Forced to abandon your car in a flood? Do this one thing first

Picture this, your car is trapped, you can neither move ahead or reverse, water levels are rising... fast, and you maybe forced to abandon your car to get to safety or higher ground. 

Do this first. 

Get to your car's toolkit, get out the pliers or small wrench (usually equipped) and disconnect your battery. 

Water/flood damage can adversely affect your car, and in many cases render the vehicle a 'total loss' due to extensive damage – doing this one thing might just save your car and give it the best chance of survival in a flood.

Why disconnect the battery

All modern cars have a plethora of electrical systems – such as the Engine Control Unit (ECU), Transmission Control Units (TCU) and Body Control Module (BCM) that receive electrical power from the battery.

Water and electricity don't play well.

Disconnecting the battery cuts off all electrical power to these vital components, reducing the chance electrical short-circuits, malfunctioning or in the worst cases – electrical fire.

But my engine is off…

Although your car’s engine is turned off – the car’s electrical systems are not fully ‘asleep’.

Many electrical components, such as you car’s security system, immobilizer, and dash cams are still running whilst your car is turned off, and they rely on the battery for power.

Why doing this might save your car

In most cases, flood damage causes physical damage – such as damage to the interior and engine, and body structure – as well as electrical damage by way of water ingress into electrical components.

It is much easier to root out and fix the exterior, interior and even engine, i.e.: interior bits like the carpet and trim can be replaced, even the engine can be drained and repaired if water gets into it.

However, electrical items that have been damaged by water will result in unending (and potentially unsafe) issues that can plague the vehicle for years to come.

Additionally, electrical issues are not easily diagnosed and corrected, repairs will be costly too.

Therefore, if damage to these components are limited, there’s still a chance they can be assessed, repaired, and replaced as necessary to get your car back on the road again.

What do I do after a flood

Whatever you do, DO NOT start your vehicle or attempt to drive it after it’s been in a flood or high-water levels.

Restarting your car will almost certainly cause its electronics to malfunction. 

Get your car towed to your authorized service centre or mechanic so the damage can be properly diagnosed before subsequent repairs are done.

Also read: Here’s what you need to do if your car was trapped in a flood

Also read: Govt allocates RM 100m for flood-damaged homes and infrastructure