Identify the Leaks under your Car
Leaks underneath your car are a common occurrence. That's why people's driveways often look like modern art paintings. The key is knowing exactly what the leak is and whether you can safely ignore it and put it off, or whether it demands the immediate attention of a mechanic. So, though a couple of black drops under your car may not sound too many alarms, the sight of a clear yellow liquid underneath should, and by the end of this article you'll know why.
Perhaps the most common car leak is an oil leak. It's quite easy to identify. A black or dark brown liquid (though newer oil is yellow-brown), it's thick to the touch and has an oily, gassy smell. As for location, you can expect to find it anywhere under your engine. Cars with high mileage often have minor oil leaks without issue - a couple of drops here or there aren't a big deal - but just in case, check your oil level with a dipstick and get it looked at if there's a significant change.
Another leak you might see more of than you'd like is coolant fluid, or anti-freeze. This usually has a green color, though sometimes pink, and older coolant can appear rusty red. It's also sticky to the touch and has a sweet smell, and almost always occurs under the radiator or radiator hoses. This leak is important to pay attention to as coolant is what keeps your engine from overheating. A telltale sign of this is "after-run," where the fan under your hood continues a couple of seconds after you cut the engine.
You can check your coolant level by unscrewing the radiator cap (only after stopping the engine and letting it cool), and if it’s low fill it with the coolant and water mixture detailed in your owner's manual. In the short term this is manageable, but you eventually want a mechanic to look at it once you have the available funds (some coolant leaks can be quite expensive to fix). And one more note, leaking coolant is poisonous to animals, so keep pets away.
Let's talk automatic transmissions. When they slip and grind it can bring your car to a standstill, and it's a consequence of losing transmission fluid, so this is another car leak that needs close attention. Transmission fluid is usually bright red or pink and turns rusty red as it get older. These leaks are found toward the center and rear of the engine block. Like oil, you can check the transmission fluid level with a dipstick (your owner's manual will likely have special instructions), but this is something you want to get looked at as soon as possible.
This next one is probably nothing, but if you let it go you may risk blowing up in a ball of fire. That's right; it's time to talk about gas leaks. Gas leaks have a strong gas odor, naturally, and can occur under the fuel tank in the rear, the fuel lines in the center, or the fuel pump in the front. And though you could likely drive with a small leak without issue, the fumes from it can be highly dangerous in a combustible situation - like an accident. So it's best to be safe and get this checked out.
This next leak is one that should stop you in your tracks. When you see brake fluid, a clear or yellowish liquid, dripping near you wheels or under your brake fluid reservoir, you have a potentially serious problem. You can confirm it by pressing the brake pedal with the engine off and checking under the car for further leaks. At this point you want to take it into the shop, because if the leak deteriorates your brakes can fail at any time.
Much less dire is a windshield washer fluid leak. It's usually blue, sometimes green or orange, and watery with a sweet smell. The source is the washer fluid reservoir or its hoses, and if you're not in the habit of using your windshield washer, it's not urgent you attend to it.
This last leak is rarest, but you should nevertheless know about it. If your steering wheel starts feeling sluggish, you may have a power steering fluid leak. This leak actually looks similar to brake fluid, clear yellow in color, but is found under the power steering pump on the driver side near the front of the hood, or under its hoses to the steering column. You'll want to get this fixed because, besides inhibiting your steering, the fluid in sufficient quantities is a fire hazard.
Leaks under your car don't have to be cause for panic, but you shouldn't be blithely unaware of them, either. With just a little research, you can have a good idea of what those leaks are and what to do about them. Decisions about car safety aren't just for when you're behind the wheel. They also happen when you have the phone book in your hand debating whether or not to call a mechanic.