How long does it take for a flooded car to be repaired at a 4S shop?
4 Answers
A flooded car typically takes about one month to repair at a 4S shop. Relevant information about flooded cars: 1. Definition: A flooded car refers to a vehicle that has been submerged in water, usually meaning the engine and transmission have been soaked, with water depth exceeding the wheels and seats, and prolonged contact between the chassis components and water. 2. Hazards: Flooded cars are prone to short circuits in electronic systems, posing a risk of spontaneous combustion. Critical systems like ABS anti-lock braking, ESP stability control, and ECU engine control may fail during emergencies, leading to unimaginable consequences. Repaired flooded cars are like 'time bombs' that may malfunction at any moment. For example, the engine may suddenly stall during high-speed driving, or airbags may fail to deploy when needed or deploy unexpectedly.
To be honest, my own car got flooded once during last year's rainy season, and repairing a water-damaged vehicle is definitely not a matter of a few days—it mainly depends on how deep the water was. If it's just shallow water under the floor mats, it might take about a week to fix, involving cleaning, drying, and replacing some small parts. But if water got into the engine or cabin, then it's a whole different level of trouble. The entire car needs to be disassembled to check the wiring, ECU, under-seat components, and then de-rusting and odor removal are required. Chances are, fuses and sensors will need replacement too. During such times, 4S shops are swamped with work—queues plus testing mean at least two to three weeks, or even over a month. My car was flooded up to the lower edge of the doors, and it took nearly three weeks to get it back, not to mention resealing to prevent future leaks. Bottom line: don’t rush the process. Otherwise, short circuits or fires could pose even greater risks later. A flood-damaged car is like recovering from a serious illness—it needs thorough rehabilitation.
As a young driver who has experienced this a few times, I'm quite concerned about prolonged repairs disrupting daily commutes. Water damage repair timelines mainly depend on submersion depth - shallow flooding caught within a day might take about a week, but deep water reaching the engine or dashboard requires disassembly and thorough cleaning of multiple components, plus battery and wiring stability tests, extending repairs to over two weeks. Additionally, 4S shops facing staff shortages or repair backlogs will cause further delays. From my experience, always have technicians first assess the water damage - they'll remove seats and carpets to check corrosion before providing a schedule. I remember waiting 15 days after one flood incident for fuse replacements and ventilation system cleaning. Though frustrating, never rush or skip steps - improper repairs lead to costlier time and money drains later.
From my understanding, repairing a flood-damaged car involves several steps: after towing it back to the shop, remove the carpets and seats to inspect the electronic equipment, clean the interior to eliminate water stains and bacteria, dry it for a day or two to test for any short circuits in the wiring, and finally reassemble and test. The entire process takes at least a week, and for deeply submerged cars, the time can double due to the need to replace circuit boards or generators. While 4S shops are professional, they can be slower due to high workload, typically taking seven to ten days to complete the repairs. The key is not to rush the process; if drying is incomplete, rust can spread or electronic issues may arise, leading to more expensive repairs months later. I've seen several cases where impatience resulted in costly overhauls, so taking more time is actually beneficial.
