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Hurricanes Katrina and Rita impacted the lives of millions of people. These
storms will also impact the used car market for years to come.
The insurance industry estimates as many as 700,000 vehicles suffered flood damage. Despite government's best efforts, flood-damaged vehicles will be
sold to unsuspecting buyers. Many of them will be sold here in Texas.
Flood waters can damage a vehicle's electrical systems and major components,
including air bags and anti-lock brakes.
Protect Yourself
If you are shopping for a used car, the following steps may help you avoid
flood-damaged vehicles.
- Search our database. (Please note this database is not
100 percent guaranteed. It only includes vehicles with flood-damage titles in
Texas.)
- Order a TxDOT
vehicle title history
[pdf, 2 pages, 142kb].
- If the title history is clean, hire a mechanic to inspect the vehicle before
buying.
- Consider searching vehicle title records through commercial Web sites,
which provide vehicle histories for all states.
Search by Year and Make
Search by VIN
Flood Damage Warning Signs
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Mud, grit, rust or mold under the dashboard
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Mud and grit in engine compartments such as the alternator, starter
motor and power steering pump crevices.
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Rust and flaking on the vehicle’s undercarriage
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Musty and/or recently shampooed carpet
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Vehicle history reveals it has been titled several times over a short
period
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Vehicles for sale on street corners (TxDOT verifies dealer licenses
at (800) 687-7846.)
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Vehicle is in an insurance company's name or has a flood title, salvage
title or rebuilt title
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Vehicle title is unavailable
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Vehicle titled or registered in a flood-affected area
Vehicle Title History
TxDOT provides a
vehicle title history
[pdf, 2 pages, 142kb] for every vehicle titled in
Texas. This title history may give you some peace of mind, but
remember:
- if a vehicle suffered flood damage in another state, our database may
not record that damage, and
- if a vehicle does not appear in our online database listing, there is still
a chance the vehicle has water damage but has not been titled correctly.
Flood-Damaged Vehicle Resources
NICB
The
National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB)
lists vehicles affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
FLORIDA
The State of Florida provides a
database of flood-damaged vehicles
with Florida titles.
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