Can a Flooded Car Submerged Above the Dashboard Be Repaired?

[PrestonFitz]

Can a Flooded Car Submerged Above the Dashboard Be Repaired? A flooded car submerged above the dashboard can be repaired. Here are the details about flooded cars: 1. Types: Vehicle flooding is categorized into three levels, including waterlogged cars, semi-submerged cars, and fully submerged cars. A car submerged up to the chassis is called a waterlogged car, and the repair cost for such vehicles is relatively low. A car submerged up to the engine oil dipstick is called a semi-submerged car, while a car submerged above the dashboard is called a fully submerged car. 2. Precautions: Even after repair, a vehicle submerged above the dashboard poses significant risks. Water ingress into the wiring can cause uncontrollable faults, leading to frequent issues during later use, and the vehicle itself may not be able to identify the fault content.

[SanCharlie]

Oh no, the water has reached the dashboard? That's really tough. Let me tell you, my repair shop handled a car like this last year—it was basically the champion of a soaking contest. This kind of car can definitely be repaired, but you’d better be mentally prepared—the entire wiring harness needs to be disassembled, dried, and inspected, the engine control unit will likely need replacement, the seats and carpets must be completely removed and sun-dried, and all rusty metal parts have to be treated. It’s time-consuming, labor-intensive, and expensive—costing maybe 30,000 to 40,000 RMB. The worst part? Even after repairs, it’s prone to lingering issues. Honestly, unless it’s a rare classic car worth saving, for an average vehicle, it’s smarter to file an insurance claim and scrap it.

[Martha]

Last month, the underground garage in my residential area was flooded, and the dashboards of several cars were submerged in water. After chatting with the mechanic, I learned that cars submerged this deeply must have had water enter the engine intake, potentially causing the crankshaft connecting rods to deform and even rust in the cylinder block. The electrical systems are even worse—components like the airbag module and ABS controller become ticking time bombs after being waterlogged. The mechanic said even if such cars are extensively repaired at great cost, they often develop inexplicable warning lights, malfunctioning windows, and other issues within six months. It’s really better to just replace the car outright for peace of mind—after all, life is more valuable than a car.

[Madison]

Last year during the heavy rain, my cousin's Highlander was flooded to this extent, and he insisted on repairing it. Now the center console screen acts erratically, the air conditioning works intermittently, and the scariest part was when the brakes suddenly became stiff once. A friend at the repair shop said deep floodwater seeps into wire connector gaps, causing oxidation that slowly corrodes the metal, and it's impossible to clean thoroughly during repairs. Plus, the carpet padding inside the car is like a soaked sponge, with mold growing wildly in unseen areas. In my opinion, fixing such a car is just surface-level work with huge safety risks.