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Hurricanes impact the lives of millions of people. These
storms will also impact the used car market for years to come.
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.
Note: Vehicles affected by by Hurricane Ike are being updated into the
system.
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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