ACL's interventions have risen sharply in recent times in an attempt to save cars from water damage. With 2,600 interventions in the last two weeks, the staff had a lot to do. Of these, 560 were due to flooding.
Interventions during bad weather take longer, explains Frank Maas of the ACL diagnostic centre, as the cars are not accessible, or if they are no longer working, the electric brake has to be deactivated. Often, they have to be taken out of flooded underground car parks, and towing takes much longer on average.
Older cars generally fare better in the event of flooding because they are not yet fully loaded with electronics, as is the case with more modern vehicles. According to ACL, the consequences are the same whether the engine is combustion or electric.
However, it is important to consider several points: what type of car is involved, how high the water rose, how long the car was under water, and its value. If towing is necessary, it is for technical reasons, as long-term damage is not easily recognisable.
Even several days after the floods, ACL is still called several times a day to the field where the country was under water, as some underground car parks are only accessible now. The activity should be a bit calmer again in the next few days.
The report (in Luxembourgish) by RTL Télé:
