Oh no! A new leak has formed under your car. You’re now curious if this is a serious and costly repair or something minor? Not to mention, the mess and potential stain on your driveway. If you’ve experienced this in the past, then you probably know how stressful it can be.
There is no safe fluid your car can leak. However, some fluid leaks are cause for more concern than others. Here are some ways to identify leaks, determine their severity, and fix them before they become major problems.
Brake Fluid
It doesn’t take an ASE certified mechanic to understand the potential severity in a brake system leak. However, before this blog, you may have not even known brake fluid existed. Brake fluid helps redirect the brake pedal’s movement to the braking system, making it possible to slow or stop your automobile simply and safely.
There are multiple causes of brake fluid leaks, including damage to brake components and general wear, rusting, and pitting. If your brake fluid light on your dashboard is lit and your reservoir is low despite you topping off your fluid, there’s a high chance your brake system needs to be reviewed by a mechanic. Needless to say, this is a leak that should be brought to a mechanic as soon as possible.
Engine Coolant
While this may not be as large a safety concern as brake fluid, delaying to repairing a coolant leak is one of the most costly items to procrastinate. You can identify an antifreeze leak if you see lime-green, orange, pink, or blue-green fluid under your car.
Engine coolant is responsible for maintaining the engine’s temperature and preventing overheating. A coolant or antifreeze leak can occur for a number of reasons, to include a cracked radiator hose, a bad hose clamp, warped head gasket, or perhaps a foreign object kicked up from the road and penetrating the radiator itself.
You should inspect your radiator hoses regularly. Look at the rubber part of the hose. If it has cracks or holes, replace it immediately.
Transmission Fluid
Normally when you see red, you may think stop or danger, and that is what you should do here. Engine and transmission replacements are two of the most expensive repairs on a vehicle. If you see this leak, but don’t feel any change in the vehicle’s driving or performance, you may feel inclined to keep driving it. This is one of those things that doesn’t get better with time. Eventually, your transmission —which makes sure power gets from the engine to the wheels — won’t be able to perform as it should.
How To Fix Leaks In Cars And Trucks
There are several different methods for fixing leaks in cars and trucks. However, the most effective way to fix any leaking issue is to call an expert. Yes, there’s no denying that hiring someone to do the repairs like leaks in your vehicle would cost you money. But, this investment could save you a lot of time and effort later on.
In our previous blog, we shared some tips on what to ask when hiring a mechanic. This way, you’ll put your mind at ease that all the work being done by the mechanic is legitimate.
The first step toward repairing a leak in your vehicle is that the mechanic will find the source. And because of their knowledge and expertise, they can pinpoint where the leak is coming from. Once he does that, he will use his tools to repair the leak. He might have to remove certain parts of your vehicle to access the area where the leak is happening.
But you don’t have to worry about that as he will take care of everything. After the leak is repaired, he will test it to ensure that it works properly.
Conclusion
In conclusion, leaks happen more often than you think. They can occur anywhere in your vehicle. One of the best ways to prevent them is to conduct regular scheduled preventative maintenance on your vehicle. Consistent reviews and inspections of your vehicle can catch any deficiencies before they become major problems. This way, you won’t end up with a costly problem down the road. But if you’re not sure how to fix a leak in your vehicle, give us a call today! We can help you figure out the best solution for your situation.
Contact Andy’s Automotive and Truck Services
Andy’s Automotive & Truck Services has been providing quality automotive services for decades. We offer a better solution to fixing your vehicle through our after-hours service. We provide mobile delivery of our services or we can pick up and drop off your vehicles. In this way, we hope to make vehicle maintenance less of an inconvenience.
If you have any questions or want to book an appointment, contact us today!