5 Ways of Identifying Flood Damage in a Car in India

You just can't be careful enough while buying a used car. People tend to adopt deceptive practices while selling used cars and that can leave you with a substandard vehicle in the end. Among the things that they tend to hide is flood damage. It can be really disheartening to learn about such damage after you've brought your new car home. That is why we have decided to give you a list of 5 ways of identifying flood damage in a car in India. So make sure to read all of them and remember them the next time you venture out to buy a used car.

Check for foul smell in the interiors

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If a car has been exposed to a large amounts of water, it tends to emit an odour once it's all dried out. So the first thing you should do while checking a car for flood damage is to smell its interiors, especially its seats. And if you do encounter a foul smell, it's most likely due to the car being exposed to a lot of water. It's time now to ask the owner about it and reconsider your decision of buying the car.

Check for corrosion

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One of the most sure-shot ways of identifying flood damage in a car is finding signs of corrosion or rusting. You'll need to bend your back for this step since the corrosion due to flooding happens beneath the car or underneath its hood. Now, most parts already have an anti-corrosive coating on them but you can still search for tiny nuts and bolts that may give you signs of corrosion.

Broken electronics

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Water damage can immediately break the electronics inside a car. It's hence necessary that you check every control on the dashboard before you buy a used car. Additionally, you also need to make sure that everything in the instrument panel works perfectly. If the car has experienced flood damage, some of its electronics will definitely not work properly.

Do an oil check

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Here's another among the handy ways of identifying flood damage in a car in India. The dipping stick that you use for checking oil levels can definitely help you find out if the car has experienced flood damage. As you know, oil and water do not mix together. So you can take the dipping stick and insert it into the oil container. After removing it, if you find droplets of water, the car has been through a flood.

Check the VIN

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VIN stands for Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) and acts like a car's fingerprint of sorts. Not only does it offer you information about the car's features, specifications, track recalls, registrations, warranty claims, thefts etc. but it also offers you information about any major repairs or insurance claims on a car. So, if any car has been repaired after flood damage, you can easily find out about that. You will usually find the VIN by looking at the dashboard on the driver's side of the vehicle. The easiest way to find it is by standing outside the car on the driver's side and looking at the corner of the dashboard where it meets the windshield.

Remember these 5 ways of identifying flood damage in a car in India and you can safely buy yourself a good used car.