My 03 Yaris Radiator Brokedown

[TSpirit]

Hi every one, my car is in a top condition 03 facelift shape, on friday one of the roads had suffered a major flooding in london and I had to go through that water because there was no other way to go.

two to three hours time there was loads of traffic and the rain had stopped and suddenly the red light started to flash indicating the engine is too hot! this never happened to me since I owned the car. I was heading back home and I wasn't very far but there was major traffic due to the floodings and road closures and it had slowed me down for about half an hour with the red light flashing but when the car starts moving the light will go off.

When I arrived home I was deeply shocked to find out that all the water coolant had leaked from the radiator or the connecting pipe to the engine which I did not know at the time and had no chance to check.

I filled it with coolant and took it to the nearest garage, and the guy said my radiator is gone, its leaking from the bottom right hand side when standing infront of the car and NOTE the car is in top shape with NO old accidents or any past damage. Its really weird that flooding might cause such major damage to a radiator and I pray to god that the head-gasget is still OK because I dont know of a way to check.

I called toyota and they want to charge me £264 incl Vat for the Radiator only, I dont know if that is a good price and I still gona ask them on monday how much the labour will cost, my nearest grage will fixit for me for only £40. But I cant trust any of the local garages to do a good job and to be honest this is a major part in the car and I want it to be fixed well.

I dont know how much toyota might want me to pay but I think it might be worth it because they do 1 year warrenty for their work or I'm I mistaken.

any thoughts will be great cause I never suffered major break down like that before :(

Thanks and sorry for the long post.

Ammar

[T600]

Sorry to hear of these problems TSpirit.

It's very strange that such damage should occur as a result of you driving through flood water? But perhaps the radiator has cracked as a result of it being suddenly cooled in the flood water, or maybe the bow wave pushed against the radiator causing the hose to come off, or a connection to break?

I think you would know if there was severe damage to the head gasket; I think you probably got away with it, but if not that will become apparent once the radiator is repaired and you drive it. Alternatively, a compression test would help identify damage.

Surely the garage aren't going to replace the radiator for £40. I guess you mean £40 + the radiator. Or do they intend to repair the radiator?

If you do need a radiator, you can probably source genuine Toyota for slightly less - perhaps 10-15% less, but it's not going to be much different, and then you may have to have it posted to you. Yes, I'd expect Toyota to guarantee their work for a year, but check with them. You could probably also get a pattern part for much less, but whether you want to do that is up to you, I probably wouldn't go that route.

I wonder if you can claim on your insurance? Maybe not worth it anyway, but if you crashed into a car or a kerb and damaged your radiator it would be covered, so you could argue that hitting water is similar? But you'd probably have to prove that it wasn't a co-incidence that it broke that day, and that might be difficult.

I'd get full quotes from the garage and from Toyota, and probably get a second opinion about whether the radiator really needs replacing. Don't you know anyone mechanically minded who could look at it for you?

Good luck with getting it sorted.

[TSpirit]

Thanks T600, yes what I meant that I'm gona buy the radiator from Toyota for £264 Including vat and the gargae guy said that he will take out the old one and fit in the new one for £40, but I'm thinking I should let toyota fit the new one as I dont want to risk it fitted improperly and then get all major problems latter on. Toyota probably might ask for £200+ labour "I know them" but I'll try bring it down some how as I think its worth it in the long run because of the 1 year warranty.

And yes even the garage guy was thinking that the flood water should not do that sort of damage but ahhh well damage happened any way. You know Insurance suck, I dont want to bother with them because I will loose my nearly 4 year no claim bonus but thanks for the thought any way.

Yea I will call toyota on monday and I will ask them for a full qoute and I will update on moday.

Thank you for your reply mate :)

[Yaris SR Kid]

Went through water yesterday and since i have a low lieing induction kit the engine just cut out and i was stranded in this river like road!

Had to get a mate to pull me out and wait until morning before i could start it again, i hope i have no majour problems :(

Unlucky on your radiator situation, hope it all goes well!