It’s never a great feeling – backing out of the garage or a parking spot and seeing a puddle where your car was. Is your car leaking oil? Or is it another automotive fluid?
Here are some helpful tips for identifying common car fluids and the potential source of a leak.
Light Brown to Black: Engine Oil
If you see a spot that is amber to dark brown or black in color, it’s probably engine oil. Older oil will likely look dark brown or black – adding that you will usually notice oil leaks directly under where the engine was.
Oil leaks often come from engine seals, valve covers, or the oil pan. It’s a good idea to have a mechanic fix the problem before a small leak becomes a bigger one.
Red or Brown: Transmission Fluid
Sometimes transmission fluid looks like engine oil. However, manufacturers add a red dye to the transmission fluid so you can identify it. As it ages, it may become darker red or brown. Transmission fluid also has a strong smell.
Transmission fluid leaks can come from the transmission itself or the lines going to the radiator or cooler. No matter where the leak is, it’s important to fix a potential transmission fluid leak quickly.
Clear, Red, or Brown: Power Steering Fluid
New power steering fluid is usually clear or red, while it turns brownish as it ages. It can be easy to confuse it with transmission fluid, and some vehicles use the same fluid for the power steering system and the transmission.
Since it can be difficult to distinguish these fluids, it may be helpful to identify where the spots are located. If they are near the front, on the left side of the car, it’s probably power steering fluid. Check the power steering reservoir and hoses to see if you notice any cracks or leaks or if the fluid is low.
Clear Yellow to Brown: Brake Fluid
New brake fluid is clear yellow but can turn brown as it breaks down over time. The key characteristic to look for is its slipperiness – it is very slippery. You can also check the brake fluid reservoir to see if the fluid is above the minimum required level (check the owner’s manual if you don’t know how to locate the reservoir). The reservoir should be inspected, as you might be able to detect leaks. If you suspect it’s a brake fluid leak, you should have the car checked immediately as it is a potentially serious issue.
Green, Orange, Pink, or Blue-Green: Coolant
Coolant is usually easy to identify, as it typically comes in a number of bright colors. Car and Driver states that manufacturers use bright color dyes to make it easier to identify coolant and differentiate it from other automotive fluids. Coolant has a watery consistency and may also have a sweet smell.
Car and Driver notes that obvious signs of a coolant leak include lemon-green, orange, pink, or bluish-green puddles under your car. You might also notice a sweet smell after driving the car, or that the car runs hot or overheats during use.
The problem could be an easy fix, like a loose clamp, but it could also mean something more complicated, like a broken water pump or a leak in the heater core. It’s important to fix coolant leaks quickly, as these problems tend to get worse rapidly.
Clear Water
If you’ve ever seen a small puddle of water when leaving a parking spot, you don’t need to panic – especially if you were using the air conditioning. Condensation builds up in the car’s air conditioning while it’s running. The system collects the water and then drains it through a small tube under the car, which is why it’s common to see water drops or puddles on your driveway or parking spot in hot weather. This is usually not a problem, as the air conditioner is working as expected.
Whether it’s a few drops of oil or a brightly colored puddle, seeing fluids under your car can be worrying. Knowing how to identify common automotive fluids can help you pinpoint the source of the leak and, hopefully, get the problem fixed quickly.