9 Warning Signs Your Car’s Oil And Lubricant Might Be Leaking

You may be experiencing issues with your motor oil and other engine lubricants and not even know it. Ignoring these warning signs could put you and your car in danger down the road. Check the 9 warning signs below to see if your car’s fluids may need attention.

1. Dark black spots on the ground
If you see fluid leaking underneath your engine,or oil in the spark-plug wells and on different parts of the engine,then there is something wrong with your car. Take it to your mechanic to avoid further damage.

2. Thick Globs on the Dipstick
New engine oil is golden brown. As it ages, it turns black from absorbing combustion byproducts and contaminants. That’s to be expected. But if you check your oil and notice little globs on your dipstick, your engine could be developing some sludge.

3. Greenish-brown spots on the ground
Greenish or greenish brown spots on the ground could indicate leaking antifreeze. This lubricant helps keep the engine cool.

4. Gritty Dirt
If you rub the oil between your finger and thumb and feel grit, it may be bits of carbon that aren’t being filtered out properly.The oil filter could be blocked or be overdue for a change.

5. Oil Warning Light
Low oil pressure can severely damage your engine. Your warning light may come on for a few reasons: low oil level which can verify this with your dipstick, a bad oil pump, or defective oil pressure. Either way, take your car to your mechanic as soon as possible.

6. Transmission Problems
If you start to notice your transmission is not shifting correctly or that your engine is making odd noises, this is a good indicator that something is wrong with your transmission fluid and its lubricity.

7. Milky Oil
We all know that oil and water don’t mix.When they get together in your car, they have a milky appearance, and there are only two ways this happens: a cracked engine block or a blown head gasket.

8. Consistently Low Oil
If your oil level is always low, then it’s leaking somewhere. If you see oil on the ground, then a gasket is leaking.

If you start the engine in the morning and blue smoke comes out of the exhaust, it’s likely a valve seal leak,as oil may be dripping into the engine which burns off when you start the car.

If you get blue smoke when the engine is hot, you may have a blown piston ring on your hands. This would mean that oil is burning in the combustion chamber.

9. Metal Flakes
If you can rub the oil between your finger and thumb and feel the metal flakes, something is severely wrong inside the engine. Get your car checked soon.

If you have any of the warning signs above, be sure to make an appointment with your mechanic as soon as possible as a small issue with your motor oil and lubricants can quickly turn into a big issue with your engine, which can take a costly turn.