Can driving through water damage your battery?

I recently moved to a coastal town in North Carolina. It’s beautiful, but in June and July, the area is vulnerable to flooding. Can I damage my car battery by driving through water?

Max Werner · Updated on Mar 20, 2023

Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.

Yikes—I hope you packed some rain boots! Floods can be a nuisance, but driving through water shouldn’t damage your battery. Most car batteries are designed to keep water out.

Batteries are intentionally sealed—keeping water away from the important parts. So if standing water is low, it’s unlikely that a flood will affect your vehicle’s battery.

You should check other components of your car after driving through a flood, though. The following are most susceptible to water damage:

Engine

Transmission

Brake pads

Suspension

Electrical sensors

Beware, however, that electric vehicles are the most susceptible to battery damage. Cars like the

Tesla Model X

and

Chevy Volt

feature batteries underneath the cabin. Electric vehicles may not have to worry about flooded engines, but high water levels can cause damage to the electrical components, which surround the battery.

If your vehicle is damaged by a flood,

comprehensive insurance

can prevent you from paying repair costs out-of-pocket. Find the right

car insurance

coverage using

Jerry

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