Services
Insurance
Loans
Repairs
Advice
About

How does a car flood?

What does it mean when someone says a car is flooded? How does this happen?

avatar
Matthew Macgugan · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
When someone says a car is flooded, they often mean that their gas engine has too much fuel in the combustion chamber. This can saturate the spark plugs and prevent them from igniting.
A flooded engine can happen when:
  • A car is started in cold weather
  • A driver holds down the accelerator too long before turning the key.
You can often tell if your engine has flooded if:
  • You hear a whirring noise while cranking the engine
  • Your car dies shortly after you started it
  • You can smell gasoline
  • You can see black smoke coming from the tailpipe
To remove the flood, just crank the engine until it burns the excess gasoline and starts up.
Do you feel like you’re paying too much for
car insurance
? The
Jerry
app makes it easy to compare quotes from over 50 of the nation’s top insurance providers and get the best rate.
View full answer 
WHY YOU CAN TRUST JERRY
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.

Join 4M+ members in lowering their car insurance

Easiest way to compare and buy car insurance

√
No long forms
√
No spam or unwanted phone calls
√
Quotes from top insurance companies
Find insurance savings