Give Yourself a Brake! How to Identify Car Problems

September 2011

Using basic senses like sight, smell and hearing can help owners detect things like defective components, low fluid levels and engine trouble. These observations can help owners streamline repairs. Having a list of symptoms ready to give to professional ASE certified mechanics can also help them quickly verify the problem and fix it.

Car and truck owners don’t have to be mechanics to diagnose their vehicle’s problems. Troubleshooting car trouble symptoms can be quick and easy.

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Here are some common examples of sounds, odors, sights and the related problems.

# 1 The Nose KnowsA strange odor is an easy indicator of a problem like a leak or a damaged piece of equipment. If a car owner smells something similar to burned toast that often means an electrical short. A smell comparable to rotten eggs can come from a problem with emission control devices. Chemical smells can mean a flooded engine (if it smells like gasoline) or overheated brakes (burning resin).

# 2 Keep An Eye On ItMonitoring the space a vehicle is kept and regularly checking a car’s fluid levels are simple ways to troubleshoot. Stains and puddles on the floor of a garage or a driveway beyond normal condensation from a car or truck’s air conditioner, generally indicates there is a problem.

The color and consistency of the fluid (and where the stain is located) can reveal the car part that is

having a problem.

A reddish stain with thin consistency can indicate a power steering leak.

A coolant leak will be yellow or green fluid that is slimy. Light brown stains with medium consistency can mean an oil

leak. Light yellow can indicate brake fluid, which can become a

dark muddy brown. Windshield washer fluid can be blue but winter washer fluids

can be orange, pink or yellow. Gasoline can be amber, but there will be a distinctive odor.

# 3 Make Sound JudgementsCar problems manifest in many ways and there are a wide variety of noises that can signal the need for maintenance. And sometimes a specific type of sound can potentially indicate a few different types of problems.

But telling a professional mechanic the car is squealing versus clicking can be a help when they are trying to find out what is wrong with the vehicle.

A sharp squeal can indicate a problem like a worn belt in the power steering, fan or air conditioning. A clicking noise can mean low engine oil. A low-pitched rumble sound can mean a defective exhaust pipe.One other way to help with troubleshooting is to head off problems before they arise.

Drivers who schedule regular maintenance checks, especially with vehicles that have higher mileage, can avoid having to deal with larger problems down the line. Check the manufacturer’s guidelines for recommendations about how best to maintain the car or truck.

What sights, smells and sounds have your cars made before that helped you know there was a problem?

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