What to Do When a Car's Electrical Circuit Gets Wet?
2 Answers
If the electrical circuit gets wet and the engine stalls, do not attempt to force-start the engine. Instead, call for roadside assistance immediately. Forcing the engine to start can cause damage to internal components. If the car has driven through shallow water and the water ingress is not severe, you can inspect the electronic systems and check for any accumulated water under the car body yourself. After draining the water from the electronic systems, you can proceed to restart the car.
Water in car circuits is really not something to take lightly. Once after washing my car, the headlights started flickering due to wet wiring. The first thing to do is immediately turn off the car's power, especially disconnecting the negative terminal of the battery to prevent short circuits that could fry the computer board. Then, locate the exact spot where water got in and use a hairdryer on the cool setting to slowly dry out the connectors and wiring harness—remember, never use hot air as high temperatures can melt plastic parts. After drying, I found the power windows acting up during testing, so I had to remove the door panel to redo the connectors. Daily prevention is crucial: avoid using high-pressure water jets on the engine bay when washing the car, and don't drive through deep water in rainy weather. If left untreated, the wiring harness can oxidize and corrode over time, making repairs much more troublesome.
