Finding a puddle of liquid under your car in the driveway might raise a flag. While not all liquid leaks need immediate fixing, many of them can be an indicator of issues with an important system. Check out these common leaks and liquids that you might be seeing under your car. If the leaking liquid is appearing under your car most days, it’s a good idea to bring it in to see the experts and have things fixed up.

Diagnosing Common Car Leaks

Coolant or Antifreeze

A neon puddle of either green, pink, blue or orange that smells slightly sweet and feels slightly viscous between your fingers is indicating a problem with your radiator, water pump, coolant reservoir or radiator hoses. This leak could result in an overheating engine if not repaired.

Oil

Oil under your car will look black or brown and feel thick and slippery when you touch it. An acidic smell might also indicate engine oil. A leaking oil filter seal, loose oil pan plug, or leaking oil gasket may be the cause. You’ll need to check your oil levels before driving.

Gasoline

A gasoline leak has a distinct smell and will look almost like water on the ground (minus the potentially rainbow appearance in direct sunlight). This leak means you have an issue with your fuel pump, injector or a leak in the fuel line or gas tank. Have this checked out and repaired before you lose more fuel!

Brake Fluid

Brake fluid under your car will look clear or light yellowish-brown with an oily feel. It will smell strongly of avid and indicates a problem with the brake system, brake lines, calipers or wheel cylinders. Any issues with your brakes should be taken very seriously, so please have this checked out as soon as possible!

Transmission Fluid

Transmission problems can be expensive, but if you see a puddle of dark red or brown or light red or light brown, it’s worth having it checked out. This leak could indicate issues with the transmission pan gasket, fluid lines, or seals.