MOTORISTS must not try to start their cars that had been trapped in floodwater, motoring associations said.

Attempting to start a stalled car after floodwater has receded could cost motorists thousands of ringgit in repairs, they added. 

“Get a tow truck to tow it to the workshop and let the mechanics drain the water from the engine and transmission.

“They can check whether the engine control unit (ECU) is contaminated with water or pollutants. If it is, they can repair it accordingly,” Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA) president Aishah Ahmad told The Star Online yesterday. 

Instead, car owners should just leave their cars as is and leave it to the experts, Penang Motor Vehicles Workshop Owners Association member Chan Kok Hoe said.

“Sometimes, people may be desperate and try to drive their car past flooded areas to get to higher ground.

“But the best way is to not take the risk. Whether their car was flooded while parked or it broke down halfway, just leave the car there,” said Chan.

He said owners should never start the engine as water would have flooded it and this could cause a short circuit within the ECU.

“Once the ECU is affected, the cost of repair is very high. During the Penang floods in 2017, the cost to repair a Perodua MyVi went over RM30,000,” he recalled.

He said that it was cheaper to clean and dry out a submerged car as the cost would only range between RM2,000-RM5,000.

“But if you try to start the engine of a flooded car, you can expect the cost to skyrocket to over RM30,000.”

For those living in coastal areas, Chan said vehicles affected by salt water could be irreparable. 

“Seawater can be very damaging to vehicles as it is corrosive. In such cases, it is difficult to restore or repair the vehicle. Even after repairs, cars which have been in seawater can be affected by corrosion,” he said. – December 21, 2021.