

My car became a boat. Now what?

Aug. 5, 2009


Your car did its best to turn into a boat on Tuesday. Now what?

Experts offer this advice:

What should you do first? Call your insurance company. They may have a centralized location where your vehicle should be towed and seen by an adjuster. They'll decide whether to pay to get it fixed, or to cover it as a total loss.

Should you start the engine? No. You could get shocked by the electrical system or severely damage or destroy the engine. Have a mechanic look at it first.

Can a flood-soaked car be fixed? Yes, depending on the extent of damage. Cars that sat in water as high as the dashboard will likely be considered a total loss. Even less water can prompt an adjuster to deem it better to pay off the value of the car than pay for repairs.

What's the most common serious problem? Damage to electrical systems. Modern cars have sophisticated computers and other electrical equipment not designed to be submerged. Much of that is located in the lower areas of the interior.

How can water damage the engine? Mainly when an engine ingests water instead of air. It can compress air, but not water. Something has to give, and that's usually the metal internal parts of the engine, which can bend or break.

How much does a new engine cost? It can range from several thousand dollars to more than $10,000.

The car still works, but the carpeting was soaked. Can you clean it up yourself ? Experts say it's difficult and should leave it to them. They first pull out the car seats and other interior features attached to the floor. Then they remove the carpeting and deep-clean it with specialized equipment. They also will likely remove and replace carpet padding after disinfecting the bare metal floor. Remember, the flood waters contained sewage. If you don't clean thoroughly, smelly bacteria and mold will grow.

How much will that cost? Several hundred dollars.

Sources: Smith Imported Car Service, Brown Bros. Cadillac Chevrolet, Cleaner Concepts Auto Reconditioning, Dr. Zoom, Brownsboro Auto Detail Center, Fitzsimmons Upholstery, and AAA of Kentucky

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