Water Damaged Cars And Why You Don’t Want One

Looking around for a used vehicle to buy either as your first car or as a replacement for your last one can be a hassle enough by itself without having to worry about whether you’re going to end up buying a lemon. You have to worry about financing, what kind of vehicle is best, and if it’s going to break down on you as soon as you get it home, but one thing that a lot of people don’t tend to think about when shopping for a new vehicle is if it has ever been completely submerged in water.

These vehicles aren’t always readily noticeable as having been submerged before. Dishonest car dealers and individuals looking to cheat you aren’t likely to tell you that a vehicle has been flooded, so you have to watch out for yourself.

One of the most dangerous things about vehicles that have been flooded can be is the possibility of mold growth in the interior of the car. It’s just as dangerous as the mold that can grow inside your home, but you’re less likely to notice it because most people don’t think about mold growing in their cars. Sometimes bad car dealers will try to cover the odor of mold in the car with air or carpet fresheners. You never know if the mold has been completely removed from the car unless the carpet has been replaced and the interior cleaned by a professional.

Even the engine isn’t safe. Any flood waters the car has been exposed to contain sand, dirt, silt, or any number of debris that can work its way into the engine and cause it to malfunction. Even sewage can be found in some flood waters.

There are also electrical problems abound in vehicles that have been flooded before. Many things on a vehicle today are monitored not by manual gauges, but by electronics and trying to use these by powering on the car before it’s completely dried out will probably ruin them.

Look for rust in the trunk of the car, particularly around the headlights and smell the interior closely. If there’s a musty odor or you can detect a scented air or carpet freshener has been used, it’s probably a good idea to go somewhere else to find a vehicle. Even if you purchase a vehicle history report off of a website, you might not get all the information on a vehicle. You’ll get any information that was reported to the insurance company and a claim was done on, but if the car was submerged and the person or dealer chooses to sell it without reporting the incident, they can.


Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
damage restoration companies and
mold removal companies across the united states.