Carfax comes to you with a warning — and a celebration.

In the wake of the severe floods this spring and summer in Texas, Kentucky and West Virginia, and with hurricane season closing in on its peak, the provider of vehicle history reports issued a caution to dealers about flood-damaged vehicles.

Meanwhile, the company’s Car Care app reached a milestone, surpassing 50 million users.

Carfax estimated as many as 45,000 vehicles were swamped by this year’s floods, and many of those vehicles are expected to resurface for sale soon in the used-car market. And with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicting above-normal hurricane activity in the Atlantic Ocean this year, there is likely more to come.

All that is added to the estimated 482,000 water-damaged cars that were already on U.S. roads at the start of 2025, according to Carfax data.

“Flood-damaged cars don’t just stay in storm-hit areas,” Carfax vice president of data acquisition Faisal Hasan said. “They show up all over the country, putting unsuspecting buyers at serious risk.

“The same vehicles pictured in one state, floating in floodwaters, can get cleaned up by scammers and sold elsewhere. And while those rehabbed cars may look showroom fresh, they’re literally rotting from the inside out.”

Carfax estimates show Florida — not surprisingly — leads the nation with some 82,100 flood-damaged cars already on the road, followed by Texas with 63,000. But Carfax noted those vehicles also often show up in less expected places such as Pennsylvania (fourth, with 23,100) or Illinois (ninth, with 13,000).

The company said its free Flood Check tool can help identify flood-damaged car vehicles before purchasing and said used car-shoppers can get a free vehicle history report on Carfax Car Listings to see if a vehicle has a record of water damage.

Carfax also offered signs of flooding to look for in a used car.

  • Damp or loose carpentry, or carpentry that’s mismatched from the upholstery.

 

  • Rust around doors, under the dashboard, on the pedals or inside the hood or trunk latches.

 

  • A musty odor, potentially of mold or mildew.

 

  • Mud or silt in unusual places, such as the glove compartment, under the seats or up high.

 

  • Brittle wires under the dashboard.

 

  • Fog or moisture beads in the interior lights, headlights and taillights, or in the instrument panel.

 

Carfax celebrates 50 million Car Care users

Carfax announced a “major milestone” of more than 50 million car owners using the free Carfax Car Care app to help them stay up to date on vehicle maintenance needs.

The app, launched in 2012, is designed to provide timely alerts for unfixed recalls and upcoming service needs, as well as helping users find local repair shops.

“I rely on it way more than I care to admit,” said Jason Chrisco, a Carfax Car Care user in Jackson, Tenn., in a new release. “If you’re not paying attention to your stickers and your windows and your actual mileage, how do you know when it’s time?”

Carfax said the 50 million people who have downloaded and used Car Care though the app and online represents more than a quarter of the nation’s owners, and noted the Car Care app has earned a 4.8-star rating from more than 113,000 reviewers on the App Store.

“We’re proud to help millions of drivers take better care of their vehicles through a superior app experience with a trusted network of more than 90,000 dealer and service shop partners,” chief product officer Paul Nadjarian said. “Safer cars mean safer roads.”