The rainstorm has left many people's cars in the water. What checks do you need to do after soaking in water to get on the road safely?

It rained heavily some time ago, and the underground garages in some cities were seriously flooded. Some vehicles parked in underground garages and low-lying places were not transferred in time by the owners, resulting in vehicles being soaked in stagnant water for a long time. Rainstorm weather makes many people's cars soak in the water, so what inspections do you need to do after soaking in water to get on the road safely? Next, let's take a closer look.

First of all, let's learn what a soaking car is.

In fact, not all cars are soaking cars. It is considered to wade to a certain extent. Today we will talk about the six levels of wading. Don't be stupid enough to think that the car is soaked in water.

Grade 1: The accumulated water did not reach the vehicle chassis.

The accumulated water does not reach the vehicle chassis, and the vehicle floor may get wet. However, in this case, it is unlikely to cause a large amount of water, which has little impact on the electrical equipment in the car.

Level 2: The accumulated water is less than half of the wheel.

When the accumulated water overflows half a wheel, the water will start to enter the car, thus affecting the motor for adjusting the vehicle seat and the electrical components such as heating and ventilation. This is because the car is not completely sealed, which has a greater impact on the car with lower body.

Grade 3: The accumulated water basically flooded the tires.

At this time, the water level in the car almost flooded the seat cushion and the central armrest area, which has affected a large number of electrical equipment.

Level 4: The accumulated water did not reach the hood.

The water in the engine compartment lid proves that the water level in the car has risen to the dashboard position, and the car headlights and the engine intake pipe have started to water.

Level 5: The hood is completely flooded.

At this time, all the equipment in the whole vehicle will be affected by stagnant water.

Level 6: The whole body was flooded.

The whole car was flooded. If the water does not flow through the roof, all parts and equipment of the whole car will be spared. Roof and sunroof modules will also be affected.

Second, what inspections do you need to do after the vehicle is soaked in water to get on the road safely?

Whether the soaking car can get back on the road depends mainly on its soaking degree and maintenance status. After maintenance, the submerged vehicle can run normally on the road, but the submerged vehicle and the flooded vehicle cannot run on the road after maintenance due to serious damage. Under normal circumstances, the car is not seriously flooded and can continue to be used, but its performance will decline in all aspects. The car was seriously soaked in water, and the car was basically scrapped and completely lost, which did not make much sense for maintenance. The following is the specific situation:

1, water does not reach more than half of the wheel;

At this time, mechanical structures such as gearbox and differential will get water, and the gearbox and differential are not completely sealed, so it is likely to get water, so it is necessary to replace gearbox oil and differential oil before going on the road. If you find that the gearbox is seriously out of order, please go to the 4S shop for inspection and maintenance. It's best to change the gear oil for the electric car and send it to the 4S shop to test the battery pack.

2. Water will not pass through the passenger compartment floor;

Except for point 1, at this time, the large wire harness in the vehicle chassis and interior floor is flooded, so it is necessary to check whether the large wire harness is damaged or short-circuited. Generally, the loss will not be too great. After the weather is fine, remove the interior trim panel and carpet, dry the inside of the car, and disinfect the whole car before going on the road. Follow-up attention should be paid to check whether the steering column and other places are rusted and derusting treatment should be done.

3. Water does not pass through the center console:

Except for 1 and 2 o'clock, most of the electronic equipment, fuse box, engine interior and electronic control system of the electric vehicle will be soaked at this time, and the maintenance value is likely to exceed the residual value of the whole vehicle, so maintenance is not needed. It is best to contact the insurance company to discuss whether the whole vehicle can be scrapped.

4. Water didn't pass through the roof:

No maintenance value, contact the insurance company, and the whole vehicle will be scrapped.

5. A wet car.

Check the A-pillar for water leakage. If there is water leakage, it must be that the skylight drain pipe is blocked. The emergency measure at this time is to find a car coat to cover the roof, or park in a safe basement.

In a word, after being repaired by a professional auto mechanic, the car condition can basically be restored to the state before soaking, and the owner can drive with confidence. But for the sake of safety, we should do a good job of maintenance on a regular basis. Vehicles with serious flooding should be scrapped in time, and vehicles with serious flooding should not be allowed to go on the road again, causing irreparable safety accidents.

Third, the hazards of vehicles after soaking in water

1. Corrosion hazard of chassis

If the wading is not deep, the water level just enters the cab through the chassis, which will cause corrosion hazard to the fixing bolts used to connect external accessories under the vehicle, weaken the tensile fastening ability, and even cause falling off.

2. Harm of electronic control system

Ordinary cars are equipped with electronic control systems. Once the water enters, the IC circuit board inside the computer ECU will be short-circuited, the plug terminal will rust, and then the metal part will slowly rust, resulting in poor circuit contact. In severe cases, it may even cause a short circuit.

3. The odor mold harm

Once the vehicle enters the water, the water entering the vehicle will be converted into acidic mixed liquid, which will be absorbed by the fabric inside the vehicle. It is inevitable to produce odor after being heated and moldy. If it is not cleaned, it will attack the metal parts near it, making it rust and weakening the metal hardness.

4. Physical tension is dangerous

The sealing rubber strip and mud retaining apron are eroded by sediment, which will oxidize and harden and aggravate wear. They are in a good static state, and it is inevitable that there will be abnormal noise or wind noise when driving.

IV. Precautions for vehicles after soaking in water

1, never try to start or turn the engine after the car is soaked in water, otherwise the connecting rod of the engine will be seriously deformed. So drag it to the repair shop for disassembly and cleaning as soon as possible.

In general, when the height of water is higher than the air intake of the engine, water will directly enter the cylinder from the air intake, forming a mixture of air and water. Although gas can be compressed, water cannot be compressed. If the owner continues to ignite after the vehicle is turned off, the huge reaction force will directly lead to the fracture of the bent connecting rod. So when this happens, calling for help is a very good choice.

2. Once the soaking car is moved to a safe place, it should be "completely" inspected as soon as possible:

(1) Check whether the oil enters the water, which will lead to deterioration of the oil and loss of lubrication;

(2) Check whether the gearbox is flooded, which will deteriorate the gear oil in the gearbox and cause gear wear; The gearbox will also be mixed with water and oil because of soaking water. If it is mild, it needs to be replaced and cleaned. If the degree of flooding is heavy, the gearbox will accelerate mechanical wear and electrical damage due to lack of lubrication. At this time, it is necessary to repair the gearbox.

(3) Check the brake oil and four-wheel brake. If there is water in the brake oil, the brake oil will deteriorate and the brake will fail;

(4) Check whether there is accumulated water in the exhaust pipe, and eliminate accumulated water as soon as possible to avoid impurities in the water blocking the three-way catalytic converter or damaging the oxygen sensor;

(5) Check whether the battery is flooded, and replace the electrolyte if necessary.

In addition, you can also check the chassis, headlights, air filters, harness connectors, steering gear universal joint cages, spare tire vents and other parts.

1, check the chassis. On rainy days, the water on the road is dirty and there are all kinds of sundries. When the vehicle wades, these dirty things will attach to the cracks in the chassis, which will cause the chassis to rust and even the components to fail for a long time. Therefore, the owner of the vehicle wading should drive the vehicle to the car wash shop to thoroughly clean the chassis, or make a chassis armor to improve the rust-proof ability of the chassis.

2. Headlights Headlights are often used in rainy days, and their health directly affects the safe driving of vehicles. Generally, the lampshade of an old car will not be tightly sealed, so it is easy for water to enter the headlights when the vehicle wades, and water mist will form on the inner wall of the headlight lampshade, which will affect the light transmission.

3. The air filter is the gateway for air to enter the engine. When the vehicle wades, check the air filter and the nearest pipe. If it is wet, it means that water may enter the engine, and it is necessary to check the water inflow inside the engine in detail.

4. Engine compartment wiring harness. There are many wire harnesses and circuits in the engine compartment. After the vehicle wades, the harness connector is likely to get wet. If it is found that the harness connector is wet during inspection, it needs to be dried immediately. If it is not handled in time, it is likely to short circuit.

5. Exhaust hole under the spare tire. Generally, there are exhaust holes under the spare tire in the trunk of a family car. If the wading depth of the vehicle reaches the spare tire position, the accumulated water may enter the trunk through the vent hole. If not found in time, it may lead to rust and mildew.

The above are the inspections and precautions that need to be done after the vehicle is soaked in water. Finally, it is suggested that car owners in rainy areas must buy "water insurance". "Water-related insurance" stipulates that the scope of compensation is "losses caused by vehicles driving on wading roads or starting in water". Vehicles that have purchased "water insurance" can get compensation from the insurance company after the vehicles are damaged by water. After the vehicle happens, you must first contact the insurance company for inspection, then discuss the maintenance location and maintenance items, and then carry out maintenance. Otherwise, the insurance company may refuse to pay for some maintenance projects.