Orange fluid leaking out of your automobile can be a very bad sign. Journey Auto Repair advises that this might be an indication that your radiator’s bottom has rusted out. The reason why the fluid looks orange is that it has rust in it. This being said, there are some antifreeze/coolants on the market that are also orangish-red. Check the fluid in your radiator overflow reservoir when your engine is cold to see its color. This is the color of your antifreeze/coolant. Let’s talk about other automotive fluid colors below.
Blue
Antifreeze/coolant can also be blue or blue-green. If your engine is leaking antifreeze/coolant, it isn’t safe to drive your automobile. You run the risk of overheating it due to low coolant levels.
The only other blue fluid in your automobile is the windshield washing solution. It’s okay to drive your automobile if it is leaking this solution. You just can’t clean your windshield.
Brown
There are many automotive fluids that are brown. All of them start off as light brown and turn dark brown as they age. These fluids include motor oil, differential oil, and brake fluid. Naturally, it isn’t a good idea to drive your automobile with an oil or brake fluid leak. This can damage your automobile and a brake fluid leak can make it dangerous to drive.
Clear
Clear fluid is generally water. You end up with natural condensation that drips from your car, truck, or utility vehicle’s tailpipe or air conditioner. This being said, fuel also looks clear, so make sure to smell the leaking fluid to make certain it isn’t fuel.
Green
Another color in which antifreeze/coolant comes is green. It also can be neon green or teal. Again, driving your automobile when it is leaking antifreeze/coolant is opening the engine up to the risk of overheating. An overheating engine can crack the engine block.
Red
You noticed above that brown is a common automotive fluid color. Red is also a common color. Both your power steering and transmission fluids are red. As we mentioned above, antifreeze/coolant can be an orange-red or red. Finally, in some cases, your vehicle may have red brake fluid.
Yellow
As you have figured out by now, antifreeze/coolant comes in all the colors of the rainbow except purple. Yellow is another color of this automotive fluid, as is neon yellow or yellow-green.
Journey Auto Repair in New Hope, MN, is here to take the guesswork out of your automotive fluid leak. Call us today to schedule an appointment for your automobile. We will find the leak and fix it.