There are a lot of things you want to do to keep your car running well. One of the best things to do is to get it in on time for tune-ups, oil changes, tire rotations, and brake checks. However, another thing you want to make sure you do is to be watchful with regards to what's going on under the hood of your car so you catch things early on and deal with them as soon as you possibly can. This is going to be the number one way for you to make sure you are taking the best steps to avoid serious car issues in the future. Here are some things you want to know about car leaks:
Watch the ground where you park our car
Leaks can happen at any time, and one of the quickest and simplest ways for you to know that you are suddenly dealing with one is to watch the area under where you park your car. When you pull out of the driveway, always make a conscious effort to look for new stains or moisture. If you do see that there is a new stain, then you want to repark your car in a safe spot and get out to investigate the stain. Here are different things that may be leaking from your car:
Transmission fluid – If you are leaking transmission fluid from the car, then the oil you see on the ground will be red in color. It will also be located on the ground where the front to middle of your car's motor was situated.
Motor oil – If your car is leaking motor oil, then it can differ in colors from a light gold to a dark brown or even black, depending on how clean or dirty it is, as well as the grade it is. Motor oil can also drip in different spots on the driveway under the area where the motor was sitting above, depending on where the leak is coming from, but it will be somewhere near the motor's center for the most part. You can generally tell motor oil by its distinct smell.
Coolant – If your car is leaking coolant, then you will generally see an almost fluorescent green color coming from the stain where your car had been parked. There's nothing else in the car that makes anything close to this color, so if it's bright green, then it's going to be coolant.
Water – Your car can be leaking water from a number of places. You may be thrown off at first, because the water that leaks from your car may not be clean, so it can be tinged with another color that makes it look brownish or grayish in color. However, it will feel like water, and it won't have as strong of an odor to it. You can also see water that's condensation from the air conditioner, so if your air was on, then you may not have a reason to be concerned.
If you find new stains that aren't just condensation, then it is important to get the car in to an auto repair shop to be looked at so the problem allowing fluids to leak from the car can be repaired right away.
Share5 September 2018
Hello. My name’s Samuel Jacobs. I retired from my job as an auto mechanic last year. During my years as a mechanic, I had the opportunity to meet people from all walks of life. Some have remained friends to this day. When I was working, there is one thing that I came across at least weekly. That is how uneducated people are when it comes to their vehicle’s tires. Properly cared for tires are crucial to the safety of your vehicle. Without them, your car isn’t going anywhere. If they give out on you while you are driving, there is the potential for serious injury. I’m going to share some tire safety information here. Things like the importance of correct inflation, how to check the tread, when to replace tires, tire rotation, and what to do in case of a blow-out. I hope you find this information to be helpful.