Flood Damaged Cars Being Sold In Washington: AG

OLYMPIA, WA - Even though hurricanes Harvey and Irma happened thousands of miles from Washington, those storms are causing damage locally. Attorney General Bob Ferguson is warning that unscrupulous car dealers are selling flood-damaged vehicles in the state.

The cars might appear fine on the outside, but flood-damaged cars usually have serious mechanical problems. Before buying a used car, Ferguson and the Washington State Auto Dealers Association are offering tips to consumers:

• Test Drive First: Before you buy a used vehicle, you should thoroughly examine the vehicle and go for a test drive to test the vehicle's mechanical operating condition. This means that you should drive the vehicle as you would under every day driving conditions — freeway, in-city, hills etc.
• Check the Gauges: You should check the operation of all electrical and comfort amenities (windows, lights and turn signals, defroster, heater and air conditioner), blow the horn, check the brakes by coming to a controlled emergency stop, and listen to the engine accelerate when entering on to the freeway and on hills.
• Complete a Visual Inspection: Do a complete visual inspection of the vehicle; look under the vehicle for any signs of frame damage or collision repairs, any flood damage and any missing, loose or ill-fitting body parts; check the engine compartment and trunk for fresh paint that might reveal prior damage or signs of flood damage.

• Check it out with Your Mechanic: If the vehicle passes your test, take it for an inspection by a qualified mechanic of your choosing. The mechanic should check the brakes, electrical system, compression, transmission, and every other system on the vehicle, especially any that caught your attention during the test drive. You should also consider an emissions control system inspection and test. Inspections may cost you some money, but if the mechanic discovers a major defect, you have saved yourself a big problem and a lot of money. When an inspection reveals only minor defects, you can use that information to negotiate either a lower purchase price or get the dealer to agree, in writing, to fix the items before purchase.

If you think you bought a flood-damaged car, file a complaint with the attorney general here.

A car sits in a flooded parking lot outside the Germain Arena, which was used as an evacuation shelter for Hurricane Irma, which passed through Estero, Fla., Monday, Sept. 11, 2017.

Image by Gerald Herbert/Associated Press