Flood damaged vehicle - advice

Many parts of Queensland are flood prone, providing a challenging environment for motorists and their vehicles. The following advice applies to any car that has been caught in flood waters:

• Although modern vehicles can handle a wide range of operating conditions, if the water has reached the lower levels of the doors the best advice is to not attempt to drive it until it has been checked by a mechanic.
• Water in the mechanical components such as transmissions can affect the oils and quickly lead to expensive failures.
• Water in the cabin area can affect electrical systems commonly found in late model vehicles. These electrical systems include engine management, transmission operation and other primary control systems. Over time water damage can lead to erratic operation or complete failure. Electrical systems in late model vehicles are both complex and expensive to fix.
• A build up of debris under the vehicle can damage mechanical components or lead to clogging of cooling systems and overheating.
• It’s important to ensure key safety components, such as steering and brakes, are functioning correctly after any water exposure. Contaminated fluids will cause damage to components.
• If there is a risk that water has entered the engine bay, do not attempt to start the engine until it has been checked by a mechanic. Contaminated oil will lead to mechanical problems. Water entry into the engine can lead to severe and expensive damage.
• Before using the vehicle, drain and replace all contaminated oils and fluids to minimise internal damage.
• In floods, fuel tanks can be contaminated by water. This can cause the vehicle to stop running. Diesel fuel systems are particularly sensitive to water contamination.

For further information please contact RACQ’s Technical Advisory service on 1800 623 456.