What to Do if Your Car is Leaking Water

A car that’s leaking water is usually nothing to worry about. However, a car that’s leaking some other fluid should be inspected as soon as possible! Although there are a couple of circumstances when you might want to be worried about water leaking from under a car, your first step should be to place a piece of white cardboard beneath the leak to identify the color of the fluid. Although a full inspection may be warranted, color can tell you a lot about the kind of issue you’re facing.

Why is Water Leaking from Under Your Car?

In most cases, the water leaking from under your car is:

• Condensation from the air conditioner
• Condensation from your exhaust pipe

Neither of these occurrences poses any problem whatsoever, and both are quite common in Turnersville and Woodbury.

However, if you notice that your vehicle is not only leaking water, but also releasing significant volumes of white smoke, you might be dealing with a blown gasket. Schedule service today to get the issue checked out, and take a look at our service specials before you stop in.

Not Sure if Your Car is Leaking Water? Check the Color.

If your car is leaking water, the fluid beneath your vehicle should be clear. But checking the color of a fluid can be difficult if it’s simply pooling up on concrete or gravel. That’s why you should place a piece of white cardboard beneath the drip and come back in a few hours to see what kind of liquid has accumulated.

If the fluid is not clear, check its color against the list below to find out what the source of your issue might be:

1. Red fluid is often power steering fluid or transmission fluid. may be transmission fluid or power steering fluid
2. Orange fluid is usually transmission fluid. However, if your radiator has taken on a little rust, it may also be coolant. 
3. Yellow or yellow-orange fluid is probably coolant falling from your radiator.
4. Green fluid may be coolant that has fallen from your reservoir. It may also be windshield wiper fluid. 
5. Blue fluid is usually windshield wiper fluid.
6. Brown fluid may be either brake fluid or engine oil. Although these leaks are less common, it may also be gear lubricant.
7. Pink fluid is most likely to be newer transmission fluid, but it might also be newer power steering fluid.

Most vehicle fluids will become darker with time and use, so keep that in mind when you’re checking the color of the stain on the cardboard!

Our Service Team Can Help With Any Leak!

No matter what kind of fluid is leaking out from under your car, scheduling service with Nissan of Turnersville can help you get back on the roads of Cherry Hill and Sicklerville in short order.