Fluid leaks in vehicles is a common problem and every vehicle owner might have experienced it at one time or another. Mostly, people come to know that their vehicle has a fluid leak when they spot a line of fluid on their garage floor or parking spot. But, sometimes fluid leaks can be difficult to detect. There are several types of fluid leaks and there are also different causes of leaks. Some fluid leaks can be even dangerous.

Whenever any fluid leak is noticed, the first thing you need to do is to determine what fluid is being leaked from the vehicle. By doing this, it will become easier for you to determine whether the leak is a minor one like windshield washer fluid or if it is something major. The seriousness of the issue will help you decide whether you should call a mechanic.

You can determine what exactly your vehicle is leaking by the color of the fluid that is being leaked. In order to check the color of the fluid, the best way you can follow is to place a large white cardboard under the area where you park your vehicle  and leave it overnight. If there is leak, you will get the evidence on the cardboard by the next morning. You can also check the color, odor and feel the fluid on the cardboard. Moreover, you can also examine where exactly the liquid is located on the cardboard and through which you can  determine from which part of the vehicle, the fluid is leaking. 

Here is a general description of the various types of fluid leaks:

• Engine oil leak is one of the most common type of leaks. It is dark brown or black in color and it feels very slick when touched.
• Antifreeze fluid is reddish or greenish and basically has a sweet smell to it. It feels slippery when touched.
• Windshield washer fluid has the consistency of water and doesn’t have an odor basically.
• Transmission fluid has a gas-like odor and it is red in color. It also feels slick when touched.
• Brake fluid and power steering fluid look similar. They are brownish/reddish in color and feel oily.
• Fuel or gasoline can easily be identified, due to its distinctive odor.
• Rear differential oil is dark black in color and is thicker than regular oil. However, this type of fluid is found in rear-wheel drive vehicles only.

This entry was posted on Friday, May 22nd, 2009 at 1:18 pm and is filed under Maintenance. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.