5 Serious Consequences When Your Car Is Flooded & How To Handle It Thoroughly

Stormy Season - Every Car Owner's Nightmare

In Vietnam, it is not uncommon for roads to be flooded after heavy rains. Many drivers often let their cars wade through flooded roads without anticipating the potential risks.

Dirty water not only makes your car dirty, but it is a silent "destroyer" that penetrates every part of the machine. Below is5 most serious consequencesWhen your car is flooded, Gartz wants to warn you, helping you avoid repair bills of up to hundreds of millions of dong.

1. Hydrolock - Death Sentence for Engines

This is the most frightening consequence. Hydrostatic shock occurs when water enters the combustion chamber through the air intake. Because water cannot be compressed like air, when the piston moves up to perform the compression cycle, the water will block it, creating a huge reaction force.

Consequence:Bend or break the connecting rod, break the piston, or even puncture the engine block. In this case, you will have to replace the entire engine, which is extremely expensive.

2. Electrical System & Sensor Failure

Modern cars are crisscrossed with wires, electronic control units (ECUs) and a host of sensors. Flooding is the number one enemy of this system.

Consequence:Water causes short circuits, blown fuses, damaged lights, horns, and entertainment systems. More dangerously, dirty water oxidizes plugs and sensors (such as airbag sensors, ABS...), causing them to operate erratically or become paralyzed in the long run, making them very difficult to repair completely.

3. Gearbox Damage Due to Water Contaminated Oil

This is a problem that many people often overlook. For rear-wheel drive or automatic cars, the transmission vent is usually located low. When flooded, water will seep into the transmission.

Consequence:Water mixes with the gearbox oil to form an emulsion (coffee with milk color), which loses its ability to lubricate and friction. The clutch plates will swell and peel; the gears will rust. If the oil is not changed immediately, the gearbox will jerk, slip and be completely damaged.

4. Interior Damage & Musty Odors

When water spills onto the car floor, it seeps into the carpet, soundproofing foam, and seats.

Consequence:If not removed, washed and dried promptly, the interior will emit an unpleasant odor, mold and bacteria will grow. In addition, the metal parts under the seat, slide rails, and seat belts will also rust quickly.

5. Corrosion of Undercarriage & Suspension System

Rainwater and sewage contain many acids and corrosive impurities.

Consequence:Causes rust on the chassis, exhaust pipes, tie rods and suspension. Over time, the chassis will weaken, causing creaking noises and unsafe operation.

Advice From Gartz Experts: What To Do If Your Car Has Been Flooded?

If your vehicle has unfortunately had to drive through deep floodwater (water above the center of the wheel), immediately follow these steps:

Never restart the car.If the car stalls in the middle of the water.

Continuous brakingafter leaving flooded areas to dry brake pads.

Check engine oil and transmission oil immediately:Pull out the dipstick, if the oil turns cloudy like coffee with milk, it means water has gotten in.

Protection Solution:You need to take your car to a garage to drain all the old, water-contaminated oil and replace it with high-quality products:

Gartz Engine Oil:Helps clean dirt left by water, creating a new protective film for pistons and cylinders.

Gartz Transmission Fluid (ATF/CVT):With good water separation and anti-oxidation ability, helps restore gearbox performance, prevents gear slippage and gear rust.

ConcludeDon’t be complacent about flooding. A little caution and timely maintenance with reputable products like Gartz will help you protect your large assets before the storm season.