Why is My Car Leaking Water?

Have you ever noticed your car leaking water when you return home to Thomasville, GA on a hot day? Usually, water leaking from under a car isn’t a big deal and can be explained away by the air conditioner. Your car’s AC system creates condensation when in use. When you park your car after having used the AC during your trip, you’ll often see a small pool of water forming from the dripping condensation near the back of the engine compartment. Is the water leaking from under your car near the tailpipe? This is probably just exhaust condensation that will disappear as the muffler grows warmer.

When is a car leaking water or other clear fluids a cause for concern? Learn more with our service center, below.

Potential Causes of a Car Leaking Water

When you see water leaking from under your car, use these tips to help identify the cause:

• Put some white paper or paper towel under the leak to make sure you’re dealing with a water leak. If the fluid is clear, it’s likely just water. If it’s blue, green, or yellow, it’s probably coolant. Unlike leaking water, a car leaking coolant should be inspected by a technician.
• Is the water accumulating from your exhaust a significant amount? This may be the result of a blown gasket that’s causing coolant to be burned along with fuel. In addition to a large amount of water, you’ll also see white smoke exiting the exhaust pipe.
• Coolant is easily identified by its color, but you can check the coolant level to be sure. If the level is low, you may be dealing with more than leaking water and should schedule service as soon as possible.
• If you still can’t explain why your car is leaking water, check the wiper fluid reservoir. Have you ever mixed water with your wiper fluid? This causes the fluid in the reservoir to freeze when it’s cold outside, causing the reservoir to expand and crack. When the temperature warms up, the once frozen fluid will start leaking. If the fluid is light blue or light green and located near the front tires (and especially if you put water in your wiper fluid) this may be what’s causing your leak.

Ultimately, if there is water leaking from under your car in Crawfordville and you can’t tie it to condensation, you should bring your car in for further inspection to avoid overheating and other issues.

If Not Water, What Fluid is Leaking from My Car?

Your vehicle uses a lot of different fluids, many of which are dyed unique colors to make them easily identifiable. If the color of your car’s fluid leak is anything other than clear, it could be one of the following:

• Dark Brown – Brake Fluid or Older Engine Oil
• Light Brown – Newer Engine Oil or Gear Lubricant
• Red – Transmission Fluid or Power Steering Fluid
• Pink – Power Steering Fluid or Transmission Fluid
• Orange – Transmission Fluid or Radiator Coolant
• Blue – Windshield Wiper Fluid
• Yellow – Radiator Coolant
• Green – Antifreeze from Water Pump, Hoses, or Radiator

Have Your Car Inspected in Tallahassee

Searching for a service team you can trust near Panama City? Dale Earnhardt Jr Buick GMC is here to help with everything from fluid leaks to essential maintenance. Contact us or check out our other service tips to get expert help from our team!