Car Fluids By Their Colors

It’s a good idea to have tucked under your hat the different colors of automotive fluids. This allows you to determine what fluid is leaking out of your automobile if it develops a leak. Techway Automotive can repair your auto fluid leak, but in some cases, it may be dangerous to drive your automobile depending on what is leaking out of it. Let’s talk more about this below.

Blue

It is likely safe to drive your automobile if it is leaking blue fluid provided that fluid is the windshield wash. This solution is often blue. If your coolant is blue, however, you should not drive your automobile if it is leaking coolant. This can cause your engine to overheat.

Brown

The color brown is a common color of automotive fluids, and you shouldn’t drive your automobile if it is leaking brown fluid. If the spots on your garage floor are brown, your car, truck, or utility vehicle is leaking differential oil, motor oil, old transmission fluid, or brake fluid.

Clear

Unless the clear fluid is fuel, you can drive your automobile if you see clear spots on your garage floor. What you see is likely condensation from the tailpipe or air conditioner. Do not drive your vehicle if the clear fluid smells like fuel, however. You do not want to drive with a fuel leak.

Green

You also shouldn’t drive your car, truck, or C/SUV if it is leaking green fluid because it is leaking antifreeze/coolant. Green is a common color of this crucial automotive fluid. In fact, it may be neon green and that is hard to mistake when looking at the color.

Orange

Orange fluid can be fresh antifreeze/coolant or old antifreeze/coolant that is filled with rust. In some cases, the color of your antifreeze/coolant will turn orange because the radiator bottom is corroded and rusted. The antifreeze/coolant fills with rust and turns orange.

Red

We mentioned above that old transmission fluid is brown; new transmission fluid is red. Power steering fluid is also red. Some brands of antifreeze/coolant are red, and some brands of brake fluid are red. You should probably err on the side of caution and toe your vehicle to our shop if it is leaking red fluid.

Yellow

Finally, don’t drive your automobile if it is leaking yellow fluid. Neon yellow or yellow-green fluid is antifreeze/coolant. If the yellow fluid is leaking behind your wheels, it is brake fluid.

Again, Techway Automotive in Blakely, GA, or Dothan or Opp, AL, can fix your automobile’s fluid leak. Call us today for an appointment.