Is it Normal for a Car to Leak Water?

If you’ve been asking if it is normal for a car to leak water, no, it is not normal for a car to leak water. There are common causes for your car leaking water when parked, and most of the time it’s nothing to worry about.

In most vehicles, the air conditioning system generates significant amounts of condensation during its normal operations, and this condensation generally drains out near the back of the engine compartment. It’s also common to see the water pool near your vehicle’s tailpipe, but this is almost always exhaust condensation, which is normal.

Indeed, when you notice a leak, the biggest worry is that the fluid isn’t water at all! The experts at our easy-to-reach service centers in Bloomington, Morton, and Peoria are here to help you solve your problems fast.

Water Leaking From the Engine: Causes

Notice water leaking from under the car, or think there might be some other fluid involved? Once you’ve ruled out the common causes we mentioned above, there are a few simple steps you can take to identify the problem at your home:

1. Identifying fluids against a concrete background can be difficult. Place a sheet of white paper or cardboard under the leak to get a better picture.
2. If there’s no color in the fluid, it’s just water, and you probably shouldn’t worry. If the color that shows up on the cardboard is blue, green, yellow, or some other color, you may have cause for concern.
3. A small amount of water coming from your exhaust is probably just condensation. But if there’s a great deal of water, along with large amounts of white smoke, you may have blown a gasket. A blown gasket causes coolant to be burned alongside your fuel.
4. If your leaking fluid is a strange color, it’s most likely coolant. We can help you identify fluids based on color, but you can also check your various fluid levels for certainty. Low fluids could lead to long-term damage, so you’ll want to get into a service center right away.
5. A cracked windshield wiper fluid reservoir could also be the cause of a leak. If water gets into your windshield wiper fluid and subsequently freezes, the reservoir can crack and leak your fluid onto the ground. In these cases, the fluid will be either light blue or light green, and it will pool around your front tires.

If the cause of the leak under your car is anything other than condensation, it’s worth making a quick trip to one of our service centers.

Is Your Car Leaking Water Inside?

What happens if you notice your car leaking water inside the cabin? In some cases, a car leaking water in the cabin could indicate an issue with the A/C. However, that is not always the case. Water could be entering the vehicle due to a poorly installed windshield, an old sunroof, excessive corrosion, or broken seams in the vehicle’s body panels. If your car is leaking water because of the A/C, here are a few potential causes:

1. The evaporator drain is clogged
2. The evaporator core is leaking
3. The plastic or rubber seals in the A/C system have failed

Water Leaking From the Engine: Color Guide

As we noted above, color can be a helpful indicator when you’re trying to figure out why your car is leaking. The best way to test the color is to place white cardboard or heavy paper beneath the leak under your car. Then, compare the color that shows up on the paper to this reference guide:

Dark/Neutral

• Dark Brown – Brake Fluid or Older Engine Oil
• Light Brown – Newer Engine Oil or Gear Lubricant

Warm Color

• Red – Transmission Fluid or Power Steering Fluid
• Orange – Transmission Fluid or Radiator Coolant
• Pink – Power Steering Fluid or Transmission Fluid
• Yellow – Radiator Coolant

Cool Color

• Green – Antifreeze from Water Pump, Hoses, Radiator, or Windshield Wiper Fluid
• Blue – Windshield Wiper Fluid

Why You Shouldn’t Delay Car Care

If you’ve been wondering about why your water is leaking from the engine, chances are you have a lot on your mind. As discussed above, fluid leaks can sometimes be something as simple as condensation from the AC, while other times it may be indicative of a major problem.

To make matters worse, sometimes you might ask, why is water leaking from under the car, when it isn’t a water leak at all? As we mentioned, other fluids tend to look like water when sitting on the pavement, so discerning the fluid type can be a challenge for untrained eyes. That’s where our expert service team comes into play! We can quickly identify the fluid and the underlying issue to provide you with affordable solutions in no time.

Why is it so important to have your automotive issues addressed as they arise? Here are just a few reasons:

• Safety: You may feel unsafe in your vehicle. If you feel you can’t trust your car, there’s no reason to put your peace of mind at risk.
• Protecting your investment: Vehicles are expensive. The best way to keep your vehicle road-ready and boost its resale value is through routine care.
• Performance: Each system in your vehicle plays an important role in overall performance. Your handling, safety, and even fuel economy specs may suffer when your vehicle is in disrepair.

See the Service Experts at Our Sam Leman Automotive Group Locations

Now that you have some answers to the car leaking water when parked, you should have a better idea about whether the leak is a serious problem or just a common occurrence like condensation.

If you suspect that your car is leaking something other than water, make sure to bring it to one of the Sam Leman Automotive Group service centers. While you’re getting your leak fixed, we can also teach you how to identify cooling system failures, what to do when your car overheats, whether to use premium or regular gas, and show you why tire pressure is so important. No matter how big your problem is, you can contact us to get back on the road in no time.