What to do if your car has flood damage after Hurricane Francine
NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — It’s a problem New Orleans area residents know all too well. Whether it’s a hurricane or heavy rain, street flooding can cause major problems for your property and your pocketbook.
Sidney St. Pierre at Dale’s Quality Car Care says in recent weeks, customers have called asking about water-damaged cars. He says there’s a couple of things you need to keep an eye out for.
Over 500 Kenner homes flooded, officials seek financial aid
“You want to definitely check the air filter,” St. Pierre said. “You can look at your owner’s manual. That will give you a good indication if the vehicle stalled out while you went through a puddle. You can also check your oil. If you are finding something like a milkshake color, that would indicate that your oil has water in it, and try not to start it or run it.”
Electrical systems in modern cars pose a higher risk for flood damage, and those pieces and parts can be hard to salvage.
“You want to try dry it up as fast as you can. Mildew can set in. Corrosion on the electrical connectors can set in. One of these circuit boards or something could fail, and that would be something that they would have to replace, program,” said St. Pierre.
500+ Kenner homes flooded, officials seek financial aid
AAA urges people with water damaged cars to be cautious when it comes to making repairs. When it comes to insurance, there’s a difference between a car that flooded while parked and a car that flooded while being driven through water-logged streets. Regardless of how your vehicle flooded, it’s important to check what your policy can cover.
“Comprehensive warranties will normally cover a flooded vehicle as well, so it might not be something even out of pocket that you would have to pay for if you have comprehensive on your warranty or on your insurance,” said St. Pierre.
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