What's Leaking Under My Car?

Let's face it, there are a lot of things that can wrong with your vehicle and often the first tell tale signs of trouble are overlooked. One sign you should be paying attention to however if you want to avoid a costly car repair bill down the road is what is leaking from under your vehicle.

Car leaks can be subtle and unless you park in the same spot consistently, the subtle leak may go undetected by you. Or you simply hope or presume that any leak is okay and if your vehicle is still running, you simply don't worry a whole lot about it. However a leak is your car's way of telling you something is wrong and the sooner you address what is wrong, the better your car repair prospects will be.

There are a few basic fluids that go into every vehicle to make it run smoothly and these fluids ideally should not leak out. Oil, transmission fluid, brake fluid, power steering fluid and radiant coolant are some of these fluids. You can generally tell what is leaking by the color of the fluid and where it is leaking from if you can determine a location.

If the fluid is a bright green it is likely radiant coolant. If you don't change your radiant coolant every 3,500 miles however the fluid can be a light or medium brown color which can be a little harder to identify.

Windshield wiper fluid can be just about any color from green, pink, yellow or orange and finding this leaking is usually just a result of over filling the holding tank too much.

Red fluid is usually power steering fluid which will affect your ability to handle the steering in your automobile, or it can be transmission fluid. Either way, if your automobile is leaking red, you need to have a mechanic look at it and diagnose what is leaking and why before your automobile becomes non-operable.

Brake oil can be a clear oily substance or it can be yellow or brown, depending on how old it is. You will usually find this by the wheels of your automobile if it is brake oil. If your brake oil is leaking, it is probably a problem with your master cylinder and your brakes may have trouble working properly if you continue to drive.

Amber colored liquid can be fresh oil, while a brown or black liquid can be used oil. An oil leak is usually the most common fluid leak and can be the result of a wide variety of car repair issues.

What That Check Engine Light Could Mean

It's never a warm, happy feeling when your check engine light comes on. The first thing that comes to mind is that expensive auto repair could be in your future. Sometimes this is the case, no doubt about it. Many other times, however, nothing could be further from the truth. That light certainly signifies that something is wrong, but that something could be any number of different things. The lack of specificity is the problem with the check engine light. In most cars it is used to warn the driver of a multitude of different problems. However, without someone to look at the diagnostics and check the computer, it can be difficult to tell what problem that might be. Here are some things to check before you bring your car into the shop.

One of the most common reasons for the check engine light to come on is a loose gas cap and it is the first thing you should check if that light comes on. A simple fix, it certainly doesn't require expensive auto repair, and you can go back to driving with peace of mind. So why would such an innocuous thing cause a warning light to come on in the first place? Well, the sensor is actually measuring pressure in the gas tank against a systemic average, looking for digressions that could be a sign of something serious. Sometimes it is something serious, but often times it is just that pesky gas cap.

Don't overlook sensor malfunction as a possible cause. You can't go three days without hearing an old timer lament the fact that today's computer-driven cars can't be worked on like the cars of yesterday. While for the most part this is just a resistance to change, there is some truth to the fact that increasing technology also means increasing sources of problems. Auto repair specialists will quickly check to make sure it isn't the light itself that is malfunctioning, rather than something serious. Many people have also found that getting water into the engine area can cause these sensors to act up.

Bad spark plugs are the final, simple solution to the check engine dilemma. If they are worn, cracked, or misaligned, it can cause a misfired spark, which in turn can cause the light to come on. After you've checked the gas cap, you might want to check the spark plugs. If they look worn and tired, it could be time for a change. You can do this inexpensively on your own and avoid costly auto repair.