The answer is that a flooded car can be saved depending on the type of water it was submerged in. If it was submerged in salt water, it is probably better suited for the junkyard because salt water is corrosive and can wreak havoc on the mechanical parts of the car as well as the interior of the car. It depends on the severity of the flood. Minor floods that drain quickly can often be repaired, but insurance companies often consider vehicles that are severely flooded or stay in the water for days to be irreparable, causing the car to be declared a total loss.
In most situations, the cost of repairing flood damage is too high for insurers to justify repairs, according to Ibbotson, making the vehicle a total loss. You should know if any part of your car has been water damaged before presenting a problem later. If water enters your car past the dashboard, important parts of the vehicle will continue to deteriorate in the engine and other internal parts of the car over time due to water damage. Water entering your car's engine through the air intake would cause internal damage to the engine, which is called a “hydraulic lock”.
In the case of your car, it may be that its interior has water stains, that the engine is hydroblocked or that the entire car has been submerged in water. Flooded cars are often declared a total loss because repairing water damage is complicated and costly. Some damage is repairable if the water were not too much, but unfortunately, sometimes the car would be destroyed. Hydraulic lock is likely to occur when you try to drive through high water or when you try to move your car after you notice water rising around it.
The amount of water damage your car suffers will determine whether or not it can still be repaired. If you were to drive your car through a pond on your way to work, the damage would not be big, the most that could be damaged is the brake pads, and you can change them. A car damaged by a flood is simply a car exposed to water damage that, in most cases, is the result of flooding. A car damaged by a flood entails a variety of problems, including bad odors, rust, extraneous noises, engine smoke, and electronic damage.
Most other insurance policies only cover damage that isn't too extensive and doesn't involve flood damage. Therefore, any car that has been submerged in water should be sold well below its market value, unless the dealer has evidence of a thorough restoration. However, if the previous owner did not report the damage or filed an insurance claim, flood damage may not appear in the vehicle history report.
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