How would I prove a car was flooded?

Posted by Critical_Opening_526@reddit | askcarguys | View on Reddit | 17 comments

My mother needed a car. She doesn't make the best purchases, and I offer as much help as possible but she does things on her own.

She had a 2010 Chyrsler 200. It finally died, and she went looking while I was at work. I told her to run ideas by me and we'll go together.

I come home from work to a text saying she bought a 2019 Kia Soul. 21,200 miles on it.

I hadn't seen the vehicle.

She text me that she took the car to the shop as it has a check engine light on. The mechanic has discovered the Subframe is rotted away already.

on a 6-7 year old vehicle that strikes me as unusual, even located here in Michigan.

between that, and the electrical issues I'm curious if the vehicle was totaled in a flood.

So what are my steps to discovering and rectifying this?

Other than refuse my mother to go alone for cars?

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Aegean8485@reddit

Check under rear seat and below dash for any traces of water. Also car seat bolts will definitely rust if get into water once.

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Senior-Dog-9735@reddit

If the title is clean doesnt manufacturer warranty cover this? Thought Kia offers one for like 10 years.

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Darkslayer_@reddit

Unroll one of the seat belts all the way and see if it has water damage on any part of it.

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Google the VIN - something may show up. Otherwise, private sales are usually sold as-is unless you can provide the seller was intentionally misrepresenting the condition of the car (which seems unlikely).

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Critical_Opening_526@reddit (OP)

It was from a dealer. A kia specific dealer.

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jrileyy229@reddit

First let's be specific here... You're saying she bought it from a Kia dealership? How was it advertised and what paperwork?

When you say took it to a shop, I assume that is not the Kia Dealership it came from? And this mechanic.was diagnosing the engine light and found what exactly?

When did she buy it? If she bought it like yesterday and it has an engine light today, you should go back to the dealership it came from

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Critical_Opening_526@reddit (OP)

Yes purchased from the dealership.

She bought it maybe 3 months ago. The check engine appeared immediately. Returned to dealer to fix.

It's at the dealer now, they're saying it wasnt flooded and it's from "sitting"

I have a 63 thunderbird that is in my garage. It's 66 years old. It doesn't have rust from sitting.

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jrileyy229@reddit

And the check engine light now is the same as it was 3 months ago? And back at the dealer?

Subframe actually rotted away? Or just surface rust?

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Local-Vacation4884@reddit

Oh, if it was a stealership, you have a lot more recourse. Is it substantial sub-frame rot, to the point where the vehicle may be unsafe to drive? Threaten to file a complaint with your city/state consumer protection bureau. If not, contact a local councilman/assemblyman/whatever official to help her look into this.

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