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Car Forum / Lexus Cars / April 2007

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Garage Flooded. Is My Car OK?

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FKS - 18 Apr 2007 17:46 GMT
Due to incredible rain in the NYC area, my garage was flooded. I was out of
town during the flooding happened and according to my neighbors & my guess,
the water level in the garage was about 10 inch high.

My '06 ES330 was in the garage and I see no evidence of water coming inside
the car. I just brought the car back from a friend's and during the short
ride, I didn't hear or feel anything strange with the car.

How do I make sure the car is fine? Should I have my dealership check it
(meaning $$$ out of my pocket)? What are the symptoms of water damage to a
car? Thanks.
Ray O - 18 Apr 2007 19:36 GMT
> Due to incredible rain in the NYC area, my garage was flooded. I was out
> of town during the flooding happened and according to my neighbors & my
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
> (meaning $$$ out of my pocket)? What are the symptoms of water damage to a
> car? Thanks.

Feel the carpet, upholstery, and headliner to see if they are damp.  Check
the engine air filter to see if it is damp.    If the car was completely
submerged, the carpet, seats, and headliner should be damp.  Have the engine
oil changed to see if it has a milkshake appearance.  If it does, then water
got into the motor.

If the interior and engine air filter are dry, there is no musty odor, and
the oil is OK, then the car is probably OK.

Check the garage where the car was parked to see if there are signs of
flooding, like stains on the interior walls.
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Ray O
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FKS - 18 Apr 2007 20:14 GMT
> If the interior and engine air filter are dry, there is no musty odor, and
> the oil is OK, then the car is probably OK.
>
> Check the garage where the car was parked to see if there are signs of
> flooding, like stains on the interior walls.

The interior is dry. The water level was about 10-12 inch high according to
the stains on the garage walls.
Ray O - 18 Apr 2007 20:37 GMT
>> If the interior and engine air filter are dry, there is no musty odor,
>> and the oil is OK, then the car is probably OK.
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> The interior is dry. The water level was about 10-12 inch high according
> to the stains on the garage walls.

If the interior is dry, then the car is probably fine.  The stains on the
walls will tend to be higher than the actual water level because wood and
drywall tend to wick moisture, so the water level inside the garage probably
never got above the door sills.

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Ray O
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FKS - 18 Apr 2007 22:41 GMT
"Ray O" <rokigawaATtristarassociatesDOTcom> wrote in message
news:cec38$46267524

> If the interior is dry, then the car is probably fine.  The stains on the
> walls will tend to be higher than the actual water level because wood and
> drywall tend to wick moisture, so the water level inside the garage
> probably never got above the door sills.

When I abruptly stop the car, I hear a sound of moving liquid from the rear.
Is it possible that water came into the muffler and is trapped inside?
Ray O - 18 Apr 2007 23:07 GMT
> "Ray O" <rokigawaATtristarassociatesDOTcom> wrote in message
> news:cec38$46267524
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
> rear. Is it possible that water came into the muffler and is trapped
> inside?

Yes, it is possible that water got into the muffler and is trapped inside,
but I would imagine that you would see lots of steam or water dripping out
when the engine is warmed up and you rev the engine.

Look in the spare tire well in the trunk to make sure water is not trapped
in there.  Also look in the wells on each side of the trunk (I think they
are covered by trim pieces.)

The spare tire well and the wells on each side of the trunk may have rubber
plugs that you can pull out to let any accumulated water out, or you can use
a wet-vac or rags to get rid of any water that is trapped in there.
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Ray O
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Jay Somerset - 19 Apr 2007 00:57 GMT
> > "Ray O" <rokigawaATtristarassociatesDOTcom> wrote in message
> > news:cec38$46267524
[quoted text clipped - 19 lines]
> plugs that you can pull out to let any accumulated water out, or you can use
> a wet-vac or rags to get rid of any water that is trapped in there.

10 inches of water should be over the door sills, so that is where I would
concentrate my checking.
Check the doors.  That is the most likely place water will remain,
especially if the drain holes are plugged with dirt.  I had an Avalon where
one rear door had about 4 inches of water in it -- guess what; no drain
holes -- I had to actually drill some.
Max - 19 Apr 2007 03:39 GMT
>10 inches of water should be over the door sills, so that is where I would
>concentrate my checking.
>Check the doors.  That is the most likely place water will remain,
>especially if the drain holes are plugged with dirt.  I had an Avalon where
>one rear door had about 4 inches of water in it -- guess what; no drain
>holes -- I had to actually drill some.

also...check your fuel level.  You may just be hearing a half full gas
tank.
FKS - 19 Apr 2007 04:38 GMT
>>10 inches of water should be over the door sills, so that is where I would
>>concentrate my checking.
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
> also...check your fuel level.  You may just be hearing a half full gas
> tank.

Is it possible that I can actually hear the sound of gas moving in the tank
when the car abruptly stops???

The reason why I'm asking is that I found no water in the doors, the trunk,
the spare tire compartment, etc.
Ray O - 19 Apr 2007 04:57 GMT
>>>10 inches of water should be over the door sills, so that is where I
>>>would
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
> The reason why I'm asking is that I found no water in the doors, the
> trunk, the spare tire compartment, etc.

The fuel tank has baffles to prevent the fuel from sloshing around too much.
I doubt if you can hear the fuel in the tank.  If the sound is coming from
the rear, look in the ducts under the front seats and under the back seat
bottom.  You can try jacking up the front of the car to see if any water
comes out the exhaust.
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Max - 19 Apr 2007 23:48 GMT
>> Is it possible that I can actually hear the sound of gas moving in the
>> tank when the car abruptly stops???
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
>bottom.  You can try jacking up the front of the car to see if any water
>comes out the exhaust.

however, to eliminate fuel making the noise, just test on a full tank.
Ray O - 20 Apr 2007 00:08 GMT
>>> Is it possible that I can actually hear the sound of gas moving in the
>>> tank when the car abruptly stops???
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
>
> however, to eliminate fuel making the noise, just test on a full tank.

Some solutions are just a little too obvious!  I hate it when I'm not the
one with the obvious answer!
;-)

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Ray O
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Max - 21 Apr 2007 01:19 GMT
>>>> Is it possible that I can actually hear the sound of gas moving in the
>>>> tank when the car abruptly stops???
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
>one with the obvious answer!
>;-)

LOL..and it's almost *always* the most obvious that's overlooked.

And Murphys Law says, it'll always be the most obvious!  ;-)
FKS - 21 Apr 2007 03:53 GMT
Haven't filled up the tank yet:-) More tests have revealed that I hear a
sound of moving liquid from the rear only when abruptly stopping the car on
a downward slope. Anyway, my dealership will take a look at it soon.
Ray O - 21 Apr 2007 03:55 GMT
>>>>> Is it possible that I can actually hear the sound of gas moving in the
>>>>> tank when the car abruptly stops???
[quoted text clipped - 20 lines]
>
> And Murphys Law says, it'll always be the most obvious!  ;-)

Yup, which is why it never hurts to state the obvious!

Thanks for sharing the obvious!
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Ray O
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