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Can driving through water damage a clutch?
I drove my car through a really flooded street last night and immediately after I noticed that I wasn’t able to shift gears. I managed to get my car back in the garage, thankfully. Did driving through water damage my clutch?
Mary Cahill · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
I’m sorry to hear about your car trouble! Driving through water should not damage a clutch. Here’s why.
Your car’s gearbox protects your clutch from being submerged in water, so unless the gearbox has a broken seal, the clutch cannot be damaged by driving through water.
It’s possible for your clutch to slip a little after your car makes contact with a large quantity of standing water, but it shouldn’t stop working. Regardless, it’s never recommended to drive your car through a flood—although it’s sometimes unavoidable. Doing so can be very detrimental to the mechanical components of vehicles.
Typically, contact with high levels of standing water can result in damage of the following:
- Engine
- Brakes
- Rotors
- Power steering
- Interior upholstery
- Electronic systems
- Suspension
If your car has been exposed to significant water, there’s also a chance that it will lead to rust, or in the case of saltwater, corrosion. Contact a mechanic right away if you feel that your car has suffered damage due to flooding.
Weather can be unpredictable—and uncontrollable. With
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you can feel confident about getting the coverage that’s right for your needs. Just answer a few general questions and in 45 seconds Jerry gives you competitive quotes from over 50 reputable insurance companies like Nationwide and Allstate. Users save an average of $887 per year.
MORE Signs of a flood-damaged car
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- Gregory R.
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Jerry partners with more than 50 insurance companies, but our content is independently researched, written, and fact-checked by our team of editors and agents. We aren’t paid for reviews or other content.
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