Water damage rules

[darinz]

Not specifically 4x4 related but can anyone tell me or point me to the rules around water damage to a car? eg how deep before the car is written off?

[wjw]

I dont think there is a hard and fast rule it would depend on the cost to repair compared to the replacement cost. My wifes mums corsa had about 6" water in it and they just replaced the carpet.

[rangimotors]

a friend who is an auto sparky said most insurance companys get them to quote on a full replacement wiring loom for anything to do with water damage(doesn't matter if loom is even been wet) and he said its usually enough to write the car off.

[Ralfie]

a friend who is an auto sparky said most insurance companys get them to quote on a full replacement wiring loom for anything to do with water damage(doesn't matter if loom is even been wet) and he said its usually enough to write the car off.

Very much the same I got from a compliance centre re water damaged vehicles. Once water damaged (even fresh water) all wiring looms have to be replaced no matter what.

Was a case about 4-5 years ago re a td5 LR 110 that got wet in a river. Insurance covered it but they didn't repalce wiring looms. some 8-9 months later vehicle started doing weird things like turning stereo on during night without the keys in it. Was subsequently written off after a battle with insurance company and liability.

Insurance companies won't take the risk any more as if wet the electronics that control ABS braking and such like could fail and resulting in death and potential lawsuits.

[Rotazuk]

This came up with Burnie the other day as I said most winch challenge truck i see would not be able to get a wof by the strick definition . I have never heard of this but he said once a car had been in water up to its chassis its wof was no longer valid .

Anyone read anything like that ? Never heard of it myself .

Chris

[meatc]

Not sure about insurance company rules, but I have had over 150mm of water inside my work rodeo (twice in 3 months) and all they did was supposedly oils ,dried out the carpet, replaced the 4x4 computer and company radios which were under the rear seat. Was still going when I parted with it 2 weeks ago.

How much water did the Mazda get in it?

[Swamped]

This came up with Burnie the other day as I said most winch challenge truck i see would not be able to get a wof by the strick definition . I have never heard of this but he said once a car had been in water up to its chassis its wof was no longer valid .

Anyone read anything like that ? Never heard of it myself .

Chris

I've driven my road cars through streams. It wouldn't play any part in a warrant as they are a legal at the time of assessment type thing and will pass all good so long as ie the belt pretensioners aren't shot from water or the abs is on the fritz from water.
Its just common sense you'd check shit out if you took your car for a swim deeper than it should have gone.

If insurance is involved as said it will be a balance of cost vs vehicle value yada yada.

At the border they check for condensation, mould etc etc and flag that. Thats the only time I've heard of water damage being pulled up.

[darinz]

The insurance company are dealing with it so not really an issue. As far as I was aware the water wasn't that deep but when i got back into the car it had water all though the drivers side and the clutch had jamed.
I guess it is the hazard of being use to driving 4x4 and then not really thinking when I was driving the car.