It’s helpful to know the different colors of automotive fluids so you can tell what is leaking out of your automobile in the event you end up with a leak. In some cases, Vielhaber’s Garage cautions that it may not be safe to continue to drive your automobile when certain fluids are leaking out of it. Let’s talk more about automotive fluids below and what their colors are.
Blue
There are two fluids in your automobile that could be blue. The first one is your engine’s coolant. The second one is the windshield washing fluid. The latter is always blue. Engine coolant comes in many different colors.
Brown
Brake fluid is brown, motor oil is brown, differential oil is brown, and dirty transmission fluid is brown. If any of these fluids are leaking out of your car, truck, or utility vehicle, or van, we don’t recommend that you drive it.
Clear
Gasoline often looks clear when it is leaking, so make sure to smell the fluid coming out of your automobile to make sure it isn’t gas. If it is, don’t drive it. Water can also drip from the air conditioning unit and from the tailpipe. It’s safe to drive your car if it’s just dripping water.
Green
Green, blue-green, or green-blue is antifreeze/coolant. We don’t recommend that you drive your car if it’s leaking coolant. The low levels of this crucial automotive fluid can make your engine overheat and overheating engines are often damaged.
Orange
If you drive an older automobile, you might see orange fluid spots on your garage floor. It’s probably not a good idea to drive your automobile because the orange fluid is most likely coolant dripping out of a rusted radiator.
Pink
Definitely do not drive your automobile if you see pink spots on your garage floor. Usually, the only pink fluid in your automobile is a mixture of transmission fluid and coolant. If you drive your vehicle, you will seriously damage both systems.
Red
Power steering fluid is red, as is transmission fluid when it’s new. Many engine coolants also come with a red hue, and some brake fluid is red. Check your brake fluid and engine coolant to see if they are red. Your power steering fluid and transmission fluid are definitely this color.
Yellow
Finally, brake fluid that is new can look yellow. Antifreeze/coolant can also be yellow. Again, don’t drive your automobile if it is leaking either of these fluids to avoid putting yourself in a dangerous situation.
You don’t need to look any further than Vielhaber’s Garage in Findlay, OH, to find out what automotive fluid is leaking out of your automobile. We will identify the leak and fix it.
