09-10-21

What Should I do if my Car Gets Flooded?

What should I do if my car gets flooded?

When Hurricane Ida pounded New Jersey last week, thousands of vehicles were impacted. Flooding, whether caused by hurricanes and severe storms, is the most common natural disaster in America, according to Census.gov. And while you may have successfully forged rising flood waters, it doesn’t mean that your vehicle is out of the woods. If floodwaters partially or fully submerge your car, it can mean extensive damage and costly repairs. Here’s what to do after the waters recede.

Can a Car be Fixed after Being Flooded?

While in many cases you CAN get your vehicle fixed after flooding, it is a matter of how much does it cost to fix a flood-damaged car compared to its insurance value. So before you start guessing if its worth fixing a flooded car, assess the extent of the damage to your car.

  • Check out the Damage – Survey the car’s potential damage and note how high the water rose in your car. This will vary vehicle to vehicle. How high does water have to be to flood a car, truck or SUV, depends on your vehicle’s ground clearance. Trucks and SUVs general have higher ground clearance (the measured height from the ground to the bottom edge of the vehicles undercarriage) and can forge water a sedan traditionally can’t.
  • Document & Photograph – Take plenty of pictures and/or video of the inside and outside of the vehicle. Cover every angle of the flooded car. If you are planning on requesting a water damage car insurance claim, you should document the evidence as soon as possible.
  • Open an Insurance Claim – Contact your insurance agent as soon as possible. Since you can claim water damage on car insurance, IF you have comprehensive coverage, an adjuster would need to inspect the vehicle before approving flooded car repair costs. If you aren’t sure if your vehicle is covered or not, you should still open a claim with your insurance company. And submit early! In the event of a large natural disaster, it is likely many others will be submitting their claims as well so get in before the rest.
  • Dry Out Your Car – If you drove through high waters and your vehicle is still running, allow it to dry out. It is hard to tell if you got water in your engine or if you have water damage to car electrical system. Driving it with residual water in the engine or a faulty electrical system can cause even more damage. Then bring your car to a Flemington Car & Truck Country authorized Service Center for a full evaluation of potential damage.
  • Call a Professional – If your vehicle became submerged and the engine stopped, DO NOT TRY TO RESTART YOUR CAR. Excess water can cause a variety of issues, including the engine, electrical systems, fuel line and filters. Instead, contact a towing service to get your vehicle towed to one of our Flemington Car & Truck Country Dealership Service Centers for evaluation.
  • Schedule an Appointment – Contact one of our Flemington Car & Truck Country Service Centers so a certified technician can assess the damage to all the mechanical components, including the engine, transmission, axles, brake and fuel system for water contamination. And in some instances, water exposure will not surface earlier than 90 days, when computer and other electrical components begin to corrode.

How hard is it to fix a flood damaged car?

Because water damage is not always visible to the untrained eye, it is important for a factory trained mechanic to inspect the vehicle as soon as possible. The technician will most likely begin by looking for the most immediate signs of engine damage. This will likely be found in the engine oil and transmission fluid. By just checking the fluids with a dipstick you can see if there has been exposure. Water will make the transmission fluid look milky in consistency. Water in the oil pan will also dilute the engine oil as well.

If the vehicle was exposed to salt or muddy water, the corrosion from either can cause rust inside components that will lead to further repair issues. Engines and electronics are not designed to handle these conditions, and the car will corrode and fail. That’s an expensive proposition to remedy, and thus, the insurance company will often total a flood-damaged car. That’s why it is best take the vehicle to an authorized dealership for evaluation.

Once the extent of your vehicle’s flood damage is determined, your insurance company will weigh the costs to repair the vehicle against the cost of replacing it. If your car is totaled (considered a total loss) by the insurance company, be sure to review what that means with your insurance agent.

Whether your vehicle can be repaired after experiencing a flooding event, or deemed a loss by your insurance company, our team is here to help. Contact any of our Flemington Car and Truck Country Family of Brands serving NJ, PA and NY to repair your vehicle or find a replacement.

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01-08-19

How Often to Replace a Car Battery

The average battery lifespan is around 4-5 years, although that can vary depending on different factors. Take a look at our guide to car batteries at Land Rover Princeton near Mount Laurel, and when it’s time to replace your battery, visit our Land Rover service center!

How to Know If Your Car Battery Needs to Be Replaced

Four warning signs that indicate your battery will need a replacement soon:

  1. Dimming headlights
  2. Increasingly frequent need for engine revving or jump-starts
  3. Takes longer to start the engine
  4. Unusual power fluctuations

What Causes Car Battery Deterioration?

  • Heat: Heat can cause battery liquids to evaporate, so if you live in a warmer climate your battery life will tend to be shorter than if you live in cold weather or a moderate climate.
  • Vibrations: If you drive on off-road trails around Mount Laurel, or your battery’s hold-down clamps are loose, vibrations may break down battery parts faster.
  • Needing a Jump: Every time your vehicle requires a jump-start, its battery life is shortened.
  • Time: Just like a laptop or phone battery, a car battery can only charge so many times before it’s time to remove and replace it.

To get a more specific estimate of how long your car battery should last with proper care, check your owner’s manual or Land Rover maintenance schedule.

How to Test a Car Battery

During semi-annual regular maintenance, you should have your car battery tested by technicians, Many service centers also offer free testings if it’s not time for your tune-up, or you can try these at-home methods.

The Headlight Test:

  1. Turn on the engine and make turn the headlights on.
  2. Rev the engine and check if headlights get brighter.
  3. If the brightness increases, that means the current is not strong enough while the car is idling have the lights at full brightness.
  4. Take your car in for service to fully check the battery.

Using a Digital Multimeter:

  1. Set the voltmeter to 20 DC volts.
  2. Under the hood, touch the negative terminal with the negative meter probe.
  3. Touch the positive terminal with the positive meter probe.
  4. Have a someone else turn on the headlights while you monitor the voltmeter reading.
  5. At 80℉, 12.5 volts or higher means your battery is fully charged.
  6. 12.3 volts means it’s at about 75% charged.
  7. 11.8 volts or lower means you have 25% or less charge.

How Much is a Replacement Car Battery?

A car battery can cost between $75 and $120 normally, but a premium battery could be up to $200. Since hybrid car batteries have a much bigger task they are much more costly–between $1000 and $6000–but the lower gas consumption over time usually offsets this cost.

Rely on Land Rover Princeton For Your Service Needs

If it’s time for you to replace your battery, visit the Land Rover Princeton parts center near Hopewell. Be sure to check our parts and service specials ahead of time to take advantage of our rotating offers! If you have any more automotive questions like how to clean leather car seats or what is the difference between premium and regular gas, rely on Land Rover Princeton.

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09-08-18

Land Rover Discovery Service Schedule

Learn More Schedule Service

One look at the Land Rover Discovery towing capacity and Discovery off-roading capabilities and it’s clear this luxury SUV is rugged, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t need to be serviced. Find out when to take the trip from Mount Laurel for Land Rover service at Land Rover Princeton, serving drivers throughout Hopewell.

Maintenance Reminder

Land Rover engineers recognize that the service schedule for different vehicle systems and parts can vary dramatically based on your driving habits and where you drive, which is why there is not a predetermined maintenance schedule. Fortunately, there’s a built-in onboard computer which is able to monitor your various systems to recognize and alert you when it’s time for an oil change, tire change, wheel alignment, or other vehicle maintenance procedure.

General Service Schedule

While there’s no determinative schedule for vehicle maintenance on the Land Rover Discovery, it’s usually to bring your vehicle in for:

  • Oil change every 3,000-5,000 miles
  • Tire rotation every 3,000-5,000 miles
  • Brake, suspension, steering, fuel line inspection every 15,000 miles
  • Transmission fluid replacement every 30,000-60,000 miles

Get Land Rover Service Near South Brunswick Today!

Let the factory-trained and certified Land Rover technicians at Land Rover Princeton take care of all your Land Rover maintenance and repair needs. And if you’re still thinking about buying a Land Rover Discovery, contact us to set up a tour of the Land Rover Discovery cargo space and interior before taking it out for a test drive. We can even help you compare it with models like the Audi Q5.

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