CAR FIX Crossville never wants you to have to ask the titled question, which is why we’re committed to providing our customers with the best preventative maintenance in Crossville, TN. Still, leaks happen. That’s just automobile life. You can tell what is leaking out of your vehicle and onto your garage floor by checking the fluid’s color. Here’s a guide to help you diagnose your automobile leak.
Blue
If you see blue fluid on your garage floor don’t panic too much. The only fluid that is blue in your car, truck or SUV’s engine is windshield washer fluid. You should still have the leak inspected and fixed, but you can drive your vehicle when it leaks blue windshield washer fluid.
Brown
Light brown fluid is fresh motor oil or gear lubricant. One way to tell the difference is gear lubricant smells horrible! Dark brown fluid is dirty motor oil or dirty brake fluid. It’s not a good idea to drive your vehicle if you see either of these fluids on the garage floor unless it’s just a few small spots.
Clear
Clear fluid is not something you should worry about at all unless there’s a ton of it on your garage floor. Your vehicle “sweats” just like you do when you work out, and it’s perfectly normal for condensation to drip from the tailpipe or from underneath your car. Don’t panic if you see clear fluid.
Green
Green fluid signals a coolant or antifreeze leak as does orange or yellow fluid. In the case of orange fluid, it could be that your radiator has rust inside and the rust has eaten a hole into it. In the case of yellow fluid, some antifreeze is yellow, or red, or pink.
Pink
Speaking of pink, and red for that matter, vehicles that are leaking pink or red fluid onto the garage floor are leaking either from the steering system or transmission. As with brake fluid and oil, you don’t want to drive your vehicle if you see a lot of fluid on the garage floor.
You may ask, “Why can’t I drive my car?” and the reason why is you can cause severe engine damage if you drive a vehicle with low or no fluid levels in some of the systems. If you do see a leak, call CAR FIX Crossville in Crossville, TN, today. Let us know the color of the fluid you see and we’ll get your vehicle fixed for you as soon as we can.
