It is as natural as the tides that your car leak some kind of fluid. Even when in perfect working order, the heat of your exhaust pipe will create condensation that makes it look like there is fluid leaking from the tailpipe. But unlike that fluid (which is literally just water) there are some concerning fluids to have leaking from your car.
And if there is anything that the Pit Shop Garage has learned over its years of car service, it is that customers are more at ease when they are educated on just what exactly is going on with their cars. So, here are the most common kinds of car leaks your car can have, and how to spot them.
Coolant
This is the first on the list because it is the perfect combination of being easy to spot and important to catch. The problem with any car leak is that the puddle of fluid that is formed by the leak will be under your car. This means that you might not spot it quickly, as you will only move your car once you drive away with it.
Coolant is an easier leak to catch, however, as its fluids will usually be brightly colored. Green, blue, even orange-colored fluids are basically always coolant unless someone dropped a bunch of Skittles into your oil line. It is important to catch this as a coolant leak will quickly develop into an engine overheat.
Oil
This is the second most important leak to catch quickly. A coolant leak leading to an engine overheat can destroy your car quickly. An oil leak can destroy your car, but it will do so slowly. The worst part about oil leaks is that they can still happen to people who change out their oil responsibly.
An oil leak will usually be identifiable by its smell. This can mean bending down to get a whiff of the puddle your car is forming under it, but honestly you will likely smell an oil leak before you see it. Oil leaks will usually result in oil getting into or on the engine before it reaches the ground, creating a distinct burning smell.
Transmission fluid
This is a sneakier fluid to leak for a couple of reasons. To begin with, transmission fluid tends to be red. This means that in certain lighting or when leaked onto certain things (like black asphalt), transmission fluid can look similar to coolant. But in addition to that, some people think they just do not have transmission fluid.
Automatic cars have become such a norm, and gear changes have become so quiet, that some people believe that engines changing gears is a thing of the past. Well, all you need to do is look down and see that your car is leaking red transmission fluid to find out that this is not the case.
As damaging as all of these can be, they are all fixable. So, if your car leaks anything it should not, feel free to come into the Pit Shop Garage and get it fixed. We are waiting, and we can repair anything.
