Today's
automobiles rely on fluids to provide everything from hydraulic power
to internal cooling. Your brakes, transmission, engine, and power
steering systems all rely on fluids to function properly. For that
reason, nothing strikes fear into a car owner quite like the sight of
fluid puddling up beneath a parked vehicle.
Many
people fail to address such leaks simply because they do not know
which particular fluid is escaping. Fortunately, even relative
amateurs can learn to identify the fluids they find beneath their
car. If you would like to improve your automotive troubleshooting
skills, keep reading. This article discusses how you can narrow down
fluid leaks based on color.
1.
Blue Fluid
Even
if you have no previous mechanical experience, you can probably
already diagnose the source of blue fluid leaks: your windshield
washer system. Virtually no other fluid system in a car uses blue
fluid. A smaller percentage of windshield cleaning fluids have a
green color, which means you could hypothetically confuse them with
coolant.
In
either case, you can usually verify a windshield leak by examining
the consistency of the fluid, which should be thin and watery.
Likewise, windshield fluid has an easily recognized odor much like
that of household window cleaner.
2.
Red Fluid
If
the fluid you find beneath your car has a reddish tinge, you can
narrow the source of the problem down to two systems: your power
steering or your transmission. Both of these systems use hydraulic
power to accomplish their tasks. In fact, some make of automobiles
use the exact same fluid for both systems.
Both
fluids have a slick consistency not unlike motor oil, although
usually somewhat thinner. If your car uses different fluids for the
power steering and transmission, you can often identify the culprit
using your nose. Power steering fluid tends to have a distinctive
odor which people often describe as being like that of a slightly
burned marshmallow.
3.
Brown Fluid
If
you make a point to have your fluids regularly flushed and replaced
with fresh fluid, a brown leak can only mean one thing: motor oil.
Fresh motor oil has a light brown color that gradually darkens as the
fluid ages. Likewise, motor oil has a unique smell and a thick,
slippery feeling on the fingers.
Brown
fluid leaks can sometimes prove misleading for those who have not
kept their vehicles properly maintained. In such cases, the brown
fluid may not actually be motor oil. Other fluids such as power
steering fluid, transmission fluid, and brake fluid undergo color
changes as they age. Gradually the more colorful tints grows darker
due to oxidation.
Eventually
those fluids may appear every bit as brown as motor oil. Therefore,
you should never blindly assume that brown fluid indicates a motor
oil leak. Instead, take your car to an experienced professional for a
more accurate diagnosis.
4.
Yellow Fluid
Yellow
fluid may indicate leaks in one of two systems: your brakes or your
cooling system. Fresh brake fluid has a delicate yellow coloration
that darkens as it ages. Coolant comes in a wide variety of colors,
including green, pink, and yellow. Many mechanics suggest stocking a
car with green coolant, since it presents less confusion in the event
of a leak.
You
can distinguish between coolant and brake fluid through a smell test.
Coolant has a distinctive sweetish odor as well as a somewhat slimy
feeling. Brake fluid, by contrast, has a more bitter smell, one often
described as resembling fish oil. Brake fluid also feels much oilier
to the touch than coolant.
If
you suspect that your car has developed a brake fluid leak, you must
seek professional attention as soon as possible. For more information
about identifying and resolving your fluid leaks, contact
the auto repair pros at
Dualtone.
