Hurricane Helen flooded tacoma

Hey guys so I chose to ride it out down here in Redington shores Florida during hurricane and came to regret decision. After water receded I sprayed car down with fresh water to try and remove salt as well as air dried it with a blower for leaves. Checked the oil and didn’t appear to have water in it and the engine air filter was dry. Battery was fried so I did go and get a new one. Upon putting it in I have a ton of different lights on. Manual break override is on as well as several others. I have not tried to start it yet, I didn’t want to cause further damage.
Anyways I’m hoping to save it as much as I can. I just bought it not even a month ago and don’t have comprehensive insurance on it. Any advice on where to go from here would be appreciated and potential good mechanics in the area as well. I figure I will have to buy a new computer for it. Only 75k miles on this truck such a shame.

 

I'm very sorry to hear.

How much did it flood? If it shorted the battery then it also possibly toasted multiple modules, and harness connections will be haunting you for years to come. I hate to say it, but your least painful path will be to sell it as a salvage, and start over.

 

Saltwater or freshwater flooding? If enought water got into the cab to submerge ECU or modules, you are done. There is no fixing that easily or cheaply.

 

Salt water does a real number on trucks,you may be chasing electrical gremlins from now to eternity. Trucks where I live get totalled when bathed in salt water. You might try pulling all your electrical plugs and use dialectic grease ,might help. Good luck

 

Sorry to hear this happened. My gut feeling is that the truck is never going to be the same and I’d start looking for a replacement. Sucks, but the problem’s you will be chasing for years to come are not worth it. Good luck.

 

Saltwater

 

Depends on what got wet, if it was just the wiring connectors you could in theory clean them up but you would have to find every last one . If any of the electronic units were under water then they would need to be replaced. The squeeze isn’t worth the juice.

 

Replacing the ECU will be the easiest and cheapest part of your journey to get that truck working again. All the damaged wiring/connectors you'll be chasing forever will be the fun part...

Good luck.

 

I’m sorry this happened growing up in Madeira Beach, and have riden out a few storms but this one caught a lot of people off guard.

 

Get a scanner, check if modules can be seen in the network. Check for comm codes and start troubleshooting one by one. Have to unplug connectors, dry them and spray with deoxit contact cleaner.

 

buy some electric contact cleaner and get to work. Also WD40 (water dispersant works) every contact needs to be looked at.

 

If saltwater got high enough to screw with electrical, it’s done. You might get it working now, but you’ll be chasing electrical problems forever as the green death consumes all the modules and wiring.

 

NYC spent at least a couple million replacing subway electronics after Superstorm Sandy. Saltwater was was of their greatest concerns.

 

Had a 4Runner that flooded. Never ending problems. Sell the truck.

 

Its not necessarily a death sentence. But then again, there will be a lot of these vehicles in those back road used auto lots in the coming months. Good luck brother and next time listen to them when they are ringing the 'Get the Fuck Out" alarm!

 

Sorry to hear good luck

 

Should always have comprehensive. Not an expensive add on either.

 

Sorrry for your troubles, but salt water in automobiles is an instant total by insurance companies. I know you don't have comprehensive, but you should understand that the insurance companies learned that there is no end to the needed repairs.

You would need to strip out the interior, then chase down every connector and every grounding point to try and clean them. After that, your alternator is going to self destruct. And your starter. And anything else that got wet with saltwater.

That doesn't include the mechanical stuff which will also suffer salt water damage. Plus the interior panels.

My father was in the auto salvage business and wouldn't even bid on salt water damaged cars because there was nothing salvageable on them.