If you’ve experienced water leaking out from underneath your car and it hasn’t been raining, you’re probably wondering where it’s coming from and what is causing the leak. We thought we’d point out the most common causes behind this issue and give you some help to ease your worries and keep your car running smoothly.
What causes your car to leak water?
There can be many factors involved when it comes to water leaks on your vehicle. One of the most obvious and potentially serious water leak is the coolant from your engine leaking on to the ground. Another cause could be spillages from overfilling your water reservoir for the windscreen washers, or potentially a leak in the hose pipes connecting it to the system. Or perhaps the leak could be caused in certain weather conditions when condensation forms on the car – likely via the exhaust or air conditioning – which could be substantial enough to cause a visible water residue to fall on the ground. If this is the case, then you shouldn’t be concerned as this is normal.
How to diagnose where the car is leaking water from
When checking your car for the root cause of the leak, firstly check the colour of the water on the ground. If this is absolutely translucent, then it’s most likely to be water from either condensation or your water reservoir. However, if it’s blue, green or yellow then it’s potentially a coolant leak – however some coolants may be clear in colour, or you may not have any at all in your car.
If this remains inconclusive, then the next best place to check is the position where the leak is forming under the car. Look for visible drips and follow them upwards under the car – if you can and it is safe to do so – to find the culprit. Water leaks towards the back of the car tend to indicate a condensation forming on the exhaust – where hot air from the exhaust hits cold air on the exhaust pipe which then causes condensation. Anything near the back-end of the engine compartment could be air conditioning condensation too – if you’ve had the A/C on then it’s normal to find visible condensation dripping down from your car.
Consider the weather conditions too. When it’s colder outside, then condensation from the exhaust is very common but disappears after several minutes. Sometimes you can also get water retention within the drain channels on your car, especially if it’s been raining heavily recently. This can cause water to spill out once you move the car which is usually normal.
What to do if your car leaks water
If you’re sure that the leak isn’t from condensation, spillages or general water drainage after a downpour, plus you’re pretty certain it’s a coolant leak or potentially a hose leak in part of the engine, then it’s best to take your car to your local garage for repair. The sooner you do this the better as without coolant or water flowing to the engine you could find it over-heating and causing more costs further down the line.
At MCM Garage in Bath, we provide diagnostics and can fix and repair your vehicle regardless of it’s make or model. So if you’ve got an engine leak or just require a service we can help. Please call us on 01761 415 501 or get in touch to book an appointment via our contact form.