Garage flooded. Is my car OK?

Pretty much everything outside of the interior that low is going to be meant to get wet. Somethings might not like being submerged though. The things to check would be for water getting into lubricated items that were not meant to be submersed. Be that water geting in through a vent or a past a seal. It wouldn't hurt to give it a good inspection before driving it much. At worst you might be looking at repacking bearings or changing out the fluid in the diff (if RWD and having a vent that allowed water in).

Electrical connections should probably be checked as well if they aren't of the sealed type.

Here's an update:

When I abruptly stop the car, I hear a sound of moving liquid from the rear. So, I guess water is trapped inside the muffler:-(

Possible, but less likely than water in the trunk, quarterpanels, or the rockers.

If there is water in the muffler, drive it and it'll blow out and/or evaporate.

Dave

I think having an 1/8" hole in the end of the muffler to let out water is a good idea. Some come with them. This also lets out the condensation that rots out mufflers from the inside out. (ever notice that?)

Mike

Perhaps some liquid in your gas tank?

You should have it checked out by a good mechanic at a minimum. 12-15 inches is high enough that you probably ought to have all the fluids changed and the wheel bearings and CV joints repacked "just in case." Hopefully it didn't reach the level of any crucial electrical components. If your carpets remained dry that is a good sign.

good luck,

nate

it is a very good idea, but the OP should be warned that it can change the sound of the exhaust at idle. (yes, even a 1/8" hole)

"frederick" wrote

I agree. To verify, remove the tank and go for a long drive to see if the sound stops.

You're talking out your ass. The wheel bearings and CV joints are sealed. Have you never heard of driving a car in a heavy rain storm? Hitting deep puddles and splashing everything with water is going to get everything just as wet.

If water got into the exhaust, it'll get blown out and evaporate. Don't go drilling any holes.

Bring it into the dealer for a quick checkup and quit obsessing over it.

CV joints, fairly well sealed. Wheel bearings, often less so.

But yes, getting bearings and such regreased is a bit overkill.

Probably the first problem will be the E-brake sticking, if it has drums.

Dave

Take a two-hour drive on the highway and you'll boil it all right out.

--scott

If wheel bearings are so well sealed, why do they sell special dust caps for boat trailer wheel bearings with grease fittings in them?

Personally if it were my car i'd check everything just to be on the safe side.

naet

I will just say this. When I do a grease job on my Jeeps after every off road camping trip that had water crossings, I get water out of 'every' fitting I can possibly grease, especially the u-joints. Things like the tie rod ends and ball joints are really open to water, then the grease and the dust seal can hold it in and rot things fast.

Things like CV joints and wheel bearing 'do' get contaminated with water and mud and need to be opened up once a year on our Jeep to be repacked because of it or they 'will' fail.

I had to stop using those Heavy Duty 'lifetime' warranty 'no grease' u-joints because they lasted only about a year due to water contamination. I mistakenly thought they were better so put them every freaking place when I rebuilt my CJ7 and used them on my Cherokee. What a pain.

I also have a really high instance of brake lining failure due to water contamination. I have only once in over 10 years been able to wear a set of brake shoes out, normally there is 40-60% left on them when they break apart into pieces or delaminate from the backing plate. Cheap ones, expensive ones, no matter, none of them like to be submerged in water.

If the OP can possibly get a grease job done, it is recommended. 'If' his wheel bearings are repackable, that too.

Mike

I thought the OP was talking about a car, not a boat trailer ; ) Most automotive wheel bearings are a non serviceable sealed bearing assembly, there is no way to check it or grease it.

Boat trailers use removable, servicable wheel bearings that aren't sealed as well. The problem you have is that when you back a hot wheel bearing hub into cold water it sucks the water into the hub and eventually causes the bearing to fail. If you can fill the hub with grease you don't have that problem. That's why you have the bearing cap with grease fitting.

Judging from my cars, the bearings are sealed well enough for rain and spatters from water on the road, but holding them underwater for hours to days might be asking a lot.

He'll know soon enough, I guess.