Car flooded with sewage - what next?

colino

Talk to your insurer and get the thing properly written off. Cars that have been for a swim should always be cat A or B (they're not, 'cause theres an eager, daft queue of people wanting to buy these as cat C or D). Now a fresh water flood causes corrosion all over and a whole, unpredictable list of electical faults. Yours is a mobile health hazard and should never see the road again.

patman99

It would be cheaper to buy a carpet cleaner from Ebay/ebid, or to hire one from a DIY store and give the carpet and seat a proper shampoo.

Modern cars tend to be fully galvanised after the body is assembled and before they are painted.

Ignore colino. It is perfectly safe to drive a flood-damaged car. In fact, my van fills with water every time it rains hard, in fact it has done for 4 years. The water gets in around the wiper motor and runs out the bottom of the dash. All the electrical systems still continue to function without any issues.

rxbren

you sure its sewage and not muddy flood water
either way just get it fully cleaned
how deep was the water if it was only just above the door sills there will likely be no electrical damage and anything that may crop up will have a high chance of being a fuse or relay

Gloomendoom

colino wrote: »

Talk to your insurer and get the thing properly written off. Cars that have been for a swim should always be cat A or B (they're not, 'cause theres an eager, daft queue of people wanting to buy these as cat C or D). Now a fresh water flood causes corrosion all over and a whole, unpredictable list of electical faults. Yours is a mobile health hazard and should never see the road again.

Years ago, a friend of mine messed up a bend and drove his Fiesta into a salt water canal. It sank beneath the surface. He got it fished out, changed the oil, and continued to drive it for three years afterwards. However, it was plagued with electrical problems. I don't think a week went by when it wouldn't start or something electrical just didn't work.

muckybutt

If it was flloed with sewage it needs a deep clean not just a quick tickle with a carpet shampooer !

Raw sewage contains as i'm sure I dont need to tell you a hell of a lot of dangerous bugs and pathogens, there is a reason why houses get completely stripped out when flooded with sewage, the same would apply to cars.

Insurance jobbie I would say but the choice is yours if you want to drive in a stinking mobile cess pit or a nice clean motor.