxygen. This wets the ends of the spark plugs and they won`t ignite the fuel.
A simple way to detect water in used motor oil is to put a drop of oil from the dipstick on a hot exhaust manifold. If it crackles (sounds like bacon frying) this is an indication of water contamination. Beware that there is some risk that the drop of oil may catch fire.
During last year`s storm season, Hurricane Ian`s floodwaters evacuated a multimillion-dollar McLaren P1 hypercar from its owner`s Florida garage, the waves whipping it against nearby trees and other obstacles before receding.
Moment a million-dollar McLaren sports car was washed away by Florida floodwater. The moment a newly purchased $1m McLaren P1 was swept down the street in Naples by flood waters was caught on camera, as the Category 4 Hurricane Ian blasted through Florida.
By design, water can get into the inside of your car`s doors, either from rain or from splashing by passing cars on wet roads. Normally, any water that gets into the door will drain out onto the road — but the door`s drain holes can become clogged, too.
Water dripping from your car happens when the AC system produces condensation, which starts to drip and form a puddle when you park your car, near the back of the engine housing.
A few drops of water leaking from underneath your car is most often a normal occurrence. When it`s uncomfortable outside and you have the A/C on full blast to keep you from melting into a puddle on the sidewalk, your cooling system is working harder than normal.
How long can you leave a water bottle in a hot car? Ideally, don`t leave a water bottle in a hot car for more than a couple of hours. Within this time period, some chemicals may leach from the plastic into your water, but not enough to have any health effects.
If the flood waters reached the bottom of the doors, then odds are your engine is fine. Water may have reached as high as the oil pan, so let the underside dry for a few hours at least, and then try an engine start.
After driving through water, your vehicle may not start. Often this is because of wet sparks plugs, an electrical short in the ignition system, or the engine has locked because of water inside. You can investigate and try to dry it out, but your best bet is to call a mechanic.
If a mechanic has diagnosed your engine as seized, unfortunately, there are few options readily available to you. Depending on the severity of the damage, most mechanics will suggest a complete replacement rather than attempt a repair.
If your vehicle won`t start, it`s usually caused by a dying or dead battery, loose or corroded connection cables, a bad alternator or an issue with the starter. It can be hard to determine if you`re dealing with a battery or an alternator problem.
Whether you use synthetic or regular oil, if the spark plug is coated with too much oil and is unable to provide the spark required for the combustion process, the car will not start.
Motor oil turns milky brown when its been contaminated by water. Most vehicle coolant systems use a blend of water and antifreeze – and if the coolant system is allowed to leach into the engine oil, that tells us that an engine gasket has failed.
After you let the Oil+Water bottle sit for 10 minutes you should have observed the oil and water starting separating again almost immediately, and after another 10 minutes there was once again two distinct layers in your bottle.
In Florida, selling cars with flood damage is legal as long as the dealer discloses it to the buyer.
YouTuber Buys Flooded McLaren P1 Hypercar for $575,000 and Nothing Works | Hemmings.
The Gibbs Aquada is the World`s very first High-Speed Amphibious car, capable of over 100mph (160km) on land and over 30mph (48km) on water. This amphibious car is a bit different than previous vehicles listed, due to its innovative retractable wheels.
The $70 million 250 GTO, sold in 2018, is widely rumored to have been purchased by billionaire David MacNeil, the founder of WeatherTech. This company produces car floor mats and other automotive accessories.
Relevant Questions and Answers :
the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue
Water was spilled in the trunk which soaked the car battery. Car won’t start now. Does water destroy a car battery?
ANSWER : Hi, thanks for writing in about the concern with the BMW 320i. If the battery was submerged in water then it’s completely possible for the battery to short out and die. Your friend will need to have the battery replaced. Also be sure to get all of the water out of the trunk. Have a certified technician, like one from YourMechanic, help you guys out if you need assistance with replacing the battery. Good luck.
car is overheating and leaking water and anti freeze
ANSWER : Coolant leaks can occur because of cracked hoses, leaking gaskets, faulty water pumps, or damaged radiators. When the coolant level goes low, the engine will start to overheat due to the low coolant level. I would first recommend giving the cooling system a visual look over. If it is not obvious where the coolant leak is coming from, I would recommed having the cooling system pressure tested in order to determine the leak source. If you would like to have your cooling system pressure testedcoolant is leaking inspection, consider YourMechanic, as a certified technician can come to your home or office to inspect your cooling system.
My engine blew out due to my water pump leaking…i didnt have no problems with my car over heating, no steam, running weird,
ANSWER : It is quite likely that when the car was hit, the radiator may have been punctured which would have caused a lot of the coolant to leak out of the vehicle.
If the water pump failed or if it were low on coolant, there would have been overheating indications on in the dash, so you should have had some kind of warning either way that the coolant level was low.
If you’d like to get this fixed, consider YourMechanic, as one of our mobile technicians can come diagnose the leak firsthand and help address any other potential issues.
I put the wrong key in my car and a few weeks later my car just shut down and it will not start I believe it’s the computer but…
ANSWER : Hi there. What had happened is the wrong key set the security to the vehicle. This is to prevent the vehicle from starting with the wrong keys. Try removing the battery cables (+) and (-) for 13 minutes. During that time, put the original key in the ignition and turn it on. Activate everything in the car even though there is no power. Then remove the key and hook up the battery cables. The computer should have reset and reset the security. If the security is still being tripped, then I recommend seeking out a professional, such as one from Your Mechanic, to help you
Replaced alternator on car 2 times each time shows it’s charging 14v let car run for a little bit then test drive and car voltage
ANSWER : There are reports that the replacement alternators will not communicate with the engine computer and will not charge correctly. I recommend using only the manufacturer approved replacement part. It can be new or remanufactured but approved for use in the vehicle. Some lower cost alternators on the aftermarket will have charging problems since they will not communicate with the ECM on the vehicle and will stop charging.
Car does not get to normal engine temperature
ANSWER : Hi there:
There could be multiple issues causing your engine to not reach normal operating temperature. However, continuing to add water instead of coolant to your motor could be very harmful; especially to cooling hoses, connections and cooling system components. The coolant should be mixed at a 50% water to coolant ratio. In order to determine why your engine overheated in the first place and why it’s temperature is low now, the best thing to do is have a professional mechanic complete an engine is leaking coolant inspection. This will allow them to inspect your cooling system for issues and recommend the right repairs.
A car for sale has had "storm water damage". What is the worst that I can expect?
ANSWER : Hi there. The worst thing you could run into is having to replace everything electrical that came into contact with the water. You could also have a vehicle that was removed quickly enough to avoid many of the water intrusion problems that occur. However, you wont know until it happens and there is no way to predict what can and will happen. A good thorough inspection by a qualified technician may help uncover any potential hazards that may be lurking under the carpet and behind the dash. YourMechanic has several technicians available that can assist you with a pre-purchase inspection for some peace of mind on the purchase.
Battery and oil light come on when trying to start car, take keys out try again car starts no problem and lights go away
ANSWER : Of course, don’t switch gears without being fully stopped, unless your Owner’s Manual or the manufacturer has alternative advice. However, the gear shift issue has no relation to the no-start problem you are describing. Inasmuch as you only have 6,000 miles on the car, the "constant on and off" that you believe has occurred is meaningless in comparison to the expected total vehicle service life. That is, assume what you perceive as "constant on and off", during merely 6,000 miles, might be equivalent to using the car "normally" for three years. A new car should be trouble free for at least 5 years, unless there is a defect, so your "constant on and off" is not a causal factor for any fault on the vehicle. What you might have is a defect in the ignition switch, or perhaps the immobilizer system, but if the problem is not in the switch itself, clearly there is an electrical problem.
If your vehicle is under warranty, by law the dealer MUST repair the issue you are describing within a prescribed time frame and number of "attempts", otherwise the dealer will run afoul of Federal and state Lemon Laws that give you very specific rights, and recourse (contact an Attorney; we are Mechanics, NOT attorneys). Consequently, if the vehicle is still under warranty, to save yourself money do be sure to seek a resolution from the dealer. If the vehicle is not under warranty, obviously a certified Mechanic from YourMechanic could identify the electrical fault and resolve this for you. If you want to go that route, please simply request a no start diagnostic -electrical system and the responding certified mechanic will get this taken care of for you. If you have further questions or concerns, do not hesitate to re-contact YourMechanic as we are always here to help you.
