What to Do When You Notice Your Engine Leaking

A leaky engine is always cause for concern, and there are a few steps to take when you notice the engine leaking any kind of fluid. You’ll need to head to the Chevy dealer for repairs, but first, there are a few steps you should take so you can figure out whether you should drive to the dealer or get towed there.

Identify the Type of Leak

If you notice a pool of liquid under your vehicle, then the first step is to identify what this is if it’s coming from your vehicle. These liquids are easily identifiable by color, and sometimes, smell.

Here are the common fluids you’ll find leaking out of your vehicle:

• Black or brown engine oil
• Red or brown transmission fluid
• Bright, sweet-smelling coolant
• Red, brown, or clear steering fluid
• Yellow or brown brake fluid

Identify the Cause of the Leak If Possible

If you know enough about your car’s components to quickly DIY fix, then do your best to figure out where the leak is coming from. Check your oil pan plug and seals, inspect the valve cover gaskets, and check out the timing cover seal. You may also want to check on the oil cap, oil filter, and oil pressure sensor. It won’t always be possible to identify where the leak is coming from, and sometimes you may have multiple leaky components.

Stop the Leak If Possible

If you have the right tools and knowledge, then you can temporarily stop the leak to make it safer to drive to the dealer. If you don’t have the tools and knowledge to do a temporary repair on the leak by yourself, then you can skip this step. However, even if you do manage to stop one or all of the leaks at home, you’ll still need to get your car to a professional ASAP so they can check your work and look for further problems.

Check Your Fluid Level

Check the level of whatever fluid was leaking out. You’ll need enough in your vehicle to make it safe to drive to the dealer without causing damage to the car. If you don’t have much of the fluid left in your vehicle, then it would be unwise to drive, and you should call a tow truck to get you to the dealer.

Visit the Chevy Dealer

You need to visit the dealer so a professional can check out the engine. This applies even if you fixed the leak at home, as you need to get professional eyes on it and have further repairs as necessary. You’ll also need to get a top-up of whatever fluid was leaking out and have the rest of the engine inspected for further leaks.

Come by Commerce Chevrolet if your engine seems to be leaking. We’re happy to have you drive in yourself or be towed in whenever you have a problem that you need us to fix.

Tags: Is a Leaking Engine Bad?, Signs of Problems To Watch Out For In My Car Engine
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