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Last night, I noticed a strange squeaking coming from my front left brakes. After I parked the car and inspected the wheel well, I discovered the whole well was covered in oil. It looked somewhat amber, so I was thinking brake fluid must have sprayed all over the place. I let the car sit overnight to discover more oils on the ground this morning. The oils appear to trail down the left side of the car (so I'm thinking brake line?) — from the front wheel well up to the rear tire. There's some oil also puddled around the center, but I think this might just be the liquid pooling under the trays and dropping off at a center point. Hoping someone here might know if the car is safe to drive to a mechanic and what the cause might be.
Another strange thing I noticed is that at 850 RPM idle, my oil pressure is fluctuating without any change to engine speed. Video attachments included.
I haven't seen any leaks coming out of the brake fluid reservoir, so possibly the problem is down the line. Are there any weak points that you guys recommend I check? I pumped the brakes while stationary and they seemed fine, but I'm hesitant to test it on open road.
If its gas, you should be able to tell by the smell. Good luck!
To make sure, there is a hex screw on the trim just at the back to the front right wheel, loose the screw and lift the trim a little and you can see the end of the small pipe.
Oil leaking from the front of the vehicle.....? Unlikely. Your power steering rack seals, or the pressure line feeding it, have failed. You're losing Pentosin/PS fluid. Check the reservoir.
You would have lost brakes with that much fluid loss, and a shock wouldn't lose enough to leak under the entire vehicle.
More to the mystery. I fired it up and took it for a 5 minute drive. I noticed earlier that the coolant level was low, but on this drive the warning confirmed it. My coolant is lower than the minimum and my leak is continuing at the front left. I’m thinking a component in the radiator assembly has failed and has caused the leak. Constant dripping to the floor.
It's definitely the radiator area that's culprit to the coolant leak. I'll have to call tomorrow to figure out next step. Best not to drive it, given the rate of leaking.
Sometimes oil spilled goes into the sink of the gas socket and goes down through a small pipe. The pipe ends at the back of front right wheel.
Originally Posted by Spyerx
same with Pentosin. It will swell all rubber it hits. Ask me how i know ....
thats 99% a steering rack seal gone. Check your ps fluid levels.
Curious now. Could be steering rack fluid, but the dripping is coming directly down from the radiator. It should be coincidentally noted that the coolant level is far below the minimum.
If it is the steering rack, is it possible that the leaking should also be present on the right side of the car?
Do this. You have several fluids in your car.
Check your brake fluid level
you coolant level
you power steering fluid level
the one that is low is the one leaking.
its possible it’s coolant but coolant is pinkish in color not Amber. Pentosin is Amber.
And no it could be just one side leaking.
It’s common for the radiators to need a service the car is 10years old...
12-27-2017, 05:15 PM
Mysterious Leak
