Steer Away from Flood-Damaged Vehicles
ROANOKE, VA - April 3, 2007: Add "check for flood damage" to the list of items to review when thinking about purchasing a pre-owned car, truck, or RV.
Flood-damaged vehicles have always been something to avoid when making a purchase, but their prevalence on the used vehicle market has shot up dramatically in the last couple of years, thanks in large part to Hurricane Katrina.
"Auto industry experts estimate that as many as 400,000 vehicles may have been damaged by Hurricane Katrina alone," says Bryan Gregory, director of consumer education for Advance Auto Parts. "Add to that total the number of vehicles caught in countless smaller floods that occur across the country each year and you have a significant flood-damaged vehicle population that consumers need to be on the lookout for.
"Flood damage can be hard to spot, unless you know what you're looking for," Gregory adds. "The time to spot a car that's been in a flood is before you purchase it, because once it's in your driveway and the flood-related mechanical problems start to show up, it's too late for most consumers."
Those problems can be extensive and take a while to materialize. They often include a musty smell that never goes away, permanent damage to the vehicle's computers, electrical system, and air bag sensors, contaminated lubricants, and premature corrosion on the vehicle's interior and exterior.
Adding to the problem of determining if a vehicle has been flooded is the vehicle's title - the one document where consumers would expect to learn the truth about their vehicle's history.
"When a vehicle has been flooded and declared a total loss, it is supposed to receive a new title, often called a salvage title, that is marked with the words "salvage" or "flood" or coded in some manner to indicate the damage that has occurred," Gregory explains. "The problem is that some states don't record this "salvage" or "damage" designation when out-of-state vehicles are re-titled in a new state, leaving prospective car buyers with the burden of determining if a vehicle has been in a flood."
Fortunately there are some warning signs to indicate potential flood damage that consumers should look for when inspecting a vehicle:
- Mold in the vehicle or a musty smell
- New upholstery and carpet
- Rust in the vehicle’s interior. Check for rust on springs or screws under seats, on screws under the dash, and on the underside of the brake and gas pedals.
- Remove air filter and look inside the air box for mud or water residue
- Look in hard-to-clean places, such as in corners or cracks, behind door panels or between seats for mud or debris.
- Water lines on the bulbs or lenses inside headlights and taillights.
'In addition to knowing how to avoid buying a flood-damaged vehicle, drivers should also take steps to prevent their own vehicle from becoming a flood victim," Gregory adds. "The number one action drivers can take to avoid water damage to their vehicle, and possible personal injury or death, is to never, ever attempt to drive through water that is covering a road, no matter how shallow or slow-moving it appears. Also avoid parking in areas prone to flash flooding and close your vehicle's windows when rain threatens."
