Every car owner is tuned to get alarmed any time they see some liquid pooling under their car. This is an excellent reflex as it helps you identify and fix dangerous leaks before they damage your engine or other crucial parts of the car.
So far, we’ve looked at a couple of possible leaks and described how they look like. These include:
- Engine oil leaks
- Coolant leaks
- Transmission fluid leak
- Power steering fluid leak
- Brake fluid leak
- Brake booster leak
- Rear differential oil leak
Luckily, they’re all not clear. They have a color or tint to them. So what clear liquids could be leaking from a car?
Simple
- Fuel
- Plain water
Knowing how to differentiate between the two will help you troubleshoot your little leak further and decide whether you should take action or keep enjoying your car.
How to Differentiate Between Fuel and Water
Luckily fuel and water have two main differences that are easy to pick up. Water is odorless. Fuel has strong gasoline or diesel smell that is hard to miss.
Sniffing on the clear liquid should be enough to tell if you’re dealing with a water leak or a fuel leak.
Why is My Car Leaking Water From the Bottom?
There are three causes of water leaks in a car. Two of them are normal and harmless, while the third, though rare, could be an inconvenience.
Rain or Wash Water Draining Off
Ever wondered where all that rainwater pelting your vehicle’s roof goes to? Well. There’s a series of gutters in the car’s body that guides it to the bottom of the car.
While most water washes to the sides, some are routed through pipes and discharged from an outlet under the car.
The outlet could either be on the driver’s side or the passenger’s side. Moreover, water could remain in the tube system for days after the rain only to spill out when the car inclines at the perfect angle.
Inspect the area above the leak. Chances are you will see the open outlet vent.
ProTip: This leak could also happen after washing the car. They’re not reserved post-rain drains.
If you confirm that the water is from this drain tube, there’s no need to worry. This is normal.
Some Water from the Exhaust Pipe
Most modern cars leak drops of water from the exhaust pipe as the engine cools down. This is normal. Here is how water ends up in your exhaust system.
Engine Combustion Byproduct
When your car’s engine is running, it burns fuel-producing energy and byproducts like water and carbon dioxide. As the engine cools down, residual water vapor from combustion will condense and start dripping off your exhaust pipe in tiny drops.
ProTip: If you get more than a few drops of water coupled to smoke of any color, you should get your car checked. It could be leaking coolant, oil, or both due to a blown head gasket.
A byproduct of Your Catalytic Converter
When the catalytic converter in your exhaust system works on toxic byproducts of internal combustion, it converts them into harmless gases and water vapor.
Some water dripping from your exhaust pipe could mean that the catalytic converter is working at its best. Nothing to worry about if your car’s emissions don’t have a toxic smell and it isn’t smoking at all.
Condensation from Your Air Conditioning
One of the side effects of air conditioning is drying up the air. Any air conditioning system forces moisture off the air. It cools or warms up. AC designs factor this in when designing heat exchangers and evaporators.
The water should evaporate into the opening without forming a noticeable puddle under or in your car.
However, you will get leaks if:
- The evaporator drain port is blocked
- The evaporator core has a leak
- One of the rubber seals or plumbing in your AC system has failed.
A Leak in Your Windshield Washer System
The last cause of a water leak in your car is the windshield washer system. While there are dedicated windshield washer fluids, most people use plain old water.
Check your windshield washer fluid reservoir and confirm if your fluid is colored washer fluid or clear water/fluid.
If it’s clear, the leak could be from the windshield washer system. Some of the causes of the leak include:
- A crack or puncture in the windshield washer fluid reservoir
- A leak in the plumbing leading to the washer nozzles
- A damaged windshield washer pump or leaking seals on the pump
While you might expect these leaks to be under the hood, the washer system could also cause leaks somewhere along the car’s entire length. After all, the same system supplies water to the rear window washer system.
Most water leaks aren’t cause for alarm. They could cause nuisance or discomfort but won’t affect your car’s performance or driveability.
Signs that the Clear Liquid Leak is Fuel
Sniffing on the leak will help you prove that it is fuel. If you are not sure about how your car’s fuel smells like, you can compare it with what is in the fuel tank or the smell you get when pumping fuel at the gas station.
Causes of Fuel Leak
You will leak fuel if there is damage to one or more fuel delivery or storage system components.
- A puncture in the fuel tank will lead to a slow but steady leak or a fast and easily noticed leak. The puddle will be somewhere under your fuel tank. You can trace it to the damaged section of the tank
- Damaged seals and gaskets on the tank around the fuel pump or fuel lines
- Punctured or ripped fuel lines. Fuel lines are well protected but can also be damaged, causing a fuel leak.
A leak in your fuel lines will be exacerbated when the engine is running since the fuel pump will pressurize the lines. You will notice it immediately after parking.
On the other hand, a fuel tank leak will keep letting fuel out as long as there’s fuel in the tank.
Fuel Leaks are Dangerous
Fuel is combustible. It belongs in your closed fuel system. Not out in the open. If you suspect you have a fuel leak, have a mechanic inspect and fix your car as soon as possible.
Don’t skimp on replacements. Ensure that you do all the repairs by the book. If you notice the fuel leak with the car parked in the house, use a fire retardant like sand or fire oil grade fire extinguisher to cover up the leak and push the car out of the garage.
Have a professional come patch it up or do it if you are handy as you wait for repairs. If you have a lot of fuel in the tank, you might consider having it drained to reduce leaks.