car water

4 Situations in which a car loses water

by | Aug 20, 2022

The loss of water in the underside of the vehicle can be an indication that the vehicle has some type of fault. Faced with this situation, it is essential to determine if, in effect, the car loses water due to a breakdown and, in that case, assess whether the vehicle can circulate. For this, it is necessary to locate the source of the leak and check what type of fluid is losing .

4 situations in which the car loses water: symptoms and solution

A car can lose water for various reasons. In some cases, it may be due to breakdowns, but not necessarily. Below are four of the most common situations of water loss from the underside of the vehicle.

Leakage through headlight washer ejectors

Some vehicles come equipped with headlight washers, as is the case with certain models with xenon lights. The system of these vehicles demands water to the windscreen wiper tank. When the button is pressed, or when the mechanism is activated automatically, a water injector nozzle is discovered to externally clean the headlights and allow a better vision and a minimum glare.

On numerous occasions, this system loses its tightness due to cracks caused by impacts in the front bumper, due to the breakage of some part of the nozzle or due to the deterioration of some components, such as the O-rings.

If the circuit runs out of water, the windscreen washer fluid warning light comes on in the instrument cluster. The water leak is located under the front bumper, but it is not serious , the vehicle can circulate without any risk. However, it is advisable to repair the leak as soon as possible so that the fault does not become worse .

Leak in the water pump

The water pump of the engine is one of the most important components in the cooling of the engine, since its main function is to avoid the heating of the engine by pumping coolant.

This component is located in the engine and consists of a turbine, a pulley and a shaft mounted on a bearing and compacted in a housing by an O-ring.

A considerable leak in the water pump is evidenced by a puddle under the vehicle in the front area of ​​the engine. However, it must be taken into account that the color of the coolant can be altered when falling through the engine, due to accumulated dirt, which can make it difficult to detect the exact type of liquid and, therefore, the origin of the leak .

In this case, check whether the coolant level indicator light comes on in the instrument cluster or if the engine temperature increases too much (more than 90 ° C). The fault can also be manifested by means of small metallic noises of friction produced by the propeller of the water pump due to the lack of liquid or by means of noise of seizure of the pulley.

Faced with this situation, you must not drive under any circumstances to avoid internal damage to the engine, so it is necessary to move the vehicle by crane to the workshop of trust.

Leakage of the coolant by the cooling radiator

The radiator of the coolant is a very important component for the proper functioning of the engine, since it is the element responsible for keeping it in the proper temperature conditions. For this reason, it is essential to monitor this component in each preventive maintenance. Verify the absence of leaks, both in the radiator and in the sleeves, and ensure the cleanliness of the circuit will prevent future engine failure.

If there is a leakage from the radiator, the fluid loss is located under the front bumper. This type of damage is also serious and requires the crane to transfer to the workshop.

Condensation of the air conditioning system

A water leak in the underside of the vehicle does not have to be an alert situation. An example of this is the puddle of water under the vehicle that may be due to the condensation effect of the air conditioning system.

The pipes of the air conditioning transport very cold air in its interior and, when the outside temperature is high (from the 25 ° C approximately), the steam condenses and forms small particles of water that precipitate and form a puddle in the floor at the height of the rear of the engine.

It is not necessary to carry out any type of action in this case, since it is not due to any anomaly, but is part of normal operation of the vehicle.

Recommendation

The situations described are just some of the most usual cases in which it can be detected that the car loses water in the underside of the vehicle. To avoid leaks due to breakdowns, it is advisable to comply with the precepts for maintenance of the vehicle components recommended by the manufacturer. However, it is also important to know how to properly assess the type of fluid in the leak to determine the extent of the damage and avoid potential damage.

craig sandeman rotated

With over twenty years of experience in the automotive industry, Craig Sandeman established Engine Finder to address the need for high-quality used engines by leveraging a network of reputable scrap yards and engine importers throughout South Africa.

Disclaimer

Potential issues, causes, and solutions have been identified in the above article based on the experiences of car owners and repairers, as well as web materials such as forum blogs and technical support bulletins. This data is supplied exclusively for the purpose of reference. Only appropriately qualified persons should perform repairs and/or changes on your vehicles.

While it’s important to keep in mind, it’s also important to note that the amount of times anything is mentioned here should not be seen as a sign of its reliability or frequency. Various owners, driving in different ways, and caring for their vehicles in distinct ways will cause two identical vehicles to perform differently.

As previously said, this material is supplied primarily for reference reasons; nonetheless, we hope that by doing so, we will be able to supply you with essential knowledge that will allow you to make informed decisions whenever you encounter any of the aforementioned setbacks.

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