Baton Rouge gets about 62 inches of rain a year, and a summer downpour can fill low spots on Perkins Road, College Drive and the streets around University Lake in a few minutes. Most of the time the water drains as fast as it came. Sometimes it doesn’t, and drivers have to decide whether to go through it.
Gordon & Sandifer has handled auto repair from our Perkins Road shop since 1956, through plenty of storms, including the August 2016 flood. Here is what standing water does to a car, and what to check if you have already driven through it.
Is it safe to drive through a flooded street in Baton Rouge?
The safest choice is to turn around and find another route. It is hard to tell how deep standing water is or whether the road under it has washed out. About six inches of water can reach the bottom of many cars and cause a loss of control, and a foot of moving water can float many vehicles.
During the August 2016 flood, parts of Southeast Louisiana got 20 to 30 inches of rain in three days, and Baton Rouge saw more than 11 inches on August 12 alone. If you can’t see the curb or the lane lines, wait it out or take the long way.
What causes hydroplaning on wet Baton Rouge roads?
Hydroplaning happens when your tires can’t push water out of the way fast enough, so they ride up on a thin layer of water and lose contact with the road. Speed, worn tread, low tire pressure and deep puddles all make it more likely. The steering suddenly feels light and the car stops responding normally.
If it happens, ease off the gas, hold the steering wheel straight and avoid hard braking until the tires grip again. Slow down in heavy rain on I-10 and I-12 and leave extra room.
Tire tread depth decides how well your car handles Baton Rouge rain
Tire tread works like a set of channels that move water out from under the tire. The legal minimum is 2/32 of an inch, yet a tire near that point clears far less water than a new one. In a city as rainy as Baton Rouge, plan to replace tires well before they wear that low.
Try the quarter test: put a quarter upside down in a tread groove. If you can see the top of Washington’s head, the tread is getting shallow for heavy rain. Our tire team can measure each one.
Expert tip: Check tire pressure once a month, when the tires are cold. An underinflated tire flattens out and has a harder time clearing water, so correct pressure helps your tires grip in a downpour. The right number is on the sticker in the driver’s door jamb.
What happens if water gets into my car's engine?
If an engine pulls in water through its air intake, it can hydrolock. Water does not compress the way air and fuel do, so a piston that meets a cylinder full of water can stop the engine suddenly and bend internal parts. The air intake on many cars sits lower than most people expect.
A car that stalls in deep water and won’t restart may have pulled in water. Leave it off and have it checked before anyone tries to crank it again. We’ll check the air filter, intake and cylinders and tell you your options.
Should I start a car that sat in floodwater?
No. If water reached the bottom of the doors or got inside the cabin, leave the key off. Starting the car can pull water into the engine and send current through wet wiring and modules. Call your insurance company first, then have a shop check the car before anyone tries to start it.
Take photos of the water line inside and outside the car for your claim. If the water stayed below the wheel hubs and never reached the cabin, the risk is much lower, and a check is still a good idea.
Floodwater can damage wiring, sensors and computer modules weeks later
Water, and especially dirty floodwater, gets into electrical connectors and starts corrosion that may take weeks to show up. A car that seems fine after a flood can later develop warning lights, power windows or locks that act up, gauges that flicker or a check engine light caused by a corroded sensor.
Several modules sit low in the body or under the seats. When a light comes on after high water, our check engine light diagnostics start with the codes and then test the circuits, so we fix the cause and leave alone what still works.
Why do my brakes feel weak after driving through deep water?
Wet brake pads and rotors grip less until they dry, so the first few stops after deep water can feel soft or slow. Most of the time the brakes return to normal within a few gentle stops. If they still feel weak, pull to one side or make noise after that, have them inspected.
To dry them, press the brake pedal lightly a few times while driving slowly in a safe spot. Water and grit can also rust rotors and wear pads faster. Our brake repair team checks pads, rotors and hoses and tells you what needs attention now and what can wait.
A water damage check starts with the oil, the air filter and the carpet
After a car has been through high water, a good inspection looks at the engine oil for a milky color, the air filter and intake for moisture, the carpet and seat foam for dampness, and the electrical connectors for corrosion. A musty smell inside the car is often the first clue that water got in.
Wet carpet can hold water for weeks and grow mold. Our AC and heating team can check the cabin filter and the drain. If the water damaged body panels or the car needs an insurance claim, Gordon & Sandifer handles the collision repair side under the same roof.
Expert tip: Hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30. When a big storm is in the forecast, park on higher ground if you can, keep the tank full, and note which streets near your home tend to hold water so you already know another route.
Where can I get my car checked for water damage near me in Baton Rouge?
Gordon & Sandifer checks cars for water damage at 3825 Perkins Rd, Baton Rouge, LA 70808, near Acadian Thruway and Southdowns Shopping Center. We’re open Monday through Thursday 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM and Friday 7:30 AM to 3:00 PM. Call (225) 343-3427 and tell us how deep the water was.
If the car runs and drives normally, our after-hours drop-off makes it easy. Leave it on your way home tonight and we’ll call you in the morning with what we found. Directions are on our contact page. After three generations on Perkins Road, we’ll tell you honestly what the water hurt and what it left alone.