Want to avoid buying a flood-damaged car? Verify the vehicle checking its VIN number for free at Crashstatus.com. It’s an effective way to identify a car that has been flooded — or damaged in another way.

After every flood in Europe and the USA, thousands of cars hit the used car market with varying levels of flood damage. A flood-damaged car is a disaster on wheels. Such a car is prone to frequent electrical and electronic component failures. It is damaged by corrosion, and its airbags and impact sensors may be faulty after flooding.

When an electric car (or a hybrid with a lithium-ion battery) is flooded, it should be scrapped straight away. By using a flood-damaged electric or PHEV hybrid car you are putting your own safety at risk. Water ingress into the battery may cause shorting and battery fire.

Dishonest car dealers know how to temporarily mask flood damage. But you can use effective tools, like Crashstatus, to spot the signs.

Check a car for flood damage

Interested in a particular used car? Note down its VIN number from the advertisement. If the seller has not provided a VIN number, ask for it in a private message. If the seller won’t share the VIN, give up on this car and look for another one.

Got the VIN? Enter it in the designated box on the Crashstatus.com homepage. After a few seconds, you’ll find out whether your car has any recorded damage — all for free!

What does it mean that a car has recorded damages?

• The car was involved in an accident or collision reported to an insurer.
• The car was flooded or affected by a flood, which was reported to an insurer.
• The car was severely damaged in a flood or accident, with the insurer declaring it a total loss.
• The car was stolen, which was recorded in police databases.
• The car sustained other types of damage or destruction.

Crash Status uses a vast and reliable database.

The car looks great, but Crash Status says it’s flood-damaged…

Looks can be deceiving. Dishonest sellers can hide signs of accident or flood damage and even mask mechanical damage in various ways. Most of them are only effective temporarily, but that may be enough for an unscrupulous seller to find a buyer. And because flood-damaged cars often come with very attractive prices, they may look like a bargain when compared to other cars of the same age.

Dishonest sellers can use various free and purchased software to enhance photos in their advertisements. In theory, sellers are responsible for their ad content, but in practice, many unscrupulous sellers disregard this.

An experienced specialist (vehicle appraiser) can quickly detect flood damage. Inexperienced buyers may not notice these signs.

What is the value of flood damage? What was the cause of damage?

If you’re still interested in the car, you can purchase a report from Crashstatus.com. This report will tell you:

• When the damage was reported
• Where the damage was reported
• About the type of damage – accident, flood, etc.
• The value of damage estimated by the insurer, helping you to assess whether repairing the car is worthwhile.

This informationwill also allow you to negotiate the price with the seller.

Remember! When you’re buying a used car, use every available tool to check it beforehand. Crash Status is one of the most important tools — and it’s free. Always check the car using its VIN number for free to minimize the risk of buying a damaged vehicle.