The sign of smoke emanating from your car can be dangerous, scary, and stressful. While some vapors can signify a hazard, some are pretty harmless. For instance, if you see a steam-like, clear vapor coming out of the tailpipe, it is just condensation. Luckily, you can interpret the type of smoke by its color and smell. On the other hand, smoke coming out of your hood could mean that your engine is overheating.
Reasons Why a Car Smokes
Fluid leaks are the leading cause of why a car might smoke up. As you may know, a car's engine gets really hot. A spill from fluids in its surroundings can result in a cloud of smoke from under the hood or out the exhaust pipe. Your vehicle's essential fluids can leak onto engine compartments. These include:
- Engine coolant
- Transmission fluid
- Window washer fluid
- Power steering
- Brake fluid
Color Coding Your Exhaust Smoke
Sometimes, you may see different colors of smoke coming out of your exhaust pipe. In most cases, you can distinguish what kind of leak you have by examining the color.
- White Smoke - This usually means there's a coolant leak.
- Blue or Light Grey Smoke - These colors indicate excess motor oil burning. You may have oil leaking from the valve seals, an overflowing crankcase, or worn piston rings.
- Thick Gray Smoke - This can indicate damage with the transmission modular.
- Black Smoke - Dark, black smoke can indicate a variety of problems, including excess fuel consumption. It can be a result of a clogged air filter, a leaking fuel injector, or a blocked manifold.
In conclusion, the color of gases you see around your car can help you narrow down the source, cause, and severity of the engine problem you may be dealing with. If you see these signs, we advise you to bring your car to Bimmer Rescue for an accurate diagnosis. Our technicians will be glad to recommend you the right repairs.
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