How High Does Water Need to Be to Consider a Car Flood-Damaged?

[LeGeorge]

If water submerges the exhaust pipe, the car is considered flood-damaged. Prolonged contact between water and components under the vehicle body can easily cause short circuits or even fires. Although water-damaged cars can be repaired, serious hidden risks remain even after repairs. Categories of Flood-Damaged Cars: Generally, flood-damaged cars can be divided into three types based on the extent of damage: water level exceeding the wheels, causing water accumulation on the floor mats; water soaking the seats or rising above the dashboard; and water completely submerging the vehicle body. How to Identify a Flood-Damaged Car: After cleanup, it is not easy to identify a flood-damaged car by appearance alone. Repairs for flood-damaged cars mainly focus on water-affected components and rarely involve bodywork. For example, if headlights or taillights are waterlogged, they are either replaced or drained. Similarly, interior water is removed, and soaked parts are disassembled and dried or simply air-dried. In reality, flood-damaged cars are relatively easy to distinguish because they tend to emit a musty odor even after thorough cleaning. Additionally, the trunk is a critical area—if there is significant rust, it likely indicates water damage.