King tide, costly ride: How South Florida flooding can wreck your car

South Florida admin September 29, 2026 0 Comments

King tide, costly ride: How South Florida flooding can wreck your car

King tide rolled through South Florida over the weekend — and it’s not over yet. Expect more submerged roads and sidewalks.

Some pedestrians trudged through the water, and some drivers in Hollywood, Fort Lauderdale and Miami Beach braved flooded roads or parked in the puddles on the side of the street.

What drivers may not know is that saving a few extra minutes going through a flooded roadway — or leaving your car parked in the water — could cost thousands later on.

While walkers might just get a pair of soggy sneakers, the water can harm vehicles.

MORE: King tides deluge South Florida streets. There’s more flooding to come

Here’s what to know:

Driving through floods can damage your car

Water and cars do not mix well, and when floods meet the bottom or the inside of your vehicle, you risk severe damage.

Driving or parking in a puddle can flood your engine, and you would have to tow your car to a mechanic to know if you need a full engine replacement. If you’ve made it through the water and your check engine light turns on, even briefly, your car needs to be looked at by a mechanic.

According to AutoZone, a full engine replacement can cost anywhere from $2,000 to more than $10,000.

Your engine isn’t the only thing you need to worry about, as there are electronics in your car that are also at risk.

Your car’s computer systems are often located near the front seats, so if deep water reaches that area, the electronics may be damaged, and you would also have to tow your car to a mechanic to receive a full diagnosis of the damage.

And if the water reaches the seat-belt area, call your insurance company right away. Water can prevent seat belts from working correctly in an emergency, and your airbags may not deploy in a crash, according to My Airbags, an online auto repair service that focuses on your car’s safety equipment.

Mechanics say that you should rinse your car after a flood, as saltwater can deteriorate the paint and parts on the car.

The less obvious risk of water damage is respiratory and health issues caused by bacteria and mold after the car is flooded, and cars that have been previously damaged by water can make their way back on the market.

How to avoid buying a water-damaged car

If you are in the process of buying a car in South Florida, you should take certain precautions to ensure the car wasn’t previously damaged by water.

When looking at the car, close the windows and make sure there is no mildewy smell that could point to previous flooding damage. Also check under the upholstery and rugs for water stains.

The air filter should also be checked, as you can see if it got wet at some point. Additionally, the metal parts on the glove compartment and trunk may be corroded if they sustained water damage.

Look under the hood for leaves or debris in places they shouldn’t be, and be sure to check the oil, as even one drop of water can point to serious problems.

Cloudy headlights and instrument gauges are also signs that the car was in a flood.

Test drive the car and keep an eye on the electrical systems. You can even take the car to a mechanic for an inspection.

Be sure to use a reputable car dealership, and check the car’s history on websites like AutoCheck or CARFAX Vehicle History Reports.

Finally, be sure to read the vehicle’s title fully, and if the words “flood” or “salvage” are on it, don’t buy it.

When can we expect the next king tide?

The tides will rise again on Monday around 9:30 p.m., with this king tide lasting until Wednesday, Sept. 30. According to Miami Beach’s website, there are more king tide periods are expected this year, with the highest predicted tides on Oct. 10 and Oct. 26-27.

The next king tide periods will be: