What kind of fluid is this?

[Fanatical Meat]

Car hasn't moved in 24 hours, looked like old school antifreeze but I have Dex in this car. Two small spots one near back of the engine/firewall the and this one around the middle of the car. Spots were about the same size.

 

[boomerang]

Middle but below a rocker panel or middle like front to back and side to side middle? Looks like it could be brake fluid but I'm wondering if the car is a manual because it could then be brake fluid but related to the clutch not the braking system. Hydraulic clutches in cars use brake fluid instead of hydraulic fluid.

Brake fluid from either the braking system or the clutch system is my guess from behind the keyboard. The color is quite yellow looking on my screen. DexCool is orange in color but this is more yellow.

How old is the car? It takes about ten years minimum for metal brake lines to start rotting through. But off-roading with dirt that stays packed in the undercarriage can make it happen sooner.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

Middle but below a rocker panel or middle like front to back and side to side middle? Looks like it could be brake fluid but I'm wondering if the car is a manual because it could then be brake fluid but related to the clutch not the braking system. Hydraulic clutches in cars use brake fluid instead of hydraulic fluid.

Brake fluid from either the braking system or the clutch system is my guess from behind the keyboard. The color is quite yellow looking on my screen. DexCool is orange in color but this is more yellow.

How old is the car? It takes about ten years minimum for metal brake lines to start rotting through. But off-roading with dirt that stays packed in the undercarriage can make it happen sooner.

Automatic tranny. Thanks I just had some major break work done that's what I feared but I thought break fluid was brownish. This looked like mountain dew. car is from 2006.
I'll stop by my break place again I'm not keeping the car much longer but it will be going to my Niece or Nephew. I realize all cars leak at a certain age.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

Automatic tranny. Thanks I just had some major break work done that's what I feared but I thought break fluid was brownish. This looked like mountain dew. car is from 2006.
I'll stop by my break place again I'm not keeping the car much longer but it will be going to my Niece or Nephew. I realize all cars leak at a certain age.

Old brake fluid is brown. Fresh stuff is... could be that color, if it were diluted a little. (I'm a little confused by your photo, since I don't know what the white background is... is that a towel?)

Hopefully it's something minor like they didn't tighten a bleeder valve down all the way.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

Old brake fluid is brown. Fresh stuff is... could be that color, if it were diluted a little. (I'm a little confused by your photo, since I don't know what the white background is... is that a towel?)

Hopefully it's something minor like they didn't tighten a bleeder valve down all the way.

Its snow on the ground

 

[dave_the_nerd]

Its snow on the ground

Ah. Yeah, that would lighten the color of the fluid then. Like a slushie.

 

[mindless1]

Automatic tranny. Thanks I just had some major break work done that's what I feared but I thought break fluid was brownish. This looked like mountain dew. car is from 2006.
I'll stop by my break place again I'm not keeping the car much longer but it will be going to my Niece or Nephew. I realize all cars leak at a certain age.

I would keep an eye on the fluid level in the reservoir, jack it up, on jack stands, get under it and wipe away any fluid residue you see, then with the engine on, apply the brakes hard a few times and look for new fluid leaking out.

 

[DietDrThunder]

Tell us what the fluid tastes like. If it is sweet, then it is anti-freeze. If it kind of tastes burnt butteryishy, then it is motor oil. If it tastes really really bad then it is ATF. If it smells and tastes like paint thinner, then it is brake fluid. If it tastes bitter, then it is windshield wiper fluid. And if it smells really really bad, don't bother tasting it because it is gear oil.

Not that I go out of my way to taste automotive fluids, but working on old cars for the past 40 years, you eventually get a little of every kind of automotive fluid in your mouth at some point.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Interesting. I had similar spots under my 2004 Odessey this morning, when I pulled out. I had a spot about the center under the front of my hood, and in back near the rear passenger-side wheel, and a few other spots.

There were also bunny tracks under there, so I thought that it was rabbit piss.

I haven't had any work done to the vehicle in over a year.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

I haven't had any work done to the vehicle in over a year.

Eek. You might consider an oil change or something...

 

[Fanatical Meat]

I'm betting its break fluid. The brakes on this car have been continual problems. I did have discs, pads and a line replaced in December. 1 year warrantee too, I'll get it checked out.

 

[Pantoot]

Is it green or more yellow? Does it happen to be an AWD car? I did the transfer case this weekend on an acura this weekend, and that kind of looks like the hypoid gear oil i used (but it wasn't green.)