My Car is Leaking Fluid, 6 Most Common Fluid Leaks from a Car
89What is that fluid leaking under my car?
A car leaking fluid could become a dangerous situation if not repaired promptly. In this article I will cover the 6 most common fluid leaks form a car, from the fluid leaks that will leave you stranded, to the ones that should be leaking. Yes some fluids should leak naturally from your car and we will cover that as well. With that being said, let’s try to figure out what fluid is leaking from your car and what you should do about it.
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Is that your car leaking fluid?
First and foremost, make sure the fluid leak is coming from your car and not the vehicle that was parked in that spot before you got there. Just get down on one knee and look under your car, grab a flashlight and take a good look, you don’t want to worry about a fluid leak if it’s not even coming from your car. If the fluid is coming from your car, we need to determine the fluids color.
The best way to figure out the fluids color is to slide a white piece of cardboard or a piece of plywood under your car and let it drip. Once your car has leaked fluid onto the board, it will enlighten you in two ways, one, it will reveal a color and it will give you a good idea about where the fluid is leaking from. First, without moving the board, notice where the drips are on the board, from this you can look up under your car and see exactly where your leak is coming from. Once you have a clear view of where the fluid is leaking from, remove the board and check the color.
Different fluids with different colors
6 most common fluids that leak from a car
The 6 most common fluids that leak from a car are; oil, transmission, coolant, water, differential and power steering. I left brake fluid out because it’s not common for it to leave a puddle under your car, if you think you might have a brake fluid leak, see my article on 5 most common brake problems, it will give more than enough information on common brake issues. Just for quick reference, brake fluid color is clear to amber and it has a smell like fish oil. It may sound weird but it’s the only way for me to describe it. Take the brake fluid reservoir cap off and smell the cap, does it smell like fish oil? Well it does to me.
Oil dipstick
Oil leaks
If you have an oil leak, oil is light amber to dark brown, depending on how well you maintain your car. If there is an oil leak, chances are that it will be under the engine, I know common sense tells you that, but now you have to know where your engine is located. Don’t laugh, on a front wheel drive car, your engine could be located on the front left or front right, depending on where the transmission sits, heck the transmission could be in the rear of the car if you’re driving a Porsche or a VW bug or blah blah blah. Once you figure out the oil is dripping from the engine, all you have to do is locate the leak, you might want a mechanic to look at it if you can’t find exactly where it is leaking from. Oil leaks can get pretty involved sometimes like a crank shaft seal under the timing cover, and other times they can be easy to spot like a valve cover gasket.
Honda coolant or anti-freeze
Coolant or anti-freeze leaks
Coolant is very tricky now because of all the colors it comes in, it use to be green in most cars but now it comes in a variety of colors, it all depends on manufacturer or vender of the coolant. Honda uses a blue coolant, Mercedes uses clear, Toyota has red coolant and I have seen orange and green and all the colors of the rainbow. Coolant has a sweet smell and also a sweet taste, not that I want you to taste it because it’s poison, I have had the experience of tasting it a few time in my career, not by choice. A coolant leak could be anywhere because of all the coolant hoses that surround your engine, you even have coolant hoses that enter your car. The most common coolant leak is your radiator and that would be located behind the grill in the front of the car. If you suspect you have a coolant leak, you will usually smell a sweet smell in the air like candy, take a quick glance at the coolant overflow tank, it is usually see-through and it has high and low markings on it. If it’s empty, let your engine cool completely and look in the radiator, if you don’t see any coolant, you may have a leak. (Do not remove the radiator cap on a hot engine, it could blow hot coolant or steam in your face and cause severe burns)
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Honda transmission fluid
Automatic or manual transmission fluid leaks
Automatic transmissions use red or pink fluid, a good sign of a transmission leaking is the transmission will start to slip and eventually the car will not move at all. Manual transmissions use gear oil or just regular motor oil, Honda cars are the only cars I know of that used regular motor oil in their older standard transmissions. The new Honda standard transmissions use Honda Standard transmission fluid. Honda also has their very own automatic transmission fluid, if you don’t use Honda automatic transmission fluid in a Honda automatic transmission, you will compromise shift quality and void your warranty, so I recommend following Hondas guidelines and use their recommended fluids to avoid problems.
The most common transmission fluid leak on a front wheel drive car is from the axle seals. On a rear wheel drive car it would be the output shaft seal. If you see red or pink fluid under your car, pull the transmission dipstick and check your transmission fluid level. Check the owner’s manual for the proper way to check transmission fluid, different manufacturers have different ways of checking transmission fluids, some manufacturers don’t even let your check the fluid, like the last Honda passport model had no way of checking the transmission fluid, weird!
Axle seal leak on a Honda tractor
Differential fluid or hypoid leaks
Differential fluid, hypoid or gear fluid is very thick , it looks like honey but it smells like a heavily greased Mac truck sitting at a truck stop. If you get this stuff on your hands the smell doesn’t go away for days. Gear oil is dark brown or dark amber if it’s new or clean. If your rear differential is leaking or your standard transmission has a leak, this is the fluid you will find dripping. Gear oil can also leak at the wheel bearing seals or rear axle seals, sometime you will see oil being slung from the center of the wheel all over the rim of the vehicle, dust will collect on the wheel and turn black. If you have a 4 wheel drive, gear oil can leak from the front axle as well. The smell alone will enable you to determine if it’s gear oil or not.
Power steering fluid is very hard to describe because some manufacturers use transmission fluid and some use their own brand of power steering fluid. Honda recommends their brand of power steering fluid and its color is light amber. Power steering fluid has a unique smell; it smells a bit like burnt oil. If you think you might have a power steering fluid leak, the first place you should look is at the reservoir. The reservoir will have high and low markings and you should easily notice if the fluid level is low, also a good sign of low power steering fluid is; the power steering pump will whine when trying to turn the steering wheel, or the steering wheel will feel tight when turning in a parking lot or at low speeds. The most common place the power steering will leak is on each end of the steering rack. The steering rack has end seals on both sides of the steering rack; they are the first to start leaking because they go through the most wear and tear.
Duel climate control display
Water dripping from your car
The three H’s, hazy, hot and humid, is what causes the most common complaint of fluid leaking from a car. Just like the air conditioner hanging out a window of a home or business, it needs to drain the moisture it removes from the air. An air conditioner in a car works the same way; it removes the moisture from inside the vehicles passenger compartment and drains it on to the ground under the car, via a rubber hose. This hose is usually located in the foreword end of the passenger compartment on the passenger’s side (near the passenger’s feet area) or the middle of the cabin. If you have a newer minivan or large SUV with front and rear climate control, it’s possible to have 2 evaporators and 2 air conditioner drains, one in front and one in the rear.
On very humid days, the water will pour out of the air conditioner drain like a faucet until the cabin humidity is almost gone. It’s best to keep the recirculation button in the on position whenever you use the air conditioning system (see my hub on How to defog car windows fast) If you leave the fresh air button on, it will continue to drag humid air in and overwork the air conditioner. This won’t cause any problems, but the air inside the vehicles cabin will never reach optimum temperature. Sometimes when it is extremely humid, the air conditioner will be on high and you can actually see fog coming from your vents. If you ever experience this phenomenon, reach over and push the recirculation button, you’ll be glad you did. It’s not a problem; it’s just humidity coming back into your vehicle’s passenger cabin, if you recirculate the cabin air through the air conditioner, it will have less humidity each pass through the evaporator, and your air conditioner will be working at maximum efficiency.
Don't use leak stop for anything!
Well, I think I covered the 6 most common fluid leaks the best I could without being too long winded. I have one last tip; I do not recommend using any leak stop products unless it is absolutely necessary. These products do more damage to your cars drive train, and it will be a temporary fix that could cause a permanent problem, do your car a favor and avoid using them at all costs.
If you have any questions about a fluid leak in your car, just leave me a comment and I will respond quickly. I need to ask you for a favor, if you found this information useful, please vote the article up, if you know someone who would benefit from this information, share it on Facebook or Twitter, it's easy, and I would really appreciate it. Just push the "Like" button or "Tweet" button at the top of the page. Thank you for all your help :)
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Glad you liked it signetfence. I know a lot of people who look for information like this but can't find quality content. I find that my hubs about automotive problems have the highest number of visitors, so I'll just keep rolling them out. Thanks for the comment.
Can u drive the car if u have a radiator leak. Like just a few miles to servicec station?
i have a fluid leak under my ford freestar...there is a really bad burning smell coming into the cabin and the windshield is foggy up with a white color, there is a lot of fluid that came out from under the car. the fluid seems clear. thanks!
@ siobhansof@aol.com, If you plan on driving your car with a radiator leak i would fill it to the top first and then keep an eye on the temperature gauge, if the temp starts to rise higher than normal, shut off the engine.
@ nickmargadonna, It sounds like you have a coolant leak as well, it will usually fog up the windshield and the smell will be sweet like candy. If it's leaking really bad I recommend having it towed. If the fog on the windshield is on the inside of the car, it's could be a heater core and most heater core replacements require taking out the dash and that gets costly, sorry :(
Hi Eddie, My car leaks oil I believe and I'm not sure how to fix it.
Hello Brittany, the first thing you need to do is find out what is leaking and where it's leaking from. I would start with a flashlight and a good set of eyes. I'm not trying to be funny, these are the most important tools. It's best to put a piece of cardboard under the car to see where the drip is coming from and then trace it back to is origin. Following the trail of oil can get a bit tricky, but with some patients, you should be able to get a general idea where the oil is leaking from. Let me know if this helps :)
My Durango is leaking an neon orange colored liquid that is getting on my belts as well. This making the belts make a squealing sound, which makes it pretty hard to turn. How do I fix it, or what is it???
My Durango is leaking an neon orange colored liquid that is getting on my belts as well. This making the belts make a squealing sound, which makes it pretty hard to turn. How do I fix it, or what is it???
Hello Andree, the neon orange fluid sounds like it could be coolant/antifreeze, and if it's getting on your belts, it could be dripping from the water pump or it could be a squirting leak, like from a hose or radiator. I would check your coolant level when the engine is cold and not running to see if it's low, don't just look at the overflow tank, remove the radiator cap and check the coolant level. If it's low, add the same kind of coolant or at least the same color coolant, fill the overflow tank as well to the top line and run the engine till it reaches normal operating temperature. Take a flashlight and see if you can locate the leak. I don't recommend using any kind of stop leak, this will only cause more problems in the future. The other option is to have a trusted mechanic look at it, if it's leaking that bad it shouldn't take long to diagnose it. If you have any more questions, you know where to find me. Let me know what happens one way or the other. take care.
Last year my coolant was leaking and I got it fixed for a price of $600. It hasnt leaked ever since today. The only thing is that today it went to -30 degrees Celsius. Could that be a reason why it is leaking? I'm a student very tight on money. The leak is coming from a different spot then where it was when I previously fixed it.
Oops I meant it hasnt ever leaked till today* and today the temperature dropped a ton to -30.
Hi Taylor, If the leak is in a different spot I think it might be something else that let go. I would have the coolant tested with a hydrometer, a hydrometer will test the coolants concentration level, it will test for how low the temperature can go without the coolant freezing, coolant concentration levels should be set for -40 where you are. Where do you live for it to get that cold????
The temp last night dropped to -30Celsius(-22Fahrenheit) that's pretty cold, so have your coolant checked, it will give you a good indication whether or not your coolant is the cause of you leak. If your coolant froze, it could have split a hose or cracked something. Sorry to be the barer of bad news. If you have any more questions, you know where to find me :)
Ohh thats not bad news I was just hoping it wasnt worse then that since last time I got it checked was $600. Yeah the weather is -40 with the wind chill. It just came outta no where and its going to last all week. Thanks for the information it helped a lot! My plan is to buy more coolant today until the weather gets above zero (which is next week).
Pink, water like fluid under the rear of the car. No lights have come on, no problem turning, etc. Ideas?
I should also say that my car was the only one parked in the spot, and that it is a front-wheel drive Ford.
Hi Cin, Do you mean the pink fluid is under the rear of the car near the trunk or is it at the rear of the engine compartment? What color is you windshield fluid?
hi, i have a jetta 2000, it has been leaking from the driver's front side under the hood. do you know the name of a tool to look under and see where the leak is coming from?
Hello milo, I'm not sure I understand your question, do you need to know the name of a part? Or are you looking for the name of the tool to remove the engine upper cover? torx screws hold the upper engine cover on. Let me know if the helps.
Hello milo, I put a link to some Torx bit sets above the comment box, they might help you remove that top engine cover. Let me know if you have any more questions.
my car is leaking water in the very front passanger side. Its directly under where I put the water in for my windsheld wippers. Is it something serious.....and most importantly what do you think its leaking from
its leaking pretty fast, not like pouring or anything but I'm wondering if its only the thing that holds the water for the windshield wipers because I'm really stressin and I dont know much about cars or have much spare money....like is it something that wont really effect my car.
Hi Alisha, do you live in a warm or humid climate? Are you running your air conditioning when this water is dripping? Let me know :)
My car leaks oil, coolant, and tranny fluid is there anything that would cause all three or do I have three different issues on my hand?
Hi Corey, it sounds like you have at least 2 issues. The radiator has a transmission cooler built into the lower tank, so if your radiator has suffered any damage lately or is completely rotted it could leak coolant and transmission fluid. As far as an oil leak, it is probably a separate issue.If I can help you in any way, I will. what is the make , model and mileage?
my coolant is leaking when i park my car. but my radiator is full.what is the problem i am having??
Hello Santo, your cooling system usually has an over flow tank, so the system can expand and contract with the engine temperature changes . Is your overflow tank at the proper setting? There are hot and cold levels stamped on the side of the tank.
Are you sure it's your car leaking coolant? Can you see the leak? A water pump will leak when the engine is cold, it will leak out of the weeping hole located on the bottom of the water pump, it's the most common leak for a cold engine.
Without seeing the vehicle, it's hard to tell you your problem, my suggestion is to top off your coolant in the overflow tank and keep an eye on it for a few weeks and then get back to me on what you find.
I have a 02 envoy my car started smoking while driving due water has leaked completely out the vehicle. added more water it leaked again right away...what does it sounds like is wrong?
Hi Nia, It's possible a cooling system hose let go or your radiator has sprung a leak. A cooling system builds pressure like a steaming pot of water, if there is a leak, the coolant is forced out by pressure in the system.
I recommend not driving it and having it towed to a shop or garage to have it looked at. If you drive it, you could overheat the engine and do severe damage costing you a lot more money. Let me know what the results are.
Hi Eddie. Great Hub. I've got a '66 Rambler American that I have parked for the winter. I started it up about a month ago on a cold day. A little while after I spotted a small oil drip underneath the engine. It hasn't increased, but there is a drip just hanging there. I'm not too concerned as the engine exhaust runs clean and is a pretty quiet idle. I'll be doing a spring tune up in April, but am wondering if I need to be doing anything now.
Hi Adriean, A 66 Rambler, very cool. I have a 66 Mercury Comet, I guess we have something in common, owning original American Muscle,lol. When you store a car for the winter, it's best to put a fuel additive in the tank and let the engine run for a while so the additive gets into the carb and fuel lines.
Some other things to consider are; remove the battery and keep it on a trickle charge with a battery tender, change your oil before you put it away, (the engine will sit in clean oil for the winter months) set your tire pressures, set your antifreeze for the climate you live in and cover it with a breathable cover, not plastic or a tarp, these materials will trap moisture at the painted surface and will cause white clouds in your paint.
Oh and by the way, don't put oil stop leak in your engine, in fact, don't put stop leak products in anything in you car, it will only cause more problems down the road and could ultimately cause more problems. Leaks need to be fixed properly and not just bandaged up, eventually the bandage will start leaking again.
If you have more questions, please feel free to ask, I'm no nonsense and straight forward when it come to cars:) Take care
Thanks Eddie. Any pictures of that Comet?
Hey Eddie i think my water pump is bad on my envoy and i was wondering if it is difficult to change urself?
@ Adriean, I don't have any actual pictures up yet but I posted an exact look alike at http://eddiecarrara.hubpages.com/hub/Mistress-of-M
@ Mike, I'm not sure exactly how much work is involved on an Envoy, but usually it involves tearing apart the front of the engine. If I were to make an educated guess, I would say it's not for the average DIY guy, but nothing is impossible with a little persistence, patience and a good service manual, but get ready for a huge mess.
HELLO,I HAVE NOTICE THAT THERE IS A WATER PUDDLE UNDER TRUCK, UPON TOUCHIN THE MOISTURE I NOTICE ITS REDDISH COLOR. WHEN TRUCK IS STOPPD IT DRIP COMES OUT DROP TO DROP.N AFTER A WHILE IT TOTALLY STOPS, I NOTICE THAT IT HAS SPRAY THE MOISTURE UNDER NEATH THE HOOD. GAUGES R FIND AND HAVE NOT NOTICE ANY SLIPPIN OF GEARS. HELP..:)
Hi Genice, First I would check to see what color the coolant is in the truck. If the coolant is pink, you might have a coolant leak. What make and model truck do you own?
I'll wait to hear back from you with that information. I don't think it's transmission fluid because it has sprayed under the hood area and the transmission is usually located under the truck. Let me know what you find :)
Hi Eddie,
I really appreciate your effort for taking time and suggesting people to have their car safe on road.
I too have a small problem, my Honda accord Car (2005) is showing malfunction indicator (once it came and dissapeared and now it started appearing) on dashboard. When I checked with Auto part shop, they pulled error code as P0128 i.e Coolant Thermostat. I am planning to take my vehicle to Mechanic, before that just wanted to take your suggestion, should I really need to take my car to mechanic or do you have any suggestion? I checked coolant and it is middle of MIN and MAX mark. please suggest.
Hi Shaan, I looked up the code P0128, it is the coolant temperature sensor, I believe it's in the bottom of the radiator. You really should change it because when your check engine light is on, and your not getting optimum fuel economy. Changing the sensor is is extremely messy unless you can catch all the coolant before it empties on to the floor.
Sometimes, if you leave the radiator cap on you can swap out the sensor quickly without losing to much coolant, but if your not sure, leave it up to the mechanic. Your car will not over heat or lose coolant, the sensor is just malfunctioning causing the check engine to come on. If you have any more question, I'll be right here :)
i have a light pink fluid dripping out in the front of my car. today while driving the engine overheating sign comes on
Hi Deb, sorry to hear about your leak. If it in the very front of your car, it sounds like it's possibly your radiator or hose. If your light's came on and the engine overheated, you have a substantial leak. I would recommend having it towed to your mechanic or a shop.
If you drive it you could cause more damage and possible ruin the engine. I wish I had better news for you, let me know what happens tho, I'm curious to know what's leaking. Thanks :)
i looked in the coolant container and it seems like that ia where the leak is coming from.
Hi Deb, If you think it's coming from the radiator, it's best to have a mechanic check it out, there is no easy fix for a leaking radiator. Just keep in mind that cooling systems are under pressure, so when you spring a leak, it will spray everywhere, so it's hard to see where the coolant is leaking from. If you need any more help, you know where to find me :)
Thank you very much.
When you say "leave the radiator cap on you can swap..". what exactly you mean? sorry to ask again.
Don't be sorry Shaan, that's why I do this :) First the engine needs to be cold, remove the radiator cap to release the pressure in the cooling system, then re-install the radiator cap. Then you can remove the sensor at the bottom of the radiator without the coolant rushing out.
It's the same idea as, putting your finger on the end of a straw and lifting it out of a full glass, the straw will be full of fluid, but it wont drain because your finger is on the end of the straw (your finger is the radiator cap).
The swapping of the sensor needs to be quick tho, otherwise you will lose a lot of coolant. It best to do it on a car lift because the sensor is hard to reach. Good luck Shaan, if you need any more help, please don't hesitate to ask :)
Very good example.. Thank you so much.. I have stored this link as my favoirite.. I vl keep visiting this link whenever I have any probelm.
I have a 2008 Honda Accord and there is a clear puddle under the car on the front left side. What could that fluid be that is leaking? What should I do? I have no lights on in the dash except for Tire Pressure indicator.
Hello Monica, I need to ask a few questions first before I can help you. When you say front left, is that the passengers side or drivers side? Is your ac on or off ? Is it hot an humid where you live?
I'll wait to hear back from you to give you my opinion :)
1999 Volvo XC70 wagon leaking coolant at first, replaced reservoir. Leaking trans fluid, fixed clamp. now leaking oil, trans fluid and coolant. Car will not go into reverse.
WOW Tracy, you have leaks everywhere! Your car probably won't go in reverse because you're low on transmission fluid, but I'm not sure, you really need to check the fluid level in your transmission. If you're leaking coolant, it's not a good idea to drive it, you could over heat the engine and cause more damage.
As far as the oil leak goes, it really needs to checked by a mechanic, without seeing the car, it's hard to tell what could be the cause, but I can tell you, I don't think there is a common denominator. Bring it to a reputable garage and have it checked, it will probably cost you an hours worth of labor, but you can have some idea on how much it will cost to fix it. Let me know if I can help answer any more of your questions :)
Hello, my Chevy Tahoe (1996) is leaking coolant and it leaks very quickly and it makes my truck over heat. I still drive it daily (going on two weeks or so) but I know I shouldn't. This is my first car so Im not sure whats going on. Can you tell me what this can be?
Hello Shawn, If your Chevy is leaking coolant quickly, then it should be easy to pinpoint what is leaking. Once you find the point of origin, then you can determine what you need to do to fix it. Fill the coolant carefully, do not fill a hot engine! Only fill it when it's cold, re install the cap and start the engine and let it reach operating temperature, then take a flashlight and see where the leak is coming from, it could be something simple like a hose. Let me know what you find.
Thanks for your reply. I meant to add that the leak is coming from the front drivers side of my truck, close to the grill. Do you still think its a hose or could it be the water pump?
Hi Shawn, It actually sounds like your radiator is leaking if it's near the grill, but it's best to actually see the physical leak. Follow the steps I outlined in my last post, it will take about ten minutes but time well spent, then let me know what you find.
hi i have radiator fluid coming from the top of my valve cover ita a 1997 yukon why is it doing that and were is it coming from and is it expensive to fix ..thanks
Hi Tony, It sounds like coolant is squirting from somewhere, if I had to guess, which I do :) I would say it's probably coming from a hose. The only other thing I can think of is, maybe your intake gasket is leaking and squirting up on the valve cover???? That would be very unusual but you never know.
I would top off the coolant and then run the engine at normal operation temp, see if you can locate or pin point the coolant leaking from some where. Let me know what you find.
Hey I have a 04 ford taurus front wheel drive my car I leaking a pinkish fluid on the left front wheel side of my car I'm freaking out I just got a oil change 2 days ago and not sure if it's my transmission fluid or steering help?
Hi Autumn, When you say left front, is that the drivers side or passengers side? Pink fluid could be a lot of different fluids, windshield washer, transmission, power steering, and coolant.
Is the fluid watery or oily? is it dripping or poring? Is your car running and driving OK? Are there any warning lights on or lights flashing? I'll wait to hear back from you with more information, take care for now.
hi all
i have a problem with my car's radiator it's losing water but i can't find any leaking or any drops of water
every thing appears to be perfect but i have to refill it every day.
thanks for any body could help me
my car is nissan sunny 03
Hi Eslam, Is it possible you are burning it? Is there a lot white smoke coming from the tail pipe? One other thing to check is the crank case. Pull the oil dipstick out and check your oil level, if your oil looks milky on the dipstick and not clear or brown, you probably have a head gasket leak. Let me know what you find or if you have any more questions, don't hesitate to ask :)
no sir the Oil level is ok my problem is with water in the radiator i am losing it not the Oil
and thanks for response
Hello Eslam, I realize your loosing coolant/water in the radiator, if your head gasket is blown, coolant/water could leak into the engine and you would never even know unless you checked your oil level. A cylinder head and engine block has coolant passages in them along with oil passages, If the head gasket has a leak in it, coolant could leak into the crank case via the blown head gasket.
If you cannot locate any visible leaks, the leak has to be internal, unless it's leaking into your car via the heater core, but that would be obvious.
Are you using straight water in the cooing system? If you are, that could be your problem. Water has a boiling point of 212 deg, a 50/50 mix of coolant and water has a boiling point of about 223 deg. If your using straight water, it might be boiling over as you drive down the road. Let me know what you find, I'm very intrigued :)
Hi I have a 1998 chevy tahoe I noticed it was leaking under driver side help scared transmission slip.ping
Hi Nicki, The first thing you should do is check out this other article I wrote http://eddiecarrara.hubpages.com/hub/slipping-tran
After you read this article, if you have any other questions, just post them in the comment box and I will answer it asap. Take care for now :)
Hi Eddie i think your last point regarding straight water is what i am suffering from because i am actually using straight water but this from one week ago hence i changed the radiator completly and filled it with straight water so is it better to fill it with coolant only of 50/50 is better
thanks :)
Hi Eslam,
50/50 is the best, unless you live in Siberia where the temps fall below -30 deg. You should never run your car on just water because water is very damaging and corrosive. By adding anti-freeze you're protecting the cooling system from corrosion, lowering the freezing point to -30 deg and you're raising the boiling point to 223 deg.
Try emptying out the radiator completely and adding straight coolant, your engine is full of water and adding straight coolant will bring you to a 50/50 mix. You can check it with a hydrometer, like the ones above in the article at the coolant section, it will help you determine the mixture.
So try that out and let me know if it works, I think you'll be OK once you add coolant to the system.
I have a 2003 Audi A6 3.0 and I found a puddle (about 8" circle) of red fluid under the front passenger side. It is far forward almost under the headlight. Do you have any ideas? Also, two days ago I found white greasy stuff on my dipstick and in the oil. The coolant is about 1" under the min. The oil was low a quart, so I added a quart. The exhaust looks normal. Is the car safe to drive?
Hi Lisa,
The puddle you found sounds like transmission fluid leaking from a line going to the transmission cooler or the transmission cooler itself, the transmission cooler is located either in the bottom of the radiator (built into the radiator), or it's an external cooler located near the radiator.
The greasy white stuff on the dipstick is condensation that has collected in the dipstick tube. As long as the oil is not milky you should be OK. The oil was brown and low right? If you have to add oil, it's probably a good time to change your oil (FYI)
The coolant level fluctuates with engine temperature, being only one inch below the min line is not bad, just top it off to the full line and keep an eye on it.
Let me know if you have any more questions, and if you have time, come back and let me know what you find, I would really appreciate it :) Thank you.
Hi,
last night I was was driving my ford focus back home and the windshield was foggy I thought it was due to the cold and it was 5am also thought it was from the outside. Suddenly it started overheating and burning smell inside the car.I pulled over and noticed the smoke and when I put coolant it was leaking but couldn't notice where was the leak. I waited for an hour and drove slowly home. It stopped overheating (I turned the heating off) but when I got home it started smoking again. I noticed today there's a leak under the car when i tried putting water.How bad could this be? Mean how expensive?aprox...
Thanks
Mary
Hi Mary,
Well, It all depends where the leak is coming from, if it's just a hose you could be looking at $80 for parts and labor, if it's a radiator or water pump it will be more like $400-$600. One thing is for sure tho, if you keep driving it to the point that it over heats, you will definitely cause $1000's of dollars worth of damage. You did the right thing by driving it home slowly, because being stranded at that time of the morning is scary.
I recommend getting it towed to the shop unless you can have someone work on it at home. Let me know what happens Mary, if you have time , come back and let me know what was leaking. Thanks, and take care for now.
i'm having the same problem as Mary but my van is completely dry underneath????
Hello burgerdame,
So your car is over heating, but you don't have any fluids leaks? Have you checked to see how low your coolant is yet? If there is not enough coolant in the system to leak out, underneath would be dry. Is there a lot of white smoke coming out the tailpipe?
It's really hard to answer your question because there is not a lot of information. If you answer the questions above, I may be able to give you a better answer :) I'll wait to hear from you.
hello i just bought a 2000 passat,i test drove it everything seemed great took it home.noticed a of burning oil.20min later check engine light came on.my engine was wet with motor oil pullys,fan,looked under my car and noticed my ground had 4 little spots of motor oil.took the car to have the engine power washed cause i was told by the mehcanic who worked on this car 2 weeks earlier when he took off the gaskets to replace them oil was leaking all over the place and he didnt clean up much after himself.he said the smell was from the oil getting on the motor and it will go away which it has.after the power wash it starting leaking again.its on the front drivers side motor oil also in the front middle where the fan is located.i dont know harldy anything about cars.im going for an oil change tomorrow.and have the same mehcanic look at it again.the car turns on 95%of the time smooth but the over 5% hard to turn over.no other lights are on.this car drives great other then this oil leak.my first passat!!!thanks with any advice!
Hi Sonia,
The mechanic doing the work sounds a bit sloppy, I hope he can fix your oil leaks right the next time. It sounds like the valve cover gasket may be the culprit. If it is the valve cover gasket, the mechanic will have to replace it with a new gasket again because the one on there now is probably damaged.
You said it has a hard time starting 5% of the time, do you mean it cranks over but will not start, or does it turn over slowly, like a low charge on the battery?
I suggest having you mechanic fix the oil leak and then keep an eye on it. If your mechanic does not fix it the second time and wash the engine, I would find a new mechanic.
Let me know what happens, and if I can help you in any way, I'll be right here :)
Thank you for answering my questions in such a timely manner. what i mean by hard time starting is yes like a low charge on the battery.when i took it to get a power wash the man that washed it noticed it too.i go tomorrow for a oil change.the mechanic thats going to do the oil change said i would have to drive it for a few days to find out if theres really a leak and where its coming from.does that sound right?i will let you know how things turn out for me thanks again!!!question around how much would it be to replace the gasket's just so i know?
Hi Sonia,
If you just bought the car, I wouldn't pay to have it replaced, further more, he just replaced it so unless it's something else leaking, I would have to say he made a mistake, and YOU should not have to pay for it.
To replace a valve cover gasket would cost about $20 for the parts and 1 hour labor (I think)but you just bought it, so don't let them make you pay, talk to the owner if you have to, the squeaky wheel gets the oil :) (just my opinion)
If the oil leak is that bad, it should be visible without driving it for a few days, a good road test should do it, like about 10 miles or less.
I hope everything works out for you, let me know what happens, just remember...Your the customer!
My van over heats, but i have no visible leaks. My heater also doesnt work. I have gotten a few hoses and a thermostat replaced recently...thinking one of those may of been the problem. I have put coolant in but my coolant light is on most of the time. Thanks so much for your time!
Hello Jaslin,
If your van is over heating and your heat doesn't work, it's possible your coolant is very low and needs to be topped off. After replacing the thermostat and hoses, air sometimes gets trapped in the cooing system and needs to be bled out. Make sure the coolant level is at the top of the radiator, and the overflow tank is at the high level. After topping off the cooling system, run the engine with the heater on so the coolant can get back into the heater core, an take it on a short road test for about 15 min to help circulate the coolant.
Check these when the engine is cold, and never open the radiator cap when the engine is hot, it could blow hot antifreeze up into your face.
That's pretty much it, it sounds like you have low coolant or a blockage, but it's highly unlikely it's a blockage. Check the coolant levels and get back to me with the results if you have time :) Don't hesitate to ask more questions, I don't mind at all, take care for now
Hi! I have. Question... I have a 2008 Ford Fusion. I notice that when I run the heater or air conditioning system, it leaks something. It isn't very much liquid, but I want to make sure everything is ok. It don't have any color, and it doesn't really have a distinct smell. Could this just be water, and it is this normal? Thanks a bunch!!
:)
Hello again just got back from my oil change.the mechanic said my filter was old and needed changing.he also said my crank shaft gasket is leaking and needs to be worked on.the cost he gave me was 235.00 he said that's were my leak is coming from.I am taking my passat next week to have my car look at by someone I trust! I can't believe I live in a world with such dishonest people.I feel Like the dealer took advantage of me!I was so excited about this car I rushed into it! Please if anyone reading this is thinking of buying a used car please do research bring someone that knows about cars with you!I should be enjoying my car haven't had it not even a week... But instead I feel taken advantage of! Thanks again Eddie for your advice and this hub page it really made me feel like someone cared at my time of stress!
Hi,
I am back. As I told you some time back, I am getting malfunction indicator on because of Coolant thermostat. I took my Honda accord to Midas mechanic and he confirmed sensor has gone. I am going to replace it shortly, but he is saying $ 230 to replace sensor,coolant,anti-freezer with labor charge. does it really cost that much. I am not understanding what to do. please suggest.
Hi Michelle,
The fluid leaking under the car is most likely water from the air conditioner evaporator. It's normal for your car to do this because your air conditioner is just removing the moisture form the passengers compartment :) let me know if you have any more questions.
Hi Sonia,
You need to go back to the dealership and get your car fixed for free. What kind of dealership sells a car without changing the oil first??? The dealer should at least change the oil before putting it out on the lot for sale, and the mechanic told you the oil filter was old? That's lame!!! I would seriously go back to the dealer and talk to the service manager or owner and tell them you're very unhappy with your purchase and you shouldn't have to pay for any of these problems, especially an oil change!
Did you buy this car As Is As Seen? Was there any kind of 30-90 day warranty? Seems to me there is some kind of lemon law you can fall back on here, unless you bought the car As Is. Do you live in the United States? If so check out this site http://www.lemonlawamerica.com/
You need someone on your side, let me know how you make out Sonia. Thank you, take care for now.
Hi Shaan,
I'm not sure how much the part is, but I did a search and it's about $40-$60 for the part, a gallon of coolant is about $12, so it sounds like you're paying about 2.0 hours in labor depending the hourly rate. It sounds a bit high if you ask me(which you did,lol) I would call around Shaan and check pricing, it doesn't cost anything to ask and you might get it done for half price. Let me know what you end up doing. Take care for now and thanks for coming back to update me :) It's very much appreciated.
Hi Eddie yes I bought the car as is but it was fine when I test drove it no smell no check engine light on . I didn't know to look under the car for leaks. I feel so dumb my hard earn Money down the drain..I live in pa!I just don't know where to turn u guess the saying is true you get what you pay for! I paid 3000 for it!I was so happy I really thought I got a great deal! Thanks Eddie for all your information wish we had more people like you in this world.
Hi Sonia,
Don't give in that easily!!!! The dealership was dishonest to you and you deserve better. If they had told you that the engine had an oil leak and you were going to have to spend another $500-$700 to fix it, you would have never bought the car, that is deceitful and malicious.
I would go back to the dealership and talk to the owner, if they care about the customer at all, they will help you with this problem.
Rule #1 "never buy a car As Is without guidance from a knowledgeable mechanic"
Rule #2 make a stink about the treatment you're getting, but be NICE, be persistent and don't give up until you're satisfied, no one want's to deal with a customer who is unhappy and persistent, you were lied to and that is wrong. So don't walk away without a fight.
Let me know what you decide, Just remember, you would have never bought the car if you knew it had these problems, and that is what your argument is!!!! Take care for now Sonia, I'll wait to hear back from you.
I have observed drive train oil wetness in Honda Odessey in the front differential left axle area. Is it something serious ? What could be the reason?
Hi Aps,
It could just be an axle seal leaking, but some of the Odyssey's have bearing problems in the transmissions. I would have the axle seal replaced and then keep an eye on it.
I don't know the year and mileage, but in some instances, Honda will replace the transmission under warranty because of the bearing problems, but you would have to call customer relations after you find out the prognosis. Let me know if you have any more questions, take care for now :)
Hi Eddie it's funny how the dealer was so nice& in a hurry to sell me the passat I've been calling just like you said Be Nice I have.I can hear the owner in the back ground telling his assistant he needs to talk to the mechanic because he was suppose to fix the oil leak!wow I said oil leak no one told me about this I had to find out on my own. Anyway I called small claims court $83.00 on having him serve.I think that's the road I'm going to take I will let you know how things turn out!my car is still leaking the same amount of oil in the same spots even after the oil change!thanks Eddie Once again!
Ps He won't even get on the phone with me!That's nice how he runs his business! I'm just so disappointed in myself!I'm stuck with a pretty car with an major oil leak!!!
Hi Eddie! Thanks for your response.I think it was the hose (I know nothing about cars) but the thing is that my mechanic came and when he put water it would come up, I think it was the hose...It cost me $74 plus $60 for the labor, so it was pretty good!
Thank you for your time to respond to everyone!!
Mary!
Hi Sonia,
Just keep an eye on you oil level, pull the dipstick every few days and keep a few quarts in the car for backup until you can get it fixed. Oh, BTW, I wouldn't call the dealership, I would go down to the dealership and talk face to face and bring someone with you as a witness, but again, be nice but persistent!
Keep reminding him that you would never bought the car if you knew about the oil leak,he obviously knew about it if he had to talk to mechanic about it, just keep bugging him and you get it fixed in no time, court takes to long in my opinion. Keep me up to date with what happens, thanks :)
Hi Mary,
That's great!!! I'm glad it didn't cost you much and I want to thank you for coming back to update me, your the best :) and you are very kind with your comment. If you know of anyone who needs some automotive advice, send them my way. You take care Mary ;o)
Hello, after having someone look at my 1996 Chevy Tahoe They believe it could be my head gasket for the following reasons: they said I have water coming out of my tail pipe, I have coolant on the spark plug, and I think it was one more reason I cant remember. I did see smoke coming from the area he said was the head gasket. I was also told because my truck is old and have so many miles that taking all the pieces apart to repair the gasket might leave my truck not running as well as it do now (which it runs great). After reading the info you provided about not using stop leak, which he suggestion I do, I dont know what to do. Added note: no water or coolant was found on the dip stick, I guess this would be another clue that its the head gasket. I think I covered everything I was told. Saturday (today) is the day he suppose to come and put the stop leak in. What you suggest before I allow him to?
Hi Shawn,
I thought you said the leak was on the drivers side near the grill? Water coming from exhaust is normal, it condensation that has built up in the exhaust system, unless you see coolant coming out of the exhaust, plus if you had coolant in the exhaust it would be smoking like crazy.
He is right about pulling the engine apart, sometimes you open a can of worms because you find more and more problems. Another option is to replace the motor wiht a create motor or find someone who like to rebuild them, but create motors are pretty cheap considering what you get, it really up to how much money you want to spend or don't want to spend :)
I really don't recommend using stop leak because it could clog a small coolant passage ways and cause more problems. But if your going to use a stop leak, use a liquid one called bars leak or something similar, hopefully you wont have more problems.
You do realize this is only a temporary fix, the stop leak will only last so long and it will start leaking again. It might be a good idea to stop the leak and then consider trading it in for something newer if you don't want to put more money into it.
So there are a few ideas to chew on for a while ,keep me in the loop, let me know what happens, take care for now Shawn.
Yes your correct, the leak comes from that area. I dont know if driving it after I discovered the leak is what made things worst or not. There's only water coming from exhaust pipe and it dont smoke. Im just not sure if the signs really point to a head gasket problem or if its something a little more minor. I cant afford to get the engine rebuilt or replaced, that sounds costly :) Trading it isnt an option I have at this time either. If have the place I get my oil changed at find where the leaks are coming from do you think that will give me better understanding of whats going on? I was told 3months ago about small leaks and that they can put dyes through the pipes (or something like that) to tell me where the source of the problem is coming from. I really dont want to use the stop leak cause I want to have my truck atleast another year, its really a good truck and runs well :)
Hey Shawn,
The die they're talking about is for an oil leak, I have never hear of it for coolant but maybe they make it for coolant too. I would ask around(friends and family) who the good mechanic is in your area, there is always one mechanic who stands out above the rest, you just have to find him/her. They will take the time to pin point your leak and give you a solid answer, or you could do it with a flashlight, you just need a good flashlight and a good set of eyes. The coolant is dripping on the ground, so you have an idea where to look.
It's really doesn't sound like a head gasket, it sounds like a water pump, hose, or the radiator. Find a good mechanic first and go from there. Let me know what you decide to do and what you find, take care for now.
I believe I was wrong about the dye for the coolant, sorry! :) I'm going to have a coolant pressure test done to pin point the leak and I sure do hope its not the head gasket! I will keep you updated when the job is complete. Oh and the water pump, hose or radiator was my guess at first. That will be music to my ears compared to the head gasket :) Later Eddie, Thanks!
Hi, I was told yesterday that the problem was my Intake Gasket. News I didnt want to hear but I hope to have it fixed by next weekend. Thanks for all your feedback. I will keep you posted!
Hey Shawn,
Well at least it's only an intake gasket. It's not to often you see an intake gasket leak coolant but I guess anything is possible on a 96. I hope that's your problem so you can just start driving again without the worry. Once you get it fixed, come on back and let me know it all worked out. Take care for now, and thanks :)
I am not using A/C in my car (it is off) at this time. But, I noticed a lot of water under the car enginee on the floor. I took the car to a repair some and was told that water is coming from A/C hose. The source water remains unclear to me as the A/C is not turned on. Would you be able to clarify?
Thank you very much.
Hi Narayan,
Could you tell me the make,year and model? I can answer your question better if I know that information :)
hi i have a chevy c1500 p/u but lately the engine oil gauge has been going up when i accelarate an goes down when i break what could be that is doing that?
Hi Sandra,
The oil gauge is suppose to go up and down just as you described. As you accelerate oil pressure rises because the oil pump is spinning faster, and when you decelerate, it drops. Let me know if you have any more questions or if this doesn't make sense to you.
I have a 2005 chrysler t/c van and i have a leak from drivers front side. IT IS CLEAR AND KINDA OF OILY FEELING NO SMELL. I TOOK IN TO MECHANIC AND HE SAID IT LOOKS LIKE IT IS LEAKING FROM INTAKE GASKET ???? DOES THAT MAKE SENSE AND HOW MUCH TO FIX DO YOU THINK. cAR RUNS FINE
Hi Patty,
The mechanic said "it looks like the intake gasket is leaking"???? I would find a better mechanic, one who can tell you exactly where it's leaking from and not guess at it. Yes an intake gasket could leak coolant (if that's what color your coolant is) and it could drip at any part of your engine. I recommend having someone with better qualifications look at it, labor will be about 2-4 hours for that job, so get a second opinion. If you have time, could you come back and let me know what you find? Thanks, take care for now Patty :)
THANKS FOR GETTING BACK TO ME SO FAST... HE ONLY LOOKED AT IT FOR A FEW MINUTES BECAUSE I COULD NT LEAVE THE CAR.... BUT DO THINK IT COULD BE BRAKE FLUID.??? HOW DO YOU KNOW FOR SURE.... I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE IT. IF IT IS.
Hi Patty,
Your welcome :) Brake fluid has a fish oil smell, if you check your brake fluid level, you will know right away if it's a brake fluid leak because there's not a whole lot of fluid in the reservoir. Just locate the reservoir, take the top off and look inside, on the side of the reservoir, there are level markings (high-low) make sure the brake fluid is between the marks. Let me know what you find or if you have more questions, I'll be right here :)
Hi Eddie I just got my passat back and the mechanic said it needed a new timing chain tensioner seal at the cylinder head.he said that was causing the oil leak does that sound right? I took it to my mechanic last week and was told my car was leaking from the cam shaft . I asked the dealer for my money back and he doesn't want to hear it.I am so confused.the leak is 99 percent better after the dealers mechanic fixed the timing chain!any advice?? Thanks again!
Hi Sonia,
If the leak is 99% fixed that's great. The timing chain tensioner seal may have been the your major leak. I figured the dealer would not give you your money back unless you put up a huge fight, but it sounds like the leaks are almost fixed completely so at least they stepped up to the plate and fixed them. As far as the cam seal leaking, it could be the cam or crank seal, Why didn't he fix them while he was working on your timing chain tensioner? He was right there!!
The best thing to do now is clean the oil off the engine and keep an eye out for any leaks, then go from there. You did good Sonia, you must feel good about standing up for yourself :) most people would let it go, good job! Let me know if there is anything else I can help you with, take care for now.
Hi Eddie I really would like to thank you also.i had no support with this time of stress.your hub page was so informative.I will have my car power washed again and keep an eye on it for any leaks.now time to enjoy my new ride!(hopefully).have a wonderful day and thanks again for your time!
ok so it was the intake manifold that had a leak and i had it fixed. It cost me 450$$$.. was that a decent price. Anyway check engine light is on. What is up with that. I thought it would definitley be off now that the car is fixed. The light comes on and off occasionally for the last few months. do you know why??
Your very welcome Sonia, If you ever have any more questions about your car or if you know of anyone who needs help, send them my way, you already know where to find me :) Take care.
Hi Patty,
That's why I told you to get a second opinion, I knew the cost would be right up there around 2-4 hour labor with the average labor rate of $90 per hour around the country, $450 is about right.
If your check engine light is still on, bring it back to your mechanic and let him know, he might have left a wire off a sensor or something. If I knew what code it was that is causing the check engine light to come on, I might be able to help you figure out what's wrong.
Let me know what happens Patty, I'll wait to hear back form you :)
Hi..my daughter noticed a rather large wet spot under her car. I believe its a 1998 Malibu. There is a large round wet spot that is connected to a large long wide wet area. Looks like maybe the round spot is the original leak and it spread. The round area is located under the right front of the car. I checked the oil and it is still full. Dont know how to check the transmission fluid. Looks like there is anti freeze in the car. I took a white tissue and wiped the ground and the fluid doesnt seem to have any color. Not much of a smell either. I wiped the area with my fingers and it does have a little greasy feeling to it. It doesnt seem like a think substance. Car starts fine, no warning lights come on, breaks seem fine. She doesnt have any money to have it checked which is why I'm writing to you. I know you cant really tell me what is wrong but thought maybe you might have some idea of what it could be..Thank You
Hi Cynthia,
When you say right front, is it the passengers side or drivers side?
Do you think it might be coming from the air conditioner? Is it hot where you live?
Can you see it dripping from the car while the engine is running?
Or it could be windshield washer fluid? sometime a windshield washer tank will leak after you fill it.
If you could answer these questions maybe I can have a better answer.
We can rule out oil and transmission fluid because of your white tissue test. Can you see what color the coolant is in your car? You should be able to see through the overflow tank with a flashlight, if it has a color, we can rule that out as well. I'll wait to hear back from you Cynthia, take care for now :)
Hi Eddie,
It is the right passengers side. I know it's not the a/c we live in Mass. and seeing that your from NH I know you know how cold it still is.
Our neighbor looked at it today and he said he doesnt think it's oil or transmition fluid either. It was dark out but from what he could see he said it might be the coolent had risen and the cap may not have been on tight. At least I think thats what he said.
No warning lights have come on. She took it for a drive tonight and said it seemed fine. I'll know tomorrow after she drives it if it leaks when it's running or after it has been driven.
Eddie..I just want to thank you so very much for taking time to go through everyones questions and answering without asking anything in return. We just dont see enough good people out there like yourself these days. Your a good man!! Thank you..:)
Hi Cynthia,
Thank you for those kind words, it's people like you that keep me going :) If you have any other questions or new information, please come back and update me. I know a lot of people just look through the question to see if one of the questions pertains to there situation, so your feed back is very important to me and all the readers. Thanks again, take care for now :)
Hello Eddie,
Sorry I haven't responded. Just been a little busy.
Well it's been a few days and the care has not leaked again. Maybe it was just the coolent overflowing. I'll let you know if anything changes.
I'ld like to thank you again. I know you cant fix things from there but just knowing I can come on here if something comes up and I cant get to a mechanic right away is very comforting.
Have a great day..:)
Hi Cynthia,
You're welcome, I'm glad I can help, and thank you for coming back to update me, I appreciate it very much, and If I can help you with anything else, I'll be right here :)
i have an 01 neon that i blew a hose which i was told was bypass hose. i replaced it with some cheap no tool clamps and it did leak still resulting in overheating here and there until i refilled it. now im leaking but no coolant seems to be missing and its not overheating. any suggestions?
Hi Andrew,
You said "now I'm leaking but no coolant is missing" so I'm not really sure whats going on. I recommend replacing the hose and clamps with quality parts and top off your cooling system with a 50/50 mix of coolant and water, run it for a half hour till it warms up to normal operating temperature, let it cool down for and hour and then top off your cooling system one more time to the full cold line on the overflow tank. Don't open the radiator cap hot, you will get burned severely!
If you're still losing coolant, you may have blown a head gasket but let's not jump to conclusions. Let me know what happens, take care for now Andrew.
Hello, my car has been acting funny! it was running hot so i put water in it. well i was leaving the store earlier and it wount crank... finally got it crunk and a big white cloud came out. What does this mean?
Hello Mikayla,
It sounds like your engine has overheated one too many times and you have a blown head gasket now. When you blow a head gasket it means the gasket between the block and the cylinder head has failed, once the gasket is broken, coolant can leak into the cylinders and hydro-lock the engine. (that's probably why you had a hard time cranking it over, the puff of white smoke was coolant that had leaked into the cylinder)
I recommend having it looked at right away before you do more damage to the engine, it's a good idea to have it towed as well. Sorry for the bad news, but if I can help you with anything else, I'll be right here. Let me know what the diagnosis is if you have time, thanks, take care Mikayla.
hey thanks alot. i had the hose replaced today i think it fixed it. I kept seeing coolant under the car but none seemed to be missing out of the radiator i did a pressure test and it was the small hose and a faulty clamp on one of the bigger hoses. ill let you know if it still leaks and thanks again i have gotten a lot of good information from your posts
Hi Andrew,
The fluid you see dripping is probably just residual fluid from the leak, you could try rinsing off the engine with a garden hose just to get off all the antifreeze. I'm glad I could help, but more important is you coming back to give me an update, this help me and the people searching for answers for their own problems, so thank you for the update.
If you need anymore help, I'll be right here, thanks again Andrew, take care for now :)
Okay, So here's the deal , I have a 2005 dodge neon , just got it a little over a week ago . Today I was walking out to my car and saw something dripping from what looked to be near the engine,transmission area ,I backed my car up and looked on the ground and put my hand it too see if the puddle that was there had a color or smell too it ,it didn't have either . SO when I got home from where I was going , I went online and found your article did the color test with a piece of cardboard but now nothing is leaking . It's not humid out since it is March . I'm just confused on too what could have caused my car to be dripping like a faucet ?
Hello,
I have a 2005 Honda CRV. I had an oil and filter change done two months ago. Just today my dad noticed a huge leak underneath my car - this was my first time home after the oil change and they live three hours away. My dad looked under the hood and the engine was saturated in oil. He saw that the cap hadn't been replaced after the oil change. He was told that it would be safe for me to drive the three hours back to where I live so long as we put the cap back on. The company who made the mistake will then be taking a look at it.
Is it safe for me to drive the car all the way back home with the engine still saturated in oil? Also is there any possibility that the oil could seap into the cabin via the air conditioner or another way?
Thank you
Hi Melissa,
Are you the only one who parks in that spot? I know it's a stupid question but I have to ask.
Is it possible you used your windshield washer fluid while parked there?
Was there dew on you car that morning and it possibly ran down the windshield and drained in that spot?
Some times an engine will leak coolant when it's cold, when the engine heats up, the parts expand from the heat and the leak will stop. I would check what color the coolant is in your car and then keep that piece of cardboard under it for a few days to monitor it.
So there are a few things to help you figure this out, I know some of the questions are silly, but the fluid has no smell or color which leads me to believe it's water or possibly washer fluid.
Could you please come back when you figure it out and let me know what you found? I would really appreciate it, Thanks Melisa :)
Hi Amy,
So the oil cap was left off the engine and oil has saturated the entire engine?
What I recommend if possible, is to put a new oil cap on the engine (obviously) wash the engine with a degreaser at the local DIY car wash, or have a shop do it that is equipped for that type of service, and top off your oil. It is unlikely you'll have a problem but the engine will smoke really bad and yes, the smoke will enter your passenger compartment when you have your heat/ac on, Unless you use recirculate on your climate control, then you would not be taking in fresh air, you will be recirculating the passenger cabin air.
I know it's frustrating, but it's an easy mistake to make when the shops are offering a 10 minute oil change, even an experience mechanic can make that mistake.
If you have any other questions I'll be right here, take care Amy, and let me know how you make out, thanks.
Hello,
Noticed a drip coming from the tailpipe. No I didn't have the air conditioner on. Then I looked under the car and noticed a drip coming from under the muffler. What could it be? I have 1998 Chevy Cavalier 80,000 miles.
Hi Gigi,
The moisture you see is just condensation in the exhaust system. Condensation is caused by the exhaust heating up and cooling down. Some manufacturers put drain holes in the bottom of their mufflers to prevent the exhaust from collecting too much water. The drip is normal, so no worries, take care:)
I have a 03 Lin nav and I have a leak from the rear driver side right by the tire. The fluid appears to be clear. The leak started last week and the stain in the driveway is almost gone like it is drying up (oil doesn't do that?).
Yes, at least that is what we think....that the cap was left off after the oil change.
My dad put the cap back on and wiped some of the visible oil under the hood. I guess there is still a bunch under there.
I am currently heading back to where I currently live to take car back to the shop who did the oil change awhile back.
Currently there is no smoke coming from engine....and no smell in the cabin. I am hoping that this means the oil won't seap into the cabin? I just put the air on recirculate after reading your post....am about halfway through my 3 hour trip though. If there is no smoke or smell in cabin, should I be okay?
Thank so much,
Amy
Hi Amy,
You must be home by now, don't worry , the oil will not seep into the cabin, and if there is no smoke, you should be fine. sorry it took me so long to get back to you :( let me know how you make out tho, thanks.
Hi Kelwil,
Oil will seep into the pavement but will never disappear. Is the leak in the front of the vehicle or rear? Do you think it could be brake fluid? Check your brake fluid reservoir.
How about windshield washer fluid, if you washed your windshield in that spot it will usually drain near the front tire. Let me know what you find, I'm very curious. If you have any more info let me know as well, I might have a better answer with more info, thanks.
The leak is in the rear and by the driver side tire.
Hi Eddie,
I made it home. The shop says they did another oil and filter change and said they cleaned out engine and under carriage. Looks to me like they sprayed the engine....they said something about how they used a degreaser and it may smell until it burns off.
They said it looks like it has been like that for awhile. I asked if there was anyway that the oil cap came off on its own, but they said no. Still can't see how I drove the last two months without any indications of the cap being off. I would assume that if my oil was low (low enough to cause damage to engine) a light would have come on in the car. My dad put a quart and a half of oil in the car before I took off earlier today.
Just hoping there really would be no permanent damage to my car from this. And also that I wasn't breathing in oil fumes the last couple months....find it odd that he said the degreaser would cause a smell in the cabin while it burned off, but the oil wouldn't. Does that make sense to you?
Thank you,
Amy
Hey Anthony, I just looked at a image of the Lincoln Nav and it looks like the fuel tank is on that side near the left rear tire, is it possible it's a fuel leak? I would smell the fluid, you will know if it gas. If it's not gas,it's possibly an axle seal leak or a brake fluid leak. I know it sounds strange but take a smell of the fluid and let me know.
Hi Amy,
Yes, degreaser will smell until it burns of just like any other chemical. You may have had some other oil leaks before this mishap, but not enough for you to notice.
As far as doing permanent damage at 1 1/2 quarts low is unlikely, I think you're all set. I'm glad you made it home safely and everything is OK.
If you ever need a question answered about your car, I'll be right here, take care Amy :)
I have an '82 honda passpirt and it has like yellowish liquid underneath it lately. Is that a coolant leak? If so, how can I fix it?
Hi David,
The best way to decide whether it's coolant or some other fluid is to check the color of your antifreeze by looking into the overflow tank. The best way to fix something like this is to pinpoint where the leak is coming from and then decide on a plan of action. I don't recommend any stop leak unless it is absolutely necessary.If you have more details or if you have more questions, I'll be right here. Thanks for the comment David. Is your Passport a 92 or an 82?
thanks for taking the time to help others !
You are very welcome Rogelio, and thank you for noticing :)
Hi Eddie,
So I have a Chrysler Sebring convertible '04 2.4L. I bought oil and and oil filter a couple days ago and changed the oil on it. While doing so I noticed that there was what seemed to be an orange liquid on the passengers side kind of in different spots like below the alternator and below where the cap is that you would refill the coolant(not the coolant reservoir). That is the same color that has been it it. I also noticed that there seems to be signs of fluid around the whole entire sides of the engine cover, not the top just the sides and I notice that also down lower than the engine cover. Do You have any idea what this could be and how we would be able to fix it? I also noticed the spark plugs were bad and I replaced those and the ignition wires because they seemed worn and I don't think the previous owner replaced them at or around 60,000 miles. I also replaced the air filter and PCV valve. We have the timing belt and drive belts and we also bought a water pump because the repair manual said it is smart to replace the timing belt and the water pump at the same time. Do you think it could be the water pump leaking and/or something else? We just don't want to have to take it into a repair shop and spend a ton, rather that we could do it ourselves! Oh and the miles on it are 100,200 miles right now. Thanks for reading and looking forward to your answer!
Hi there, had a question for you since everyone around me here don't seem to know what there talking about.
I have a 1994 Ford Esc LX, and my brother and I rescently put a tranny from another exact make, it currently runs fine tho sometimes i have to pop it into neutral and gas it a little just to keep it from dying, atm i started it after our long winter here in AK and now the exhaust is turning the snow pink, and I looked under my car and there is a slight drip coming from right where the tranny and engine meet, Im in fear of it leaking tranny fluid into the engine and causing another headgasket to blow like my last car, please tell me I can fix this efficiently and with as little cost as possible :/
Hi Kristina,
It really cool you work on your own car :) Good job!
The orange liquid, is your coolant orange? What color is the windshield washer fluid? I know rain-X is orange.
The first thing I recommend you do is check your coolant and make sure it's topped off (Check it cold) in the radiator and overflow tank, also see what color it is. If the coolant is orange, you can run the engine until it reaches normal operating temp and look for leaks. The other way to check it is to rent, buy or borrow a coolant system pressure tester, pressurize the system and check for leaks. Cooling systems leak more profusely when the engine is cold, after they heat up, the metal parts expand and leaks seem to disappear.
It could be a hose with a pinhole, a water pump, or a gasket. Find out what fluid is orange in your car and go from there, once you know what fluid it is, you'll have a better idea of where to start looking.
Let me know if you have any other questions, and please let me know what you find, thanks Kristina.
Hi Kira,
The transmission fluid cannot leak into the engine. The pink stuff coming out of the exhaust could be rust from sitting all winter or it could be coolant, but if your exhaust does not have a lot of white smoke and smell sweet, it's probably not coolant. I would drive it for a few miles and then recheck the exhaust against the snow again.
The drip could just be residual fluid from when you installed the tranny, wipe it off and check it again after your road test.
Let me know what you find Kira, and if you have any other questions, you know where to find me :)
K cool well my fiance and I did go and drive it around for a little bit and I checked under the car repeatedly, and now that you mention it the amount of somewhat white smoke coming from my exhaust seemed to get thicker the usual, it wasn't until we got back parked it outside and found the leak from the tranny, but I also had actually meant I feared it leaking coolant into it and blowing it, my last car was a Grandam and i was told the headgasket blew because of the coolant leaking into my engine and when it did i lost all power steering car died and a huge white cloud of white from my exhaust, I can't let the same thing happen to this Ford :/ just started a family and need to fix it for work, what would be my best plan of action?
Hi Kira,
The best plan of action is to have a reputable mechanic look at it to determine if it is a head gasket or not. Unfortunately there is no quick fix for coolant leaking into the cylinders, but it's best to be absolutely positive it a head gasket before jumping to conclusions.
This mat not be an option for you but I'm going to throw it out there... Did you ever consider possibly leasing a Hyundai or something? You need a cheap,safe, and reliable car to drive the little one around in, so you might consider trading in the Ford because of the leaks. The Hyundai would be really cheap to lease, maybe $100 bucks a month, it would have a warranty and it would be new.
The cost of fixing your Ford would be around $800 at the least, and that's not including the tranny leak :(
I know you don't have much money and you're just starting a family, but you might want to weigh your options (just a thought) Let me know what you decide to do, and if I can help by answering more questions, please don't hesitate to ask, I'll be right here :)
Wish it were so simple, my brother won't let me do anything with the car but keep it and fix it "eventually", he gave it to me because I need it, but it didn't last, soon to get a job I have interviews lined up and if I'm correct I'm sure I would have to have full coverage on a leased car which is another pricy thing for one currently unemployed, my brothers Father though happens to own a Impound lot and has plenty of cars just like mine sitting in his lot that have been there a while, think there's any hope of swapping Engine and or tranny for a better cheap outcome? of course with a new kit of all the gaskets which I happened to find for only $45 I have a friend that told me he would dedicate a day or two to help me take it apart and redo it with the new kit in hopes to fix everything and make sure all the hoses are tight and everything is bolted properly, think this is a wise choice?
hi I start by sayin ma car heated up once since then when I run tha engine it leaks water from tha muffler and under tha car can u help in any way???
Hi Kira,
Yes that sounds like a great option, especially if you have someone who is willing to help you who has experience, but like I said, make absolutely sure it's a head gasket or you will be spending money and time for nothing.
First I would pressurize the cooling system to see if you have a leak, if you have an internal leak, pull the spark plugs and find out which cylinder is leaking(it will have coolant in it and the piston will be clean)
Good luck with the project and take your time. Let me know how you make out with the engine overhaul, take care for now Kira.
Hi Dan,
It common for water to drip from the exhaust, condensation collects in the muffler and then drains out the muffler drain (a hole in the bottom of the muffler) Unless you have an unusual amount of white smoke coming from the exhaust, I really wouldn't worry about it.
If I can answer any other question or if you have more information, I'll be right here.
Oh so its normal??? Its from the passangers side I have a 97'chrysler concorde lx ...nd the qater it drips well to me is alot my check engine light has been on for a good while...there would be smoke coming from under the hood sometimes while driving...just a little...so its normal???
Hi Dan,
Water dripping on the passenger side? Is it leaking from the exhaust,air conditioner drain, or the engine?
The smoke coming from under the hood is not normal, water dripping from the exhaust is normal.
You need to have the check engine light looked at, it could be anything, so have someone pull the code, at least you'll know what's causing the light to be on.
I'll wait to hear back from you Dan, thanks.
Eddie,
My coolant is orange and the windshield washer fuild I used until a couple days ago was blue and now it's orange. but the fluid was there and orange before that so it sounds like most likely somewhere there is a coolant leak? I will let you know what we find when we take the belts off and the water pump to replace them. It might be tomorrow and it might be sometime next week just depends when my husband has the time to help me because I need a second pair of hands for that job. Thanks so much for your help so far :)!
Hi Kristina,
You are very welcome, Like I said, you should pressure test it first to locate the leak because if your going to do all that work and then find out it's something else, you may have to drain the cooling system again, and that sucks!
If it's your water pump, they usually leak out of the pressure release hole at the bottom of the pump or around the pump gasket, coolant could be dripping from the pump and on to the belts as their spinning and the coolant is being sprayed everywhere. I'll wait to here back from you Kristina, good luck :)
Hi
Today I noticed some oil in my front grill of my new car.It has seeped few drops to ground as well.the oil is yellow in colour,oily but not thick,has no smell.oil is mixed with some dirt particles.What could be the reason?
Hi Sourav,
Is the car new to you or is it a 2012 model?
The dirt particles are probably something the oil picked up from the road. The oil you are talking about actually sounds like refrigeration oil leaking from the condenser, and it would be located at the grill.
Do you have air conditioning in you vehicle?
Is it getting cold?
I'll wait to hear back from you with the answers to the 3 questions.
Hey eddie,
I was wondering when you were talking about the a/c faucet thing, if it literally looks like a little rubber faucet. I drove probably aroound 100 miles today, all the while using the a/c, and on my way home a belt snapped and i lost power steering. I saw the leaking fluids and feared the worst. But if the a/c faucet was indeed all i was looking at then i can breathe a sigh of relief. thank you. Lance
Hi Lance,
On a hot day, the air conditioner can remove gallons of water from the air inside you passengers compartment. It's best to use the recirculate mode on day like this because once the air inside the passengers compartment is dry the ac will now work as hard and actually save you money in gas.
But if your power steering belt broke and you drove the car, It's a good chance you saw power steering fluid dripping from your car. When the power steering pump is not pumping the fluid, the power steering fluid will overflow the reservoir and spill all over the ground. It doesn't do any damage but you need to top off the power steering fluid once the belt is replaced and wash the engine compartment down.
I hope this answers your question, if you have any other questions, I'll be right here. Take care for now Lance.
I have a 1994 Honda accord. I went to get gas today and slipped getting out of the car. I notice something thick leaking under my steering wheel. What can that be?
Hi Alisca,
The fluid leaking under your steering wheel is probably brake fluid. When the brake master cylinder start to leak, it leaks on the inside of your car right over the brake pedal. I would check your brake fluid reservoir and top it off ASAP! Then, if that's what's dripping, get it looked at right away, if you run out of brake fluid, you could lose your brakes.
Let me know what you find Alisca, Thanks.
Hi Eddie,
So I got a gasket kit set, took apart the engine and scraped it clean, it was unbelievably filthy, covered in oil and grime from years of build up, and 2 of the cylinders were half full of coolant, I'm surprised it even made it around the block without blowing, who ever had it before my brother and I never did anything to it apparently, but now that we cleaned it down and put all new gaskets in it, we fixed all the leaks as far as I can tell except for the one from the tranny, which is slipping a little and I'm trying to find a replacement, having trouble with that so far, but now that I'm driving again I've run into another alarming issue, when I drive down a straight road my steering wheel will start to shake ever so slightly side to side, was told it might be my power steering, and when I turn sometimes it will creak as if something needs greased or replaced like a tie rod or something, any thoughts? thanks!
Hi Eddie,
My brake fluid was extremely low. I topped off like you recommended. I took it to a mechanic and there are so many things wrong that I'm just going to get a new one. My transmission started slipping today and i have to manually drive my honda.
Hi Kira,
Wow! That's awesome, congrats on getting it done so quickly :)
The wobble in the steering wheel sounds like one of 3 things; a tire has a broken belt, you have a bubble in a tire sidewall, or you have a bent rim. I would check your front tires for one of these problems.
The creak is probably a joint like you said, most likely a lower ball joint. Take a long screwdriver and place it on the metal near the ball joint/tie rod, and put you ear on the other end, then have someone turn the the wheel to make it creak, you should be able to hear the creak pretty good through the screwdriver, but those noises are hard to diagnose, so don't get discouraged if you can't seem to find it.
Let me know how you make out, and great job getting your car back on the road :)
Hi Alisca,
That's too bad, the 94 Accord is a great car. You might want to weigh your options tho. Did you get a quote on how much it would cost to fix everything? Sometimes it's worth fixing vs a car payment. I hope everything works out for you, and thanks for coming back to give me an update, I really appreciate it :)
Hi Eddie,
I have a used 1999 Chevy Cavalier LS which I purchased 4 months ago. Last week there was a little pool of liquid under the car. I took it to my usual mechanic. They checked and could not find the source of the leak. The next morning, I looked and there was more liquid. I put a paper towel to it and it was a brown liquid. They replaced the oil gasket. I put oil dry on the floor and put a piece of cardboard under the car. They next day, not a drop on the cardboard. But, the following day, there was two drops, one near the passenger's side and one near the driver's side. Everyday there is a drop somewhere else on the cardboard. There is a total of 6 spots. Do you have any idea what all these different spots are?
Hi Anita,
My guess would be residual oil leaking from the engine area. As you were driving with the oil leak, the wind was blowing the oil that was leaking all over the bottom of your car, as the car sits over night, the oil collects, and drips. Keep the piece of cardboard under it for a week, if it continues to drip, I would have it checked again just to be on the safe side.
Let me know if you need anything else Anita :)
Hi Eddie,
thanks we did it all in about 8 hours, ran into some old rusty bolts only reason it took so long, but as we both suspected the creak is my ball joint, hopefully not a to pricy thing to get, but also wanted to ask since were on this topic, besides the creaking and the wobble, ive noticed that when I go over certain bumps my front left tire rattles something fierce, and when it make traction again with the ground it slightly pivots the direction of the wheel and the car, my brother told me it my struts, another friend thinks its my ball joints, was just thinking of taking off the tires and making sure nothings broken or loose, but don't know all the things to look for,is there somthing I'm supposed to grease regularly?
Hi Kira,
It sounds like a strut, take a look at the strut and see if it's leaking fluid at the seal, if the strut is soaked with oil, you know that's the culprit. Do a bounce test also, bounce the car over that wheel with you body, get it to bounce a lot and then let it stop on it's own, if it continues to bounce more than three times, your strut is no good.
You can also check the sway bar link where it connects to the lower control arm, it's common for the bushings to wear out or find broken links at this point.
A ball joint won't cause the car to bounce or lose traction, so you can rule that out.
Let me know what you find Kira :)
I just had my wheel bearing, cv axle, control arm, and ball joint replaced on my 2000 Crysler Cirrus Lxi V6 now its leaking tranny fluid. What is the cause of it and how much would it run to have that fixed now? Im at my whits end with this car this week. Also is it safe to drive as long as I check the tranny fluid in it often. Thanks for any help
Hi Rita,
Bring the car back to the garage that just changed your axles, they probably damaged an axle seal when installing the new axle, but don't wait, at the least, call them and tell them your situation. Make sure you let them know that they probably damaged the axle seal when installing the axle and now it's leaking.
Yes, you can drive it with the leak but you really need to get it fixed, if you run low on transmission fluid, your transmission will start slipping and eventually wont move.
Transmission fluid is generally checked while the engine is running and trans in park (FYI)
Let me know what happens Rita, take care for now.
I got a quote on how much it cost to fix it and I just got another vehicle. It's a 2009 Honda fit with 32,000 miles for a very reasonable car. Someone paid $3000 as is for the Honda accord. Thank you for all your help! May God bless and I hope you continue helping others.
Hi Alisca,
That's Great!!! The Honda Fit is an awesome little car, you may have a car payment but you'll make it back in fuel cost, plus you found someone to buy your car for $3k, that's super! I think you did great and you still have 4k mile on you factory warranty(maybe),If you still have a warranty make sure you get everything fixed under it, even if you have to take a day off from work,lol.
You will be very happy you have no more headaches, driving the fit will give you piece of mind. Take care Alisca, and thanks for your feedback :)
Thanks for writing back to me. The guy that did my car was actually a friend and did it in his driveway. I let him know it was leaking and he is going to fix it free of charge when he gets back from the weekend out of town. If I have to drive it Ill make sure I check the fluid. it seems to not leak as much as long as I dont drive it far. Thanks again for the advice.
Sure Rita, no problem, and thank you for the feedback :)
Hey Eddie,
Happy to say that with my improvements I've fixed quite a few issues such as my wobble in the steering wheel and the rattle sounds, turns out my Tie Rod Ends were rusted and shot, cheap enough part went to Napa and got two for $27, bolting down my Sway Bar got rid of most of the alarming driving problems like the uncontrollable direction change on the highway, still need to get new struts, my back ones are good but the front bounce 2 to 3 times, all and all now think my last major concern is either fixing my current tranny or getting a new one, going to try adding more fluid to it since its a little low and see of that helps it from slipping, if not was told to try some Slip Stop by Lucas, but that's where I'm at ATM, so far it's driving like a quiet dream compared to what it was!! ^_^
Hey Kira, that's great!! I would stay away from the Stop Slip, just topping it off should do it, and don't forget to have your front end aligned or you'll chew up your tires. I'm glad you got most of the problems squared away, it's just a matter of time to get rid of the rest :)
Take care Kira, and if you need any advice or you know someone who has a question, send em over :)
Pretty shocked to say this but I helped my brother put the tranny in and now I can't remember where to put in the tranny fluid :/ all I found was a Tranny dipstick do I somehow poor it in there??
Hello, I have a 2000 Honda prelude that appears to have an oil leak. Looking at the front of the motor just to the right behind the belt cover there is a flat spot that appears to be collecting oil. Doesn’t look like the valve cover is leaking. Any thoughts what it could be?
Hi Kira,
Yes that is usually where you fill an automatic transmission, unless it's a standard or manual trans, and I'm pretty sure you check the fluid level while it's running and hot :)
Hello Fern,
The flat spot is the water pump and the oil may be coming from inside the timing cover, like from the cam seal, crank seal or balance shaft seal. If I remember correctly, the valve cover, covers the top of the timing belt, your valve cover gasket could be leaking as well. If you remove the valve cover and look inside the timing belt area, you'll have a better idea of what is leaking.
If you think the valve cover gasket is leaking, buy a valve cover gasket kit because it comes with the spark plug tube gaskets as well, during installation, put a little liquid gasket or silicone in the corners where the cylinder head goes over the cam, put the sealer between the gasket and the cylinder head in all corners, it's just a little added protection from the gasket leaking.
Let me know how you make out Fern, and if you have any other questions, I'll be right here :)
im lost lol ....found out after exploring that the hose that connect to a tee i thnk its the coolant line??came off the tee i tried and tried yesterday pushing it back on but i cant get it on..no car for 3 days now and i live im the sticks..can i crazy glue it on?tried making some clamps but failed.glue it till i get to autozone?i want to do this now..even in the pouring rain cause i got no garage grrr..please help
Hi okcutiepeye,
No, you can't glue it, it needs a clamp, what happened to the clamp? It may have fallen in the engine area below the hose, so take a look with a flashlight. The cooling system builds pressure as the coolant warms up, so there is no way to keep the hose on the tee unless you have a clamp. Let me know what you find, and if you have any more questions, you know where to find me, now, lol.
Hello, I hope you can help me today, it would be much appreciated. So today I started my '92 Chevy Lumina and as I went to pull away I lost power steering and my car started leaking a white liquid like a sieve. What may be the issue?
Thanks in advance.
Hi Paul,
It sounds like power steering fluid. If you lost power steering, it's possible you blew a line or seal and the fluid was was full of air bubbles (foam). Other than that, there is no white liquid in your vehicle that I'm aware of. I would try to locate the leak and check your power steering fluid. Let me know what you find Paul, and if you have any other questions, I'll be right here.
i want to avoid and stay away from the transmission problem . other symtoms were, i would be in a stop and as i accelerate . between 10-30mph it feels like its going to cut off. from the exaust pipe i can hear a chugging noise.
i went to honda dealer for my last service and this is what they recommend fixing.
-left axle seal $275
-valve cover gasket $129.00
do you think this is whats happening now with all the leaks. ?
Hi Fern,
I think you're describing a transmission slip between 10-30mph because of the axle seal leak, the chugging from the exhaust I'm not sure, do you hear the exhaust hitting something or is the noise coming from the engine and out the tail pipe?
The valve cover gasket is about right, parts and labor. Let me know on that noise, and thanks for the fan mail :) Take care for now Fern.
hi, yes the noise seems to be coming from the engine out the tail pipe..
im gonna put some oil tomorrow and take it in to a local shop.
thanks again for replying you've been a big help.
Sure, no problem Fern, let me know how things work out, take care for now.
I just replaced the water pump on my 01 eclipse and I recently noticed a coolant leak that is coming from the new waterpump, I think I tightened the bolts down too much and was wondering if I could use a sealant around the water pump to stop the leak because I really don't feel like taking it apart again bcuz of the POS timing belt.
Hi Josh,
Trying to fix a coolant leak like that is usually unsuccessful but you can give it a shot, you got nothing to lose. If you do try it, use a sealer like Honda bond or Yama bond. Clean the surface extremely well and let the sealant dry completely.
When ever you do a job like that, it's best to add a thin layer of either of the sealants at the mating surface, even if it has a rubber gasket that sits in a channel, it's just a little add protection. I know I'm a little too late on that one, it's like telling you to stop eating fried food after your heart attack.
Let me know how you make out with that leak, good luck man :)
Hi Eddie,
I took my 2004 Chevy Malibu to the local dealer in January for a problem I was having periodically with the steering wheel. Sometimes it's very hard to turn. The mechanics here couldn't pinpoint the problem but suggested two costly things I could try. I chose one which was to replace the control arm. While I had the car there I also had the oil changed and tires rotated.
In March My bf noticed a small dark brown leak on the garage floor where I park my car. We covered the spot and did not notice anymore leaks for a while. Now this month the leak is back and has happened inside and outside of my garage where I've had my car parked. So this past Monday I took it back to the dealer because my bf thought maybe they forgot to tighten something. The seriv
Oops! Hit the wrong button ;). Anyway, the service manager said he nor he mechanics could figure out where the leak was coming from. He said they saw a spot on the frame but every other place like the drip pan or some other places you would think would be wet from an oil leak were all bone dry. He did say however that I was almost 2 quarts low on oil. So they replaced the oil and wanted me to drive for the rest of the week and then let him know if it's still leaking and where. He repeated this so much that I felt his guys discovered a mistake they'd made when they had the car the fist time and that this was all a cover up. But last night I drove my car for the first time (I don't drive it much during the week) and sure enough the dark brown spot is there once again. My bf thinks I should take I somewhere else because the mechanics at the dealership don't know what they are doing. What do you think this leak could be and should I try another place? The dealership is so costly but if they made an error in the first place I would like them to fix it for free!
Thank you for your time, know this is a long post ;)
Hi Sandra,
No problem with the long post, sometimes that's what it takes to describe your situation :)
When you drain the oil on some vehicles, it drains onto the frame or sub frame, sometimes there are holes and seams in those frames that allow the oil to seep in, so even after you wipe off all the residual oil on the frame, when you drive the road, the wind blows the oil that is inside the frame and causes a drip from the frame. Seeing how you drive very little during the week, it's probably why the leak is not constant.
It wouldn't be a bad idea to get a second opinion, and you should or you BF should look under the car with the mechanic just so you can see it with your own eyes.
Let me know what you find Sandra, and if you have any questions, I'll be right here :)
Oil is thick and lightbrown?! help!!
Hello Tony,
It sounds like you have coolant leaking into your oil, possibly a head gasket, if it looks milky, check your coolant level, if it's low, you have a problem. I recommend doing a pressure test on the coolant system. Let me know what you find tony.
Hi Eddie,
So apart from my escort wich is doing fine but still slipping, I went to the auction today and scored a 97 Dodge Stratus look almost brand new, tinted windows and everything for $75, couldnt believe it, anyways to the problem, at the auction we tried to start it and it tried and tried, but was dry on oil, so once after it being towed to my house i got 2 qrts and filled it up, waited a little then tried to start it, only when i did, the instant i turned the key, a loud pop came from the engine, and when i opened my air intake filter chamber it was smoking, what should I assume would be the problem to tackle it and get it running?
Hello Kira,
Welcome back :) I think what happened was there was fuel in the intake from trying to start it over and over, so it caused the engine to backfire through the intake. I would drive it on a short road test and see how it drives. Let me know what you find Kira.
well thats the thing, I don't know if it drives, I tried to started and when that happened i havent started it since, was going to rebuild it with all new gaskets and see what happens, should I try and start it again?
Absolutely!!! You can't do much damage to it, I think it was just a backfire because of the excessive fuel. Fire it up and see how it runs, make sure all the fluids are topped off and go for it! I wouldn't do anything before you see it run. Let me now how it runs Kira, talk to ya soon.
hmm decided not to try quite yet, noticed one of my valve cover bults is gone... went to all the auto part store and they dont have it.. so when i get the kit if i need it wich im sure i am the engine is covered in oil,only place i found the bolts was in that kit :/
Which I can only seem to find online for 80 bucks, sry but forgot to ad the detail it wasnt in town
Well, when you get all your parts, let me know if you get it running, you seem very knowledgable about cars, so you should be able to get it running in no time. Take care for now Kira (:
Eddie. I have a 99 Acura rl. When I start the car cold the temp gauge starts at normal. The it starts getting hot. I have changed the thermostat and the eTc sensor. Still not fixed. I noticed the raditor as a seep from the bottom. All around the edges. Not much but I think it maybe the raditor that's shot. What do u think?
Hi Mike,
If your temp gauge says normal operating temp when it cold, I believe the temp gauge is faulty. My only question is, did you change the right etc sensor? I think there is a sensor for the temp gauge and one for the cooling fan, so before you replace the temp gauge make sure you changed the right etc sensor. Let me know what you find Mike.
Wow. I asked the folks at the parts what I was experiencing and they never mentioned other sensors. All they stated was its either thermostat or etc sensor. I will look into the cooling fan sensor. Now that you mentioned it I don't hear the fan come on. It only comes on when I turn the A/C on. And it still seems to have the gauge get up there to hot. Do u think the fan sensor can cause the gauge to start at normal when cold? I will let u know. Thx a mill for your help!
Hi Mike,
No, the cooling fan temp sensor will not effect the gauge, but the etc and fan sensor may look similar, so do get them confused.
Ok Eddie. So what do I need to do to find out why the gauge is showing normal when the car is cold. Again I changed the etc sensor. What else can I check to find out why the gauge is not showing correct temp. Sorry for being a pain.
I have a 2000 Honda Civic EX 5 Speed manuel and I noticed their was two leaks, one I fixed myself, turned out the oil filter was loose, but the 2nd one im not so sure of, its dribbles of some kind of oil/fluid coming from the bottom of the transmission, kind of like a trail leading to the bottom and it dribbles could it be a loose fill plug or something serious like the rear main seal?
Hi Mike,
There is a test for the temperature guage in the service manual, if you search automotive service manuals on Google, I pretty sure you can find free ones that will have the test in it. I'm actually on vacation right now and the wifi signal sucks so I,m having a hard time even answering the comments otherwise I'd find the website for you. Let me know if you find the test, if you can't find it I'll figure it out for you when I get home, sound good? Take care for now Mike.
Hi Marcus,
If it were the rear main seal, the oil would come from the torque converter cover. I recommend checking all your drain and fill bolts and wipe down the area where you see the oil leak. I would also look at the oil pan gasket, those are a common leak. The best way to figure out where the oil is leaking from is to clean the area, then follow the trail of oil. Let me know what you find Marcus, and if you have any other questions, I'll be right here :)
I have a Honda civic ex 93. the other day it overheated and since that it now leaks from underneath it looks like its coming from two different hoses that are next to each other one is thick and the other thin. I dont know anything about cars. any help would be sooo helpful ThankYou.
Hi Dee,
If your car overheated, did you figure out why? If the hoses are leaking I recommend replacing both hoses. I suspect there both coolant hoses?
If you have any other questions, don't hesitate to ask, take care for now Dee.
Hello Eddie,
I own a 2004 Chrysler Sebring. Last night while driving home white smoke came from the exhaust pipe and under the right side of the hood. I pulled over and turned the car off. After 15 min. I attempted to restart the car and could not. This morning the car started with no problem. I checked my oil and it was fine (just had an oil change a couple of weeks ago). I checked the coolant and that was low. Should I just refill the coolant and see what happens or should I go back to the mechanic? I hate taking my car to the shop because a lot of the places I have gone to have been dishonest.
Thanks,
Bonny
Hello Bonny,
The first thing to do is to top off the coolant, then look for any leaks, make sure you install the radiator cap correctly, and also top off the overflow tank. I would run the car at idle in your driveway for at least 20 min. My question is, where did the white smoke come from? White smoke from the tail pipe is usually caused by a blow head gasket or intake gasket, the white smoke from under your hood must be coolant leaking onto the hot engine.
When you tried to start it last night and it didn't start, did the engine at least turn over, or did it just click?
How do you know white smoke came out of the tail pipe, was someone driving behind you or are you just assuming it came from the tail pipe?
Is the check engine light on now?
If you could answer these questions for me , I can help diagnose the problem with more accuracy.Thanks Bonny, I'll wait for the answers :)
My car just got the power steering pump replaced and I just picked up the car. When I got home I seen that it was smoking so I popped the hid and seen that the power steering fluid was smoking i checked to see if it was overheating and it wasn't. Is this something to worry about!?
Hi Brooke,
I would definitely call the shop who replace it and have them take a look at it again, my concern is a power steering line might be loose and is leaking fluid onto the hot engine. I would give them a call asap and just have it checked to be on the safe side. Let me know what happens Brooke if you have a few minutes, thanks :)
Hi! This site is great! A quick question! My jeep liberty is leaking what seems to be water underneath the passenger side I noticed when I backed out of my driveway and saw a trail of water. I know it's not my ac it also seems to be running ruff these past couple weeks. Could this be serious?
Hi Becky,
Do you think it could be coming from the exhaust pipe? Moisture builds up inside mufflers and then leak out, just a thought.
If it's just straight water, I wouldn't worry too much, but I would definitely keep an eye on it. The only thing that would drip water is the washer fluid, dew running off the windshield in the am, the ac, and the tail pipe, other then those items, nothing uses straight water. Is there coolant in the radiator?
I'm not really sure about the running rough part, but I don't think the water has anything to do with it. Let me know if you have any other info or questions Becky, and thank you,I'm glad you found my articles interesting :)
I just recently had my car oil changed, tires rotated and a new fuel filter installed. My car now smells kind of fishy when hot so I'm assuming it's coming from the engine?? Any suggestions on what this smell is from would be greatly helpful.
Hi Jessica,
When a mechanic changes oil in a vehicle, Oil will drain on to the engine, how well the mechanic cleans their mess is entirely up to them, if they're good, the residual oil will be cleaned off the engine well. If the oil is left on the engine, it will take some time to burn off, and this is probably what you smell. If you don't think it an oil burning smell, let me know, maybe it a solvent they used to clean the spilled oil you're smelling. Let me know :)
How u doing buddy, I have a 98 accord v6 automatic and I know its leaking transmission oil but its very but very small, due to the fact that I would park the car leave it overnight and ill move it in the morning and ill see a few of wet drips, I can also smell it when the car is nice n hot, I know its probably from the bolts of the transmission but what can I do to stop it, (low budget)
Hi gee gee,
I really don't think it coming from the gasket (bolts), most likely it an axle seal, that is very common for the Accord V6. I recommend power washing the area or use some brake cleaner and clean the leak area to verify where the leak is coming from. Let me know how you make out gee gee.
ok no problem, ill do as you say, figure out where the leak is coming from. thanks eddie
Sure gee gee, If it is the gasket or bolt, you will still have to clean the area completely of grease and grime so you can try a topical sealer like Honda-Bond or something similar, so let me know where the leak is coming from and I can help you find a cheap temporary solution :)
1999 chevy blazer smells like overheating and windshield foggy on inside, leaking fluid from passenger side think from resevoir
Hi Katrina,
Sounds like your heater core has a leak, do you see any coolant leaking under your dash, or are your front carpets wet with coolant? Let me know.
OK so some times on a hot day if I have the AC running smoke comes out well I though it was smoke but the engine temperature was fine do u think its that fog ur talking about I just wanna know b4 I take it to someone to fix it also my car leaks a lot of water after I use AC
hello eddie i have a 95 trans am convertible that seems to have an oil leak, the color is like a light brown. i place a piece of cardboard under the covered with white paper and saw that dripping is coming from under the oil pan a little but im also seeing oil a further back where the which would be right around the center of the car. I also get smoke coming from underneath the hood which after inspecting i realized that it was coming from the same area as the oil is leaking but more on the passenger side. i think its because the oil is hitting the exhaust and burning off. one more thing is that my back bumper and license plate were covered light/moderately with a black residue. i think its because my car is burning oil. could all these problems be related.
by the way i drive my car a lot about 120 miles MON.- Thur. because of school and the car runs fine i just have these problems, but i check my oil level almost everyday to make sure that it doesn't get low. any suggestions are much appreciated, thanks.
Hi Melissa,
Is the white smoke or fog coming from your vents inside the car?
On hot humid days, the ac will be removing a lot of moisture from the cabin of the vehicle, if you use the recirculate button while using the ac, it will recirculate the cool dry air and eventually remove all the moisture and your car wont drip as much water. But don't use recirculate with the heat, your windows will fog up, only use fresh air with the heat. Let me know if this helps Melissa.
Hi Jon,
I believe your oil leak is causing all your problems, yes it's hitting the exhaust and causing it to smoke, but also while your driving the wind is blowing the oil all over the underside of your car, all the way back to the rear bumper, then dust and dirt stick to the oil and cause a big mess. I would have the oil leak checked asap, or at least try to figure out where its leaking from, it could be as simple as tightening down a valve cover bolt or replacing the oil filter. So locate the leak and then decide what to do about it. If you have any other questions Jon, don't hesitate to ask, oh, and don't use any oil stop leak, it will only make maters worst.
It looks like white smoke what's going on
Sorry I read ur comment wrong yes it is coming from vents inside my car everytime it happens we just turn the AC off but that is very inconvenient seeing as we live in TX and have a 7 month old baby
Hi Melissa,
The fog is just condensation, it must be very humid out where you are and you're sending the humidity through a cold evaporator, think about what happens when you open the freezer on a humid day, you see the fog coming out of the door, same thing. That's why I said to push the recirculate button and the fog will go away :) There is nothing wrong with your car, it's normal :) let me know if you have any other questions, take care for now.
Thanks much eddie appreciate the help, im bringing my car to my buddys house so we can lift it up and clean underneath so that we try to trace where the leak is coming from. is there any precautions i should take while doing so?
Hey Jon,
You're welcome, yes, if you're going to wash it down with degreaser, don't do it in the drive way, do it at the self car wash where they recycle the water.
Don't get the electronics wet, focus on washing the oil off and not washing the whole engine, sometimes water and engines don't mix and you could cause a drivability problem. I like to use brake cleaner and a rag to remove oil and grease from a motor, it may take a bit longer but it really works well and dries quick. You'll probably need at least 2 cans and a pan to catch the debris, like a garbage can cover or and oil drain pan. Start at the highest point of the motor where the oil is visible and work your way down.
Let me know what you find Jon, and if you have any other questions, don't hesitate to ask :)
thanks again eddie, what kind of brake cleaner would you recommend? as well as any other materials that will be most effective.
Any kind of brake cleaner will do, it just dries very quick and removes dirt,oil,and grease easily. Once you clean the engine, it should be easy to locate the leak.
signetfence 8 months ago
Great Hub. Now I know what to look for when I bring my car to the dealer and he tells me I need new transmission fluid.