Fluid Leaks

Auto Repair

Fluid Leaks

The first step in diagnosing a fluid leak is to familiarize yourself with the various colors of fluid used in the components on your vehicle and the color of the leaking fluid you are looking at. Knowing the color of fluid and which components use it will help to isolate the areas you will be looking at.

An example of this is the color red or pink, which is the color of the fluid used in automatic transmissions. If the leaking fluid color was red or pink, you would not be examining the engine or brake system, which have either a brown or light yellow color fluid. However in some vehicles the color of the fluids used in standard transmissions, power steering units and radiators is also red or pink.

Light or dark brown fluid can be engine oil, or differential fluid, but once again this same color not type of fluid is used in some power steering units and standard transmissions. Bright green is the color of the older type of antifreeze. A clear color fluid is usually normal water from the vehicles air conditioning unit but on some vehicles this could be the color of the power steering fluid. Brake fluid has a light yellow color and the windshield washer solvent color is dependant on the type of washer solvent used, usually blue or pink. Gasoline is an amber color fluid.

After identifying the color of fluid leaking and knowing which components on your vehicle use that color of fluid, you are ready to start your examination. Begin this process by equipping yourself with a good strong light and planning a safe way to gain access underneath your vehicle. Remember this in your search; fluid always flows down then back. Gravity will always cause the leaking fluid to flow down towards the ground, it never flows up. The wind currents under the vehicle caused by the fan and force of the air hitting the vehicle when driving will always blow the leaking fluids towards the rear of the vehicle, never to the front of it. When you begin your search, you are going to follow the trail of the leaking fluid in the reverse direction in which it flows, until you get to the component that has the color of the leaking fluid. The reverse direction of the fluid leak is forward to the nearest point front on your vehicle and then to then up to the highest point on your vehicle where the leaking component will be found.

Auto Repair