How to Check a Car for Flood Damage

The last thing you want to do when buying a used car is to buy one with previous flood damage. Not only will flood damage likely leave its mark on the interior decorative components of the car, it can wreak havoc on the engine, electrical system and just about anything else the water got to. It is incumbent upon you to thoroughly check out a car for flood damage before buying, especially if you know the car to have been in a region affected by such natural disasters. While having a mechanic check the car for any signs of major damage is the best thing, there are several inspection points you can check to help determine if water has damaged the vehicle. 

Step 1 - Determine History of Car

Just because a car is owned by someone who lives or lived in an area affected by floods or hurricanes does not mean it suffered flood damage. Still, a car sold in a northern state may very well have been damaged during a major flood or hurricane. The purpose of this step is to find out if there is a chance the car has been damaged by floodwaters. 

Step 2 - Check for Visible Signs of Water Damage

Take a flashlight and inspect any darkened areas of the trunk, glove box or under the seats for marks left behind from mud or silt. Look for rust lines where there should be none. Upholstery and carpet is replaceable, so if it looks ill-fitting or loosely installed, it may have been. 

Step 3 - Test Electrical System

Test all of the elements connected to the electrical system including wipers, turn signals, the radio, heater and lights. Feel for wires underneath the dashboard. If any are brittle or cracked, that may be a sign that the car was flooded.

Step 4 - Perform a Smell Test

Trust your nasal sense by smelling for mildew or mold in the trunk or in the cab of the vehicle. Damage from a flood will leave behind noticeable evidence including mold in places that cannot be concealed. 

Step 5 - Ask for the Vehicle History Report or Get it Yourself

Ask to see the car’s vehicle history report. If you must, get it yourself by plugging the car’s VIN into a search and pulling it up. This report will often tell you all about previous flood damage to a vehicle. 

Step 6 - Take the Car to a Mechanic

The best thing to do is take the car to a mechanic and have them check the car for any evidence of flood damage. Sometimes engine components are the best indicators of this, especially if other evidence has been covered up. 

It is up to you to find out if a used car has suffered flood damage. To give you an idea of how many are out there, cars damaged by Hurricane Katrina are still popping up for sale in places far removed from Louisiana and Mississippi. Don’t be the one who pays money for a used car with covered up, undisclosed flood damage. It likely is not worth the money.