Noticing a puddle or a few drips under your car where you park can be unsettling, but the color and location of the fluid can tell you a lot about what is going on. Learning to read those clues helps Franklin drivers know how urgent the situation is and describe it clearly when they bring the vehicle in.
Bright green, orange, or pink fluid usually points to coolant, which means a possible leak in the cooling system that could lead to overheating. A slick brown or black fluid is most often engine oil, while a reddish fluid can be transmission fluid or power steering fluid. A clear, oily fluid may be brake fluid, which is a safety concern that deserves prompt attention. Clear water dripping near the front on a hot day is often just condensation from the air conditioning and is perfectly normal.
The size of the leak matters too. A large, spreading puddle or a leak that keeps growing should be checked quickly, while a small spot may still point to a problem worth catching early before you run a system low. Running low on any of these fluids can cause expensive damage.
At Home Town Auto Care in Franklin, our technicians can identify exactly what is leaking, find the source, and recommend the right repair. It also helps to place a piece of cardboard under your car to capture a sample before you visit. If you have spotted a mystery puddle, bring your vehicle to our Franklin shop and let us diagnose it.
