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Welcome back to Vesas Automotive car maintenance blog series on fluid leaks!
Last time we covered the most common types of fluid leaks: engine oil, antifreeze
and gasoline, all of which are serious and require immediate service by your
friendly neighborhood Vesas Automotive mechanic. Your car’s fluids aren’t limited
to the basis however, so in this blog we’ll be covering the less­common but stillcritical fluids that keep your vehicle safe on the road. Once you’ve mastered
identification of automotive fluids, you’ll be far above the curve when it comes to
vehicle maintenance!

Stop! It’s Brake Fluid!
If you ever see a translucent, lightly­yellow liquid that feels oily and viscous to the
touch, you’re in some serious trouble! NEVER drive your vehicle if you suspect
that brake fluid is leaking, even if it still seems to drive without any noticeable
change in the braking system. A vehicle’s brakes operate through hydraulic
pressure in which liquid contained in a sealed set of tubes allows force to be
transferred almost instantly from one end to the other. By pressing on the brake
pedal at one end of the system, the fluidic pressure forces the brake pads to
squeeze and slow the car. Though very rare, leaky brake fluid means that
pressurized system has been compromised which could result in the brakes
failing to engage. Don’t even risk the dangers of brake failure by driving to Vesas
Automotive: use a tow truck instead!

Let’s Switch Gears: Transmission Fluid
Sluggish shifting or harsh vibrations when switching gears can be signs that the
transmission has a problem, and that problem might just be a fluid leak.
Transmission fluid serves as a lubricant and coolant that allows your vehicle to
shift from one gear to the next in a cool and smooth, controlled process. Usually a
deep or dark red color with an oily texture, transmission fluid leaks mean that the
transmission is functioning in a hot, friction­filled environment that will inevitably
burn­out or destroy the gears, resulting in thousands of dollars in damages. The
most common places to see transmission fluid leaks is in the front of the vehicle,
but look for collections of red fluid between the transmission and the engine along
the selector shaft (the connecting rod between the engine and transmission).

Full Power to the Steering Fluid!
It’s hard to imagine, but turning the steering wheel in your car used to take an
incredible amount of elbow grease (and no, that’s not an automotive fluid).
Thanks to power steering however, an electrical hydraulic system helps apply
pressure to the steering system and gives a great boost to moving the vehicle’s
front wheels left to right. When it comes to leaks, power steering failure is more of
a convenience than a necessity for driving, but when a driver loses power
steering on the road unexpectedly it can seriously delay reaction time and cause
an accident. Power steering fluid has a red or yellow color with a medium
thickness, so look for leaks in and around the steering column in the engine
compartment.