After the flood: was your car affected?

Some have been more impacted than others when it comes to damage. If you unfortunately found yourself amidst the floods but fortunately managed to weather through to safety with your car still intact, these 'after the storm' tips could come in handy when assessing the extent to which your car may have been damaged.

• How deep was the water you drove through? This will help you identify how much damage could have actually occurred and help you identify areas you may need to look into repairing. If the water reached your bonnet, your car may possibly be damaged beyond economically-reasonable repair.
• Allow your brakes to dry out properly. If they continue to squeal, or don’t seem to be working properly, have them checked out.
• Mould thrives in moist places – avoid it growing quickly by airing your car out as soon as safely possible. Do this by parking your car in the sun and opening all doors and windows – including the bonnet and boot. Remove loose mats and other upholstery. Spread towels all over your car to suck up excess water.
• Check your dipsticks for the engine oil and transmission fluid. If you find any water droplets trickling through, you need to change your oil and filter. Be sure to check for muddy residue, if it is muddy then it’s wisest to remove the oil pan from the engine and clean the mud out.
• Kit your car out with moisture-absorbent products. Something like baking soda can come in handy when left behind each car seat to rid of excess moisture and reduce the chances of musty odours.
• Check your electronics! Your car will usually let you know if something is wrong, but this time around you have to take matters into your own hands. Check that all windows still work as they should; that your electronic seats can still move back and forth as designed to; and be sure to check that your radio, heater/fan and indicators work well. If your dashboard is giving off warning lights, get your car booked in for a full-on service.
• Did someone say valet? Take your car in for a valet as soon as possible – after all, it’s been through a mud battle. Get a full on scrub to remove as much dirt as possible before it mounts up into other problems.
• If you did drive through deep water, have an expert examine your car to identify possible damages that you could miss. This will help you detect issues before they become dangerous.

Sources:
- http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/article/survive-danger-flash-flood-coping-tips/story?id=10914819
- https://www.yourmechanic.com/article/how-to-reduce-the-damage-to-a-flooded-car-by-jason-unra
- http://knowhow.napaonline.com/how-to-dry-out-your-wet-car-in-3-easy-steps
- http://abc13.com/automotive/do-you-know-what-to-do-if-your-car-floods/135206
- http://cars.about.com/od/adviceforowners/a/What-To-Do-If-Your-Car-Is-In-A-Flood.htm
- http://www.forbes.com/sites/jimgorzelany/2012/10/30/what-to-do-if-your-car-is-flooded-or-becomes-submerged/#6a07308b121e