What to Do if Your Car Has Flood Damage

We get this question all the time: what do you do if your car is flooded? Generally speaking, you should assess the damages and act quickly to prevent any corrosion, electrical issues, or molding. Once you’ve checked your car, you should schedule an appointment, so your local experts can start looking it over.

However, that’s just the gist of the procedure-there’s really much more to it than that. Luckily, our service team here at Honda of Bay County created this helpful guide for our customers around Springfield, Callaway, Panama City, and the surrounding Florida communities. Be sure to contact us with any questions!

What Do You Do If Your Car Is in a Flood?

1. Assess the damages: Check out the depth of the water in relation to your car. Has it gone up to the edge of the door? To the headlights? How about over the hood? Above all, don’t start your engine.
2. Move quickly: You should note that salt water submersion is much worse for your vehicle than fresh water submersion. Regardless of which one you have, you should begin drying your car out as soon as you can. If it’s still underwater, call a towing company to get it to dry land.
3. Pop the hood: This is where the evidence lies: the evidence as to how extensive the damage is. Look for water droplets in the oil dipstick, remove any water-damaged cylinders, and change the oil and the transmission fluid. If there’s water in the oil, then that’s a strong indication that there’s water in the engine, as well. In that case, you should reach out to our technicians for some help.
4. Address the interior: Take a vacuum to your car’s interior carpets. You can also lay down some cloth towels to soak up any pools or puddles. Make sure to remove any seats and cushions that you can. Finally, it couldn’t hurt to enlist the help of some industrial-strength fans, dehumidifiers, and more.
5. Contact us at Honda of Bay County: Although this is the final step, it’s still very important. Our skilled technicians will work as hard as possible to make sure they can salvage your vehicle. You can contact us easily on the phone or on our website.

Flooded Car: Other Tips and Tricks

Don’t turn it on: We know that we already mentioned it, but that’s a testament to just how important this tip is. If you start your engine while it’s flooded, you could cause even more extensive damage.

Focus on odor management: A waterlogged vehicle often emits an unpleasant smell, so you’ll want to stock up on any automotive deodorants you can find.

Review your insurance policy: It’s wise to know where you stand before you get into a dialogue with your insurance representative.

Set Up Your Service Appointment Right Away at Honda of Bay County…

It doesn’t matter whether you live in Panama City, Callaway, Springfield, or anywhere else in Florida. Here at Honda of Bay County, our service technicians will do everything they can to get your car all dried out. Give us a call, chat with us on our website, or schedule a service appointment at our state-of-the-art service center right away.