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Over 41 million Americans live in flood zones, with coastal states typically being the most affected. However, just about anywhere can become flooded if the weather becomes extreme enough. Flooding can occur suddenly and with very little warning, and for most of us, the focus becomes our family and our homes. But what about our cars?
In this article we’ll be taking a closer look at how flooding can affect cars. We’ll be exploring simple preventative measures as well as how to deal with damage caused, should the worst happen.
Of course, the best thing you can do is try to keep your car safe from flooding before the bad weather strikes, and while nothing is foolproof when it comes to mother nature, by adhering to these simple preparatory methods, you might significantly reduce any prospective flood damage to your vehicle.
1. High Ground
Just as when preparing your home for a flood, you move prized possessions to higher ground. If you live near a hill or have access to elevated ground or garage, try to park your car as close to the top as possible where it will hopefully be safer from rising waters.
2. Close Everything
This tip is also generally advisable for theft prevention, but in regards to flood safety, make sure all the windows, doors, and sun roofs are tightly closed. The more areas you can prevent water from entering the better.
3. Disconnect the Battery
If you live in a flatter area where finding high ground is unlikely, prepare for the worst by disconnecting your battery. This will help prevent water damaging the sensitive electronic components as well as the car’s onboard computer, since the source of power will be disconnected.
4. Cease and Desist
Finally, if you’re caught out driving when water levels start to rise, turn off your car immediately. Do not stay in your car. Water can rise faster than you realise, leaving you trapped, or worse, swept away while trapped inside your vehicle. Never try to drive through flood waters. Not only is it difficult to assess the depth of water, but you also do not want water to be sucked into your car by the various pumps and valves connected to your vehicle, ruining your engine and more.
Once the adverse weather has ceased, it’s time to assess the damage. Hopefully, your prior preparedness has minimized the worst of the damage. Unfortunately, for flood damaged cars, the prognosis usually isn’t good. Depending on the age or condition of your car, seeking a replacement may be a more advisable solution. If the flooding involved salt water, salvaging the car becomes 50% less likely.
However, if you want to maximise the chance of saving your prized motor, then acting fast is important. As soon as it is safe to do so, inspect your car and note the mark left by the waterline. If it was as high as the dashboard, it is unlikely your vehicle will be worth saving. However, lower level flooding should be cleaned out and dried as soon as possible to prevent mould and rust.
If you were not able to remove the battery before the flooding, now is the time to do so, this will help prevent any damage from lingering water. Most importantly, even if the flooding was quite minor, it is essential that you do not start up your car, as this can introduce residual flood water into engine, only adding to your problems.
Your best solution is to either call a tow truck or have your local mechanic come out to your car in person to assess the damage before any more can be done. They will be able to advise you on the best ways to proceed and also give you a clear vision of the future costs as well as the types of work you may be able to claim back on your insurance.
If you’ve been a victim of flooding and have decided that your car is 
worth saving, then finding an understanding service center who will guide you through the potentially lengthy recovery process is essential. If you’re in the Canoga Park, Woodland Hills, San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles County, or other surrounding areas of California, Euro Plus Automotive should be your first call. With a 2 year/24,000 mile guarantee on all parts and repairs, once your car is fixed, you can get back on the road and put all the stress of flooding behind you.
In an expensive imported car like an Audi, you want to take every step possible to ensure that there is nothing wrong with its engine. This includes the implement designed to hold the engine in place. The primary job of the engine mount is to keep the engine stationary, as well as reducing the vibration that the engine emits.
Engine mounts are crafted with a rubber material in order to prevent the inevitable friction and damage that a metal-on-metal surface area would cause in the long run. Since it is holding the most important part of your car upright and keeping it out of harm’s way, the engine mount can be considered an integral component of an automobile, and when it breaks down it can mean catastrophe for your Audi. Generally speaking, you will be able to diagnose a broken motor mount fairly easily.
There are visible signs of a broken motor mount that you can observe yourself at the onset of trouble. Usually, the first sign that anything is wrong with an automobile can be heard audibly. If a motor mount is decayed or completely broken, you will probably hear impact noises coming from the hood of the car, such as loud banging noises. This would be the noise of the loosened engine shifting around under the hood, specifically on the side where the broken engine mount is located.
Other symptoms will be visible upon further inspection. Any cracks or separation of the rubber of the motor mount is the most commonly observed symptom. Another indication is leaking liquid coming from the mount. The engine may even sag lower on the side where the broken motor mount is placed. This problem places more stress on the other engine mounts, which leaves them more vulnerable to breaking. It is important to take your car in for servicing as soon as you notice any of these problems under the hood of your car, as one broken motor mount can lead to the rest of the motor mounts breaking as well.
You would be correct in assuming that a broken motor mount is a serious issue. However, if you are able to detect the problem early, you will be able to save yourself a serious headache in the future. Once you discover the broken motor mount, you should immediately bring it into a mechanic for servicing. An amateur could attempt to do it themselves, but it is difficult to access the motor mounts under the hood, and even more difficult to give the engine the proper support while you try to fix it.
Test the broken motor mount before driving the vehicle any longer. If the broken mount isn’t in too bad of a shape, you could be able to drive with the dislodged engine for a little while, but it isn’t worth doing more serious damage to your automobile. When you suspect that you have a broken motor mount under your hood, the best option is to only drive your car when it is an absolute necessity while you begin your search for a professional Audi mechanic that can take care of this potentially serious problem.
Bringing your car to a new mechanic that specializes in Audi vehicles can be a stressful and worrying experience, but not if you live in the Los Angeles County area. Just take your car to Euro Plus Automotive in 
Canoga Park and let the wonderful mechanics there take that stress off of your shoulders.
Residents of Canoga Park, as well as nearby Woodland Hills and the San Fernando Valley have trusted their European vehicles to Euro Plus Automotive for over 30 years. Although they began servicing Porsche vehicles, they have since branched out to include many other European makes and models to their area of expertise. Audi owners are just one of those groups of European car owners lucky enough to have the expert services of Euro Plus Automotive at their disposal.
Having a serious problem with your car, such as a broken or loose engine mount, can threaten your peace of mind as you worry about how long your car can withstand the pressure modern highway driving can inflict on it. Bring your Audi in today for a consultation or call for an appointment.
Euro Plus Automotive specializes in maintenance, services, & repairs with certified technicians and cutting-edge tools & equipment for European vehicles including Audi, BMW, Mercedes, & more as well as Japanese cars like Honda, Nissan, Toyota, & more.
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