What To Do If Your Car Is Submerged In Water? | Exit Safely

A car in water turns from “scary” to “dangerous” in a hurry. The good news is that the first moves are simple. You don’t need strength. You need order.

This article walks you through what to do in the car, what to do right after you’re out, and how to handle the vehicle so you don’t turn a bad day into a fire, injury, or a totaled engine that didn’t need to be totaled.

Car Submerged In Water: Steps That Work In Minutes

When a vehicle enters water, the clock starts. Doors get harder to open as water pushes against them. Windows can still work for a short window of time. Your job is to use that time well.

Step 1: Stay oriented and act in this order

Say out loud what you’re doing. It keeps you focused and helps passengers follow along.

1. Unbuckle seat belts. Do yours first, then help kids or anyone stuck.
2. Open a side window. Use the power switch right away. If it won’t move, switch to a backup plan.
3. Get out through the window. Adults out first only if it helps kids exit. If kids are with you, get their belts off and move them to the open window.
4. Move to higher ground. Put distance between you and the water’s edge, the current, and traffic.

Step 2: Don’t waste time on the door

Most people try the door first because that’s what feels normal. In rising water, it’s a trap. If water is pressing on the door, it can feel welded shut.

If the car is only lightly in water and the door opens freely, fine. The moment you feel resistance, switch back to the window plan.

Step 3: Use the right window

Side windows are your exit. Windshields are laminated and hard to break. If you must break glass, aim for a side window and strike near a corner, not the center.

If power windows still work

Hold the switch down and keep pressure steady. If the glass drops even a little, keep going. Once it’s down far enough, use the opening.

If the window won’t open

Use a dedicated window punch if you have one. If not, remove the headrest and use the metal posts as a striking tool against a corner of the side glass. Keep strikes controlled. Get faces away from the glass as it breaks.

Step 4: If the car is floating, expect it to shift

A floating vehicle can tilt, spin, and drift. That motion can confuse passengers. Keep one hand on a solid point, keep your voice steady, and keep the plan simple: belts off, window open, out.

Step 5: If you’re trapped and the cabin is filling

This is the hardest scenario, and it still has a play. If you can’t exit before water rises, you may need to wait until pressure equalizes enough to push a door open. That moment arrives late, and it’s risky.

If you reach this point, conserve movement, keep your head near the highest point, and watch for a chance to open a window or door once the cabin is almost full. If a window can be broken earlier, do that instead.

Get everyone out without losing track of kids and pets

People don’t scatter because they want to. They scatter because panic makes the brain grab the first option. Your job is to prevent that.

If children are in the back seat

Work from oldest to youngest if you can. Older kids can climb out and help from outside. For younger kids in car seats, cut straps if needed and lift them out. Keep their face turned away from broken glass.

If you have a pet in the car

Water, glass, and a struggling animal can tangle you up. If the pet is in a carrier, move the carrier out through the window. If the pet is loose, get people out first, then the pet, using the same window opening.

What To Do If Your Car Is Submerged In Water?

Once you’re out, the next choices decide whether you stay safe and whether your insurance claim goes smoothly.

Call for help and keep your group together

Call emergency services if anyone is missing, injured, or at risk from current, traffic, or cold. If you’re on a roadway, move away from the travel lanes.

If floodwater is involved, follow the long-running safety message from the National Weather Service: Turn Around Don’t Drown® flood safety guidance. It’s built around a simple reality: roads wash out, water depth is hard to judge, and vehicles get swept away.

Don’t go back in for belongings

Phones, bags, and laptops feel urgent. They aren’t. If the vehicle shifts or sinks, you can get pinned, tangled, or pulled under by a seat belt or strap. Leave it.

Watch for hidden risks in floodwater

Floodwater can carry sharp debris, fuel sheen, and downed electrical hazards. If you smell fuel, keep back. If you see downed lines, move away and warn others.

Get the car towed, not driven

Even if the car starts, that doesn’t mean it’s safe. Water in the engine can cause damage in seconds. Water in brakes and wheel bearings can change stopping distance and handling.

Call a tow truck. Tell them the vehicle was submerged so they bring the right equipment and stage safely.

What happens to a car after submersion

Knowing what water does to a vehicle helps you make calmer choices. Submersion damage isn’t just “wet carpet.” It’s electrical corrosion, contaminated fluids, and trapped moisture that keeps working long after the waterline drops.

Engine and drivetrain

If water entered the intake, the engine can hydrolock. That means liquid blocks piston movement. Trying to crank it can bend connecting rods and crack parts that cost more than the car.

Electronics and sensors

Modern cars have modules under seats, in footwells, and behind trim. Water can short them at once or corrode pins over days. That’s why a car can seem fine today and throw warning lights later.

Airbags and seat belt pretensioners

Safety systems can be affected by moisture and corrosion. After a submersion event, treat the vehicle as unsafe until inspected.

Hybrid and electric vehicles

If an EV or hybrid is flooded, treat it with extra caution. Don’t charge it. Don’t park it near a home or other vehicles until it has been checked. NFPA publishes guidance for submerged electrified vehicles that first responders use, and the same caution helps drivers too: NFPA tip sheet on submerged hybrid/electric vehicles.

Situation	What to do	Why it helps
Water rising around tires	Unbuckle, open a side window, prepare everyone to exit	Windows can still work early; doors may still open but can fail fast
Car drifting or floating	Skip the door, use the window exit plan right away	Vehicle motion makes timing unpredictable; delay narrows options
Power window won’t move	Use a window punch, or headrest posts to break a side window corner	Side glass breaks more readily than the windshield
Child in a car seat	Free straps, lift out, pass through the open window	Speed matters; fighting buckles too long burns time
Water already at seat level	Keep one exit window as the goal; don’t try to retrieve items	Loose straps and bags can snag and slow escape
Car fully stalled in moving water	Exit immediately and move to higher ground away from the roadway	Currents can sweep vehicles and people; traffic adds risk
After escape, vehicle still partly visible	Call for help, request a tow, keep distance if fuel smell is present	Submersion can cause leaks and electrical hazards
Hybrid/EV involved	Don’t charge or drive; stage it away from buildings until inspected	Battery damage can lead to heat, smoke, or fire after exposure

What to do in the first hour after you’re safe

This is the part that saves money and prevents repeat trouble. Keep it calm and methodical.

1) Document the scene

Take photos of the waterline on the vehicle, the road conditions, and any visible damage. If you can, capture the VIN plate and odometer. Do it from a safe spot.

2) Notify your insurer and ask about flood procedures

Tell them the vehicle was submerged and whether it was fresh water or salt water. Salt water is harsher on metal and wiring, and it changes the cleaning plan.

3) Arrange secure storage

A soaked car can develop mold and corrosion quickly. If the car is stored, choose a place where it can be assessed and dried, not a random curb where it will sit closed for days.

4) Don’t jump-start, don’t crank, don’t charge

This single rule prevents a lot of avoidable damage. If the starter turns an engine with water inside, damage can happen right away. If an EV battery is compromised, charging can raise risk.

Recovery and inspection: what gets checked and why

If the vehicle isn’t declared a total loss, a careful inspection plan is what separates a usable car from a lingering headache. Drying the cabin alone doesn’t solve the issue.

Fluids and filters

Engine oil, transmission fluid, differential fluid, and brake fluid may need checks or changes. Water can enter through vents and seals. Air filters can trap water and debris that later gets pulled into the engine.

Brakes, bearings, and suspension

Brakes can be contaminated. Bearings can lose lubrication. A short drive that “feels fine” can still grind parts down.

Electrical connectors and modules

A technician may need to inspect connectors, dry or replace modules, and scan for faults. Corrosion can appear after the car “seems OK,” so follow-up checks matter.

Interior drying with a real plan

Seats and carpets hold moisture. Some vehicles have wiring under the carpet. Proper drying can mean removing trim, lifting carpet, and using controlled dehumidification. Simply cracking windows often isn’t enough.

Check item	What to look for	Next action
Engine intake and air box	Water line, wet filter, silt	Do not start; tow to a shop for intake and engine checks
Engine oil and dipstick	Milky color, water droplets	Drain and assess; engine inspection before cranking
Transmission and differential vents	Contaminated fluid, leaks	Fluid service and seal checks
Brake function	Soft pedal, pulling, noise	Brake inspection and service before regular driving
Cabin wiring under carpets	Damp connectors, corrosion smell	Remove carpet for drying; inspect connectors
Airbags and seat belt systems	Warning lights, stored fault codes	Scan codes and inspect safety components
Hybrid/EV battery area	Alerts, odors, heat, noise	Isolate vehicle; no charging; inspection by trained service team
Mold and odor in cabin	Musty smell, damp padding	Deep dry and sanitize; replace soaked padding if needed

How to reduce the odds of this happening again

No one plans to drive into deep water. It happens when water hides the road edge, a low spot fills faster than expected, or a vehicle ahead pushes a wake that stalls your engine.

Spot the trap signs early

• Water covering lane markings or curbs
• Debris moving across the road
• Standing water that looks calm but spans a wide area
• Barricades or cones near a dip or bridge approach

Carry one small tool and place it where you can reach it

A combo seat belt cutter and window punch can help if electronics fail. Store it where your hand can find it without searching: on a keychain, clipped to the visor, or mounted near the center console. Don’t bury it in the glove box.

Rehearse a 10-second drill with regular passengers

Tell family members: “Belts off, window down, out.” It takes one minute at home to say it once, and it can save time when stress hits.

A calm exit plan beats strength

A submerged car creates urgency, noise, and confusion. Your best advantage is a clean order of actions: unbuckle, open a window, exit, move away, call for help, tow the vehicle, and keep it off until it’s checked.

If you only take one thing from this: don’t wait for the car to fill, and don’t treat a wet vehicle like it’s fine because it still runs.