Important Car Care Tips After A Flood

Hurricane Florence has come and gone, but brought with her a massive dumping of 8 trillion gallons of water. While our business here at C&G was fortunate to have minimal damage from the storm, our hearts go out to all of our neighbors still facing extreme damage and flooding. It could take days or even weeks for the water levels to recede so it’s important to remember these flood safety tips in the meantime.

First and foremost don’t ever drive through standing water. According to the National Weather Service, nearly half of all flash flood fatalities are vehicle-related. Most cars start to lose control in as little as six inches of water – about up to the bottom of a passenger car door – and continues to become more dangerous the higher that water level rises. Once the water reaches 12 inches deep, cars could even start to float. The higher up your car is from the ground, the better, but even SUV’s and trucks aren’t immune to the force of surging waters. Two feet of water tends to be the benchmark for most vehicles to get carried away and this includes tougher pickups and even utility vehicles! Don’t risk it – turn around, don’t drown!

If you suspect for any reason that your car experienced flood damage, some of the first things to check for are the following:

• Determine about how long your car was submerged and how deep the water was. If damage is found, this information will be very helpful when seeking professional repairs.
• Note whether fresh or saltwater flooded your car – fresh water is less damaging, but each would have different repercussions.
• Pay attention to the temperatures before and after the flooding. Warmer weather like down here in The Grand Strand can speed up the process of corrosion.
• Check the oil level on your oil indicator. If it’s too high, there may be water in your engine, in which case starting your car can cause more damage.

It could be a long road ahead of us, but our entire team at C&G is here to help in any way we can!