Can Flood-Damaged Cars Be Repaired?
2 Answers
Flood-damaged cars can be repaired, but severely affected ones usually cannot be fully restored. Here are the potential risks after repairing a flood-damaged car: 1. Reduced Safety Performance: If a vehicle is submerged in water, it can easily cause rusting of body components, shortening its lifespan and reducing safety performance. For example, water damage can corrode and rust the vehicle's wiring, leading to sudden engine shutdown or spontaneous combustion due to short circuits while driving, with unimaginable consequences. 2. Malfunctioning Features: The longer a vehicle remains submerged, the more components can be severely damaged by water exposure. This can result in sudden engine shutdown during high-speed driving, failure of airbags to deploy during safety incidents, and many other issues.
That time my old car got flooded, the water level reached the middle of the wheels and stayed submerged for over a day. I tried to fix it and took it to a familiar repair shop. They spent nearly a month disassembling and cleaning the engine, changing the oil, and cleaning the interior and circuit boards, with the total cost exceeding 30,000 RMB. For the first few days after the repair, it seemed fine, but after driving a few hundred kilometers, the dashboard lights started flickering randomly, and the AC emitted strange odors. Upon inspection, it was found to be caused by a short circuit. The mechanic said that if the flooding is deep, it's hard to fully recover, and many problems will gradually emerge. Now, my advice is: if the flooding isn't severe and only reaches the tire level, towing it for repairs immediately might save it; but if the water reaches the seats or dashboard, it's better not to bother repairing it—selling it as scrap or claiming insurance for a total loss is more practical. Car safety is the most important thing; don't risk driving a car with hidden dangers.
