We use our senses of sight, sound, smell, and touch to help us interpret many things in our lives. Did you know we can also use these senses to recognize car trouble?
SIGHT: It’s not uncommon to find a small stain or drops of fluid on your driveway or garage floor. However, consistent wet spots or puddles are often cues that a problem may exist. You can identify many of the fluids that may leak from your car by their color.
- Clear water appears most often in hot weather. It usually is condensation from the air conditioner and generally means you have nothing to be concerned about.
- Dark brown or black spots generally come from leaking oil. The oil may be coming from a bad seal or gasket and should not be ignored. Oil is the lifeblood of your vehicle and without adequate supply, severe engine damage can occur.
- Red “oily” spots are generally transmission or power-steering fluid. Many of today’s vehicles use hydraulic systems that use this fluid to make operating the vehicle easier for the driver. You generally do not need to change or add this fluid so if you experience a leak you should get it checked out.
- Yellowish-green, pastel blue, or fluorescent orange fluids are almost always antifreeze, the fluid used to help keep your engine cool. Leaks generally come from the radiator, radiator hose, or water pump. Without enough antifreeze your engine can easily overheat. If you overheat, pull over immediately to prevent serious engine damage and have the vehicle towed for repair.
SOUND: All vehicles make noises as we travel down the road. Understanding some of the most common squeals and rumbles can provide helpful information about possible problems or your vehicles maintenance needs.
- A sharp, shrill squeal may mean a loose or warn belt.
- A slight, sharp clicking noise may result from a bent or loose fan blade, stuck valve lifter, low engine oil or loose wheel cover. This noise may become more pronounced as you increase your engine and vehicle speed.
- A high-pitched, piercing metallic sound while driving and or braking occurs by design. This sound alerts drivers that brake system maintenance may be required.
- A low-pitched rhythmic rumble often means the vehicle has a failing exhaust pipe, converter, or muffler.
- A random thumping clunk usually indicates a loose component of the suspension, such as a shock absorber, or perhaps a loose element of the exhaust system, such as the muffler.
SMELL: Unusual or uncommon smells coming from the vehicle can indicate potential problems. When you experience these issues, it is best to stop immediately to have the problem properly diagnosed to prevent serious damage to the vehicle or prevent possible personal injury.
- Thick acrid odors generally come from burning oil. Most often this results from oil leaking onto other hot components of the engine.
- Light sharp odors, often reminiscent of burnt toast, generally indicates a short in the electrical system of burning insulation.
- The smell of gasoline may occur after a failed attempt to start the car or may persist more consistently. If you try to start your vehicle and it does not turn over, resulting in the smell of gas, you may have flooded the engine with fuel. Simply wait a few minutes and try again. If the smell of gas is persistent, you may be leaking fuel and should have the problem attended to right away.
- Sharp smells of sulfur, or of rotten eggs, often means a problem with the catalytic converter or another part of the emission-control system.
- Sweet steamy odors come from leaking antifreeze. If the engine has not already overheated, attempt to get it in for service right away. If you have already overheated, stop driving the vehicle to prevent further damage.
- Burning resin or strong chemical odors can indicate overheated brakes or clutch. Stop to let the components cool down then have the problem serviced.
TOUCH: When driving no longer feels quite right, you may be experiencing a problem that needs to be addressed. Symptoms of problems you can feel include difficult steering, a rough ride, and vibrations.
- Difficult or wandering steering can be caused by misaligned front wheels, worn components in the steering system, or under inflated or worn tires.
- Rough ride and handling, particularly around corners, may indicate worn shocks or struts or other components in the vehicle’s suspension system. Under inflated tires can also cause a rough ride or handling.
- Problems with your brakes can be felt in several ways. If your brake pedal goes all the way to the floor when braking, if you feel scraping or grinding when you apply your brakes, or if your vehicle pulls to one direction when braking, your brakes generally need to be repaired or replaced.
To learn more about any of the information in this article or to have your vehicle evaluated, please visit any one of Duxler’s 5 locations along
