We can get soaked here in Wilmington, NC, and it’s easy for your car, truck, or SUV to take a beating, especially during hurricane season. What should you do if your European automobile gets stuck in a flood? Make caution your number one priority. We here at East Coast EuroWerks suggest you do the following to prevent damage and get your vehicle back on the road safe and dry.
Assess the Water Level
Before you do anything else, inspect your vehicle thoroughly after the storm. Try to determine how far up the water level came to see whether the engine or inside was flooded. One way to see how immersed in water your car, truck, or SUV was is to check the water line. This is a line of mud on the exterior of the vehicle that shows how high up the water settled. Mud lines below the bottom of the vehicle doors is a good thing; mud lines above the door mean you probably have water in your engine.
Call for a Tow Truck
Even if the water line is below your vehicle doors, do not start your engine to see if the automobile runs. Flood water danger isn’t just rising water in the streets; it’s also the excessive precipitation it takes to have a flood in the first place. Water is in your engine and depending on how much, you could damage the motor by starting it. If the water mixes with oil and other automotive fluids, it reduces their viscosity and this will create dangerous friction and cause engine parts to overheat. Call us for a tow instead.
Get the Insurance Ball Rolling
Finally, call your insurance company to see if your policy includes flood damage. If it does, this means you should be able to have your vehicle repaired at no cost to you with the exception of your deductible. Even if you don’t have flood insurance, it’s still important to have the vehicle inspected to ensure the waters did not damage any engine systems, so don’t start it up and drive on. In some cases, interior and exterior flood damage are covered while engine work is not. This is better than nothing.
European automotive specialists and located in Wilmington, NC, East Coast EuroWerks can tow your European automobile into our shop and inspect the engine and undercarriage for damage after a flood.
