Chances are, you have more than one red fluid in your automobile. Thankfully, there aren’t too many red fluids underneath the hood. Getz Automotive lists the common automotive fluids that are red below and advises that where the red fluid is leaking from can help determine what the fluid is.
Brake Fluid
Most brake fluids are light brown or almost clear. In some cases, however, brake fluid is red. It may be bright red when it’s new and turn dark red as it ages. If the red spots you see on your garage floor are directly behind the tires, your vehicle is most likely leaking brake fluid. You can unscrew the top off the brake fluid reservoir in the engine to determine the color of your brake fluid.
Engine Coolant
While you are doing this, also check out the color of your engine coolant in the overflow reservoir. This reservoir is clear, so you don’t need to unscrew any cap. Engine coolant can also be red. In fact, it can be a wide variety of colors from green to blue to red to yellow. Oftentimes, the engine coolant will leak from the front of your automobile toward the center. This can signal a water pump or radiator leak.
Power Steering Fluid
If you have hydraulic power steering on your automobile, it has power steering fluid. The power steering fluid is red. If you have electric power steering on your automobile, you do not have power steering fluid. Grab your owner’s manual to see the type of power steering you have. If it is hydraulic, it could be that your engine is leaking power steering fluid.
Transmission Fluid
Finally, if the fluid is leaking closer to the center of your car than from underneath the engine, you have a transmission leak. Transmission fluid is bright red when it is brand new. The fluid is also translucent. As the fluid ages, it turns light brown to orange to dark brown. If you have dark brown or black fluid leaking from the center of your automobile, it could be that your transmission fluid is very old and needs to be changed right away. Continuing to drive with transmission fluid that is this color will damage your transmission.
Getz Automotive in Fuquay-Varina, NC, can help you figure out which red fluid is leaking from your automobile. Once we figure out the fluid that is leaking, we will trace the leak and repair it. Call us today to set up an appointment.