We recently purchased a used 07 Prius. Unfortunately a mechanic discovered that this car was in a flood before. It was not reported in Carfax or the title. We are stuck with it. Questions: Is the car safe to drive? How safe is the battery(no visible damage or corrison that we can detect)? Is the warranty good for 8 years? What other things we need to check out? Please, Please Help. Thanks.
several things…go back to original seller…no disclosure…ask all these questions…go to prius dealer and ask questions…
fresh or salt water? This will make a big difference when it comes to corrosion…
Contact your auto insurance company and tell them that you think it is a flood car and why. They will probably evaluate it themselves to determine if it was in a flood. They may deal with the seller themselves. If not, they will tell you who to contact.
How does the mechanic know that the car was in a flood? You need to know where the water went before you can assess the possible damage. If the battery was not submerged, it may be OK. The battery may also have been replaced after the flood damage. Maybe Toyota can tell you if the battery is the original.
Thanks for answering. We think it is fresh water. It was purchsed from a third party dealer
You might just go to a Toyota dealer, tell them you are a new owner, and ask about what warranties are still good on the car. Don’t tell them your worries or concerns. Just tell them what is certainly true - that you are a new owner and want to know what’s covered. If they tell you that the power train is covered, ask to have them check it out for you and see if everything’s OK. I wouldn’t tell them anything about someone else’s opinion about a flood.
This situation makes me think “do you already have damages or are you seaking compensation for damages you havenot yet experienced”?
If you present your car for a warranty repair and the Dealer determines the cause of your sympton is due to the flood condition your claim will be rejected,and rightly so.
It seems you will have to wait for a problem to appear and then a decision will be made case by case if warranty will pay.
Commenting on the “safe to drive” issue needs clairification from you. Do you mean safe as in “will I get stuck somewhere” or “is the battery going to explode”.