Parts of the UK have become submerged in water following Storm Conall and with more flood warnings forecasted, drivers need to be extra cautious while navigating the wet wintry weather.
In the past year, National Scrap Car has reported that water damage is heavily contributing to the volume of vehicles being scrapped, with Birmingham, Manchester and Glasgow seeing the highest volume of scrapped vehicles.
The 5 areas that are most vulnerable to water damage
While extensive water damage isn’t good for any vehicle, there are particular areas of your vehicle that are especially vulnerable to the elements.
Engine
Without a fully functioning engine, you have no vehicle. Having a water-damaged engine can be very costly, with minor damage setting you back up to £1000, and major damage significantly more. Engines often get flooded when the flood water is so high it goes above your headlights, or, if you drive through large puddles of water.
Brakes
To ensure your vehicle is safe for yourself and other road users, fully working brakes are crucial. Water getting into the brake fluid can reduce efficiency by corroding pipes in the braking system, this can ultimately decrease your vehicle’s stopping time.
Vehicle electrics
Water can corrode the pins within electrical connections, which causes them to lose their conductivity. Signs of water damage to your vehicle’s electrics are your display system failing or not working like it usually does.
Inside your vehicle
Getting water inside your vehicle can cause a number of problems, most of all it can make your car interiors damp. Wet seats can be hard to dry – especially if they have been soaked – and mould can easily appear when the vehicle gets cold at night. This could cause a health hazard and some lingering bad smells.
4 tips for navigating the winter storms
Assess the conditions
If it is a necessity for you to navigate driving through deep water then it’s important to assess the conditions first. Going in without checking could lead to the water being deeper than you expected. You could easily lose control of your vehicle and have to abandon it, causing severe damage.
Make sure the water doesn’t exceed over a quarter of your tyre size; if it does then you shouldn’t attempt to drive through. If the water is deep enough to make your car float, then this could even be a danger to life risk as it might hinder your escape and sweep you away from the road.
Stay in first gear
When approaching a flooded part of the road, put your vehicle into first gear and move very slowly forward. It also allows you to drive at high revs, which ultimately means that less water will enter your exhaust. If a substantial amount of water was to enter your exhaust, it could cripple your vehicle.
Lower your speed
If you have to navigate areas where the road has high volumes of surface water, then enter the water slowly to reduce the chance of water splashing into your engine or onto electronics. You shouldn’t go faster than 1-2mph as going into the water too quickly could cause the car to aquaplane. This will result in the driver losing control of the vehicle due to the wheel losing traction. It’s also important to avoid any sudden braking. Maintain a steady pace to avoid creating additional waves or losing momentum.
Keep your engine running
Never turn off your engine in floodwater, as it increases the risk of water entering the exhaust and damaging the car. If safe to do so, keep driving at a consistent speed. Stopping can allow water to enter your exhaust or other vulnerable parts of your car. Once you’re out of the water, drive slowly and gently press the brakes to ensure they’re working and to dry them.
