Nobody imagined that amount of destruction from typhoon “Carina.” At least not in that magnitude.
So, if you were caught by raging floodwaters last week while on the road — or, worse, your car went under sitting in the garage — you’re not alone.
That phenomenon which we last experienced during typhoon “Ondoy” in 2009 put the spotlight on cars which survived floods.
From precautions in buying cars second-hand, to insurance companies stipulating “force of nature” on their policies.
Here are a few pointers if you’re caught by what many thought as the worst ever to hit the country — at least in rainfall.
First and foremost, don’t try to start the car right away.
Having been submerged in floodwater, there’s a big probability water seeped into your car’s components especially in its electrical system. Starting it would cause irreparable damage.
Water could have also entered the engine and fluid reservoirs. Oil, brake fluids and water — like dirty floodwaters — don’t mix.
It’s best to inspect the vehicle first, or call in your neighborhood mechanic.
Then disconnect the batteries, starting with the terminal. Make sure no power is flowing through the components to avoid shock.
Now for most modern vehicles, you will be concerned with the electronics. Big cars like SUV have them high in the vehicle but that depends on how high the car was underwater.
Thankfully, there’s a way of knowing how deep the car went through by checking the marks on the car’s body. From there, you’ll have an idea of the scope of damage it may have sustained.
Then take photos of the damage and make copies. This will help not only in helping the shop assess the repairs needed — if it comes to that — but also with the insurance. You may want to check if you have the force majeure clause in your car insurance policy.
Now if you felt the car didn’t sustain that much other than water damage, make sure you dry out the car. Open all doors, trunk and hood.
Replace the mattings, seat covers and trunk carpet. If they are soaked. It’s better you have them detailed. There, they have the tools to remove even the seats and make sure they thoroughly shampoo the carpets. Otherwise, you will have to deal with damp, foul odor.
There will be extreme instances that you’ll need a tow truck to get the vehicle to the repair shop. That’s for cars totally submerged. These experts will have the best opinion whether to fix the damage or simply cut your losses.
Worse than having floodwaters get into the engine, which may be solved by a simple oil-change, cars’ most vital and delicate part is the electronic control units.
It controls all moving parts and is expensive to replace. Which is not a sure thing either.