There is no safe fluid your car can leak, but not all car fluids are created equal. Leaking condensation out of your tail pipe, for instance, is a few fries short of a happy meal when you consider you could be leaking coolant out of your combustion engine. But which fluids are the worst to leak? Which are the disasters?
Well, there are some slow-building disasters, like leaking oil and gasoline. As damaging as those are though, there are also fluids your car can leak that will cause disaster almost immediately. In the interest of our customers’ safety, Trinity Auto Care has put together this guide to the most dangerous car leaks around.
Coolant
Coolant is one of the easier car leaks to spot, as coolant fluid is usually colored unnaturally bright colors that will stand out in most situations. This is quite fortunate, as not only does it mean coolant is easy to identify from a distance, but it also means no one is ever going to confuse coolant for something drinkable.
The reason coolant is so dangerous to leak is because as soon as coolant start leaking, your engine will start overheating. Once you are out of coolant you are barely going to be able to drive a mile before your engine runs the risk of catching fire. So, look out for coolant leaks early, and get to the mechanic’s shop fast.
Transmission Fluid
Transmission fluid is a more sneaky fluid than the others on this list, as not everyone even knows that transmission fluid exists. Some people believe that cars have advanced past having gears, gear changes, and transmission system to accommodate these. Well, that is not the case.
And because of that, it is still totally possible for a car to leak transmission fluid and suddenly start having trouble changing gears. The issue here is that if a car cannot change gears, then going above a certain speed will demand the car overclock itself to go that fast. This can lead to an overheat, as well as other problems.
Brake Fluid
The reason brake fluid is disastrous to have leak can probably go without explanation. Like transmission fluid though, many people are surprised to hear that brake fluid even exists. They are filled with questions: What is brake fluid? What does it do? Why is it necessary? Can brakes work without it?
The last question there is the most important, and the answer to it is: No! Brake fluid is used to operate brakes because it means that the braking system of your car works independently from everything else. Even if your battery dies, your engine falls out, and your sunroof won’t open, your brakes will still work.
This is because your brakes operate off of hydraulics rather than electricity or mechanics. They do not rely on well-oiled gears, but on fluid in an extremely durable tube. This tube is not indestructible, however, and if you see it leaking fluid then you need to get to a mechanic immediately.
Stay safe, keep track of when your car starts leaking things, and be responsible out there.
