UAE is all set to receive one of the harshest rains of this year. While the rain provides a relief to an extent in the UAE's hot weather, it also causes flooding, which leads to multiple flooded cars that need to be repaired or even scrapped. Below are the top 5 expert tips to protect your car from flooding in the UAE rain.

Meanwhile, you can also find the top used SUV cars at Cars24 UAE.

Also read: Top 5 tips for driving safely in the UAE rain: Do’s and don’ts explained

Top 5 tips to avoid car flooding in the UAE rain

1. Assess, plan, and park ‘high’

While you can’t stop the flooding, you can surely assess the car parking situation. The best advice to avoid car flooding is to find the ‘perfect’ parking spot. How? It is by parking your car as high as possible. The surface-level parking spots, like Al Barsha, Business Bay, etc, can turn into lakes within minutes of heavy rain.

If you live in a shallow area that is prone to flooding, or your car is parked in the basement, take it to a high-rise multi-story parking spot. Height will automatically eliminate the flooding situation.

2. Disconnect the battery

If you are left with no option but to park your car in a shallow spot, disconnect your battery. Any car, any brand, is prone to electrical failure during a flood situation. The only solution is to disconnect the battery.

Take the right spanner tool and unhook the negative terminal of the battery. It is usually capped with a black colour plastic cover. However, to be safer, you can remove both negative and positive terminals as well.

3. Do not start your car if submerged in water

Just in case your car has been flooded, never crank it up. Repeat - do not start it. Why? It is because a switched-off car engine has no water inside it, even if it is surrounded by water. However, as soon as you crank it up, it will immediately pull water inside it.

As water is not compressible like air, it will instantly destroy the pistons, valves, and the cylinder head, leading to the ‘hydrolock’ condition. So, the best solution is to get your car towed to a mechanic as it is, get it drained, get it checked, and then let the mechanic start it up for you - expensive, but the right solution if you love your car.

4. Learn to drive in wet conditions

The majority of the roads and the highways are designed with a ‘crown’ like shape. This means that the middle part of the road usually remains unsubmerged until heavy flooding. Therefore, try to drive on the ‘dry’ part of the road as much as possible.

Moreover, make sure you use your headlights and foglights properly. Do not use hazard lights in rainy conditions. It is unsafe for everyone, and it is also an offence in the UAE that attracts an AED 500 fine.

Lastly, if you have to go through a flooded patch, downshift to a smaller gear, keep the rpm high, and drive sedately by maintaining a consistent, slow speed. If you drive an automatic transmission car, shift the gearshift lever to ‘M’ or ‘2’, and drive it sedately.

5. Extend your car insurance

In the UAE, the majority of the car insurers do not cover car flooding in their third-party insurance packages. Make sure to go through your car insurance policy and check whether your vehicle is eligible for a flood-related claim.

If not, then call your insurance agency and get the flood add-on added to your policy. This will come in handy if your car gets submerged and goes into a ‘total loss’ situation.

Cars24 UAE says

The rainy weather in the Middle East creates havoc annually, leaving hundreds of vehicles submerged and draped in total loss. However, our top expert tips mentioned above can not only save your car from flooding, but also help you in recovering financial losses, if you get hit by the UAE rain badly.