What IS that drip?

With this column we initiate a recurring feature about cars. Love them or hate them, cars are part of life here in Sonoma, and dealing with them is something most of us do every day. Do you have a nagging question about your car? Then ask the Car Guy –John Fisher, owner of Metric Motors here in Sonoma, who has over 30 years of experience repairing and servicing cars.

Dear Car Guy:
My car is dripping fluid and I’m not sure what it is. It’s messing up my driveway and before I take it to someone to fix, I want to see if I can find out what’s causing the drip. Can you help?
Thanks,
Drippy

Dear Drippy:
Most people assume that a leak is engine oil, and while often it’s not, we might as well ask that question first: it is oil? You didn’t mention that you have to add oil to your car, which would be a clue, or even that you are checking your oil level, which would give us useful information.
Your car has lots of different fluids in it, and any one of them might be leaking and making a mess. Among the possibilities are power steering fluid, transmission fluid, cooling system fluid, other lubricants and even window washer fluid. What you see in your driveway could be any of these, and if you have kids or a dog … well, who knows! Anyway, let’s make a quick review.
Power steering fluid has a reddish color and you would find it under the car in line with the front wheels. It could be a leak in the rack and pinion assembly, a costly repair job, or just a hose that is leaking.
Transmission fluid is also reddish in color, and would be found under the car located between the front seats. If your transmission is slipping (racing in gear but without any real power), have your fluid level checked, as you may well have a leak.
Radiator coolant fluid is greenish, and would typically be found under the engine, towards the middle. It could be a leaky water pump or a hose.
Other sources of fluid leaks can include the differential in the rear wheel axle. You’d find it dead center under the rear axle, and it’s easy to identify: an amber colored liquid that is a thick as honey and smells like a junkyard! (Now you can say, “It’s not me, Sweetie, it’s the differential fluid!”). You most probably won’t detect any symptoms while driving, but if the leak is not fixed you run the risk of burning up the gears. Another liquid is your window washing fluid. Now I know you may like all those mashed bugs on the windshield, but for heaven’s sake keep your washer reservoir full and working. And by the way, never use tap water to fill the washer reservoir, as it has too many minerals and over time they can clog the system; washer solvent is best.
Finally, there is brake fluid, another light amber, rather clear liquid that’s used in the brake system. Often a leak will develop associated with the calipers, and evidence of a leak will appear as fluid seen from the inside of the wheel, under the car. Hey…if your brake dash light goes on, pay attention! If you get a bad leak, your brakes could fail.
So, by this careful and scientific process of elimination, we finally come down to oil. If you have not changed your oil for the past five years, it probably will be black as night, and you deserve to be punished. Assuming you’ve changed your oil every 3,000 miles like you should be doing, it will be light brown and (guess what?) greasy! Check your oil dipstick and see if it’s low; this is not rocket science, just your car! Good luck, Drippy!

Metric Motors is located at 21600 Eighth St. E.