What Causes Car Leaking Oil When Parked? How To Fix It?

While leaving the parking area, you often spot oil stains on the floor. When you visit any parking area, you will see many parked cars leaking oil. 

It’s pretty alarming to see the car engines leaking oil, and the parking lot under the car’s chachis has a dark spot. Is it even safe to drive your car in such a condition? 

This is one of many possible dangerous situations. Cars tend to leak oil after an oil change and keep leaking as you drive through the highway. 

Not only in the parking area, but many car drivers also face leaking oil after the oil change. So what is the cause behind it, and how do you spot the reason for the oil leaking?

First, try to identify the type of leakage you are dealing with. Keep reading for more information.

How To Identify The Nature Of Leaking Fluid?

Do you think that only your car leaking oil when parked? You may be wrong. Along with the oil, other two types of liquid are also present in your car engine. And when you want to find the reason for the oil leakage, you have first to identify the nature and fuel type currently leaking from your car engine.

The remedy you need depends on the type of leakage your car faces. It is always not oil, and there are other liquids in the vehicle that may also leak. First, identify the type of oil leakage you are dealing with. Here are some examples of what you might notice as a car oil leakage –

• The red-colored transmission fluid
• The coolant color is green or orange.
• Brown or the black liquid from your engine is undoubtedly the oil.

What Causes Oil Leaks During Parking?

Almost 60% of the car drivers are spotting cars leaking oil when parked when they are preparing to leave the garage. So what is the reason for the car leaking oil when parked?

Here is the reason for your car leaking oil when parked.

• Every car has an oil pan, and this oil pan is attached to the bottom of the car’s engine. This oil is holding the lubricant and other liquid from the engine. The oil drain plug is located at the basis of the oil pan. If this plug is not in functioning mode or the loosened plug also can be the cause of the oil leaking.
• The engine gasket is bolted together. And this gasket is on the underside of your car’s engine. These gaskets and seals are exposed to extreme temperatures. Therefore when the gasket seals and the plug is contracting with the road debris, it can tear. As an effect, you spot the car leaking oil fast.

These two are the main reason behind cars leaking oil when parked. Not only in the garage can you spot your car leaking oil after service or after the oil change.

4 Signs Of Your Car Is Leaking Oil

If you do not find your car leaking oil when parked, you can check your engine performance by checking the other signs. Even when you do not spot any leakage during your car parking by comparing it with the other signs of oil leakage, you can be sure about it.

Here are the four different signs of oil leakage other than the signs of leaking oil when parked.

1. Your Car Engine Is Overheated

Does your engine get extremely hot during the drive? Be conscious even when you do not spot any signs of your car leaking oil when parked. The overheated engine is also the reason for the low oil level in your fuel tank. 

The oil is not only the fuel. This is working as the lubricant factor for the engine. When your engine is leaking oil, the lubricant factors are absent from the engine. Hence you may be thinking, why would a car leak oil. The causes can be multiple, but your engine overheating indeed indicates that your car is leaking oil.

2. Blue Smoke From The Exhaust Pipe

Exhaust pipe smoke checking is part of smoke checking. If you find the blue smoke coming out from the exhaust pipe, that means your engine is directing the exhausted gas. And this can be the cause of sudden catching fire.

Blue smoke from the exhaust pipe is indicating that your oil is not only leaking. Instead, the leaked oil is released into the exhaust pipe of the car. And these contractions are causing the blue flame, and as a result, you spot the blue smoke coming out from your exhaust pipe.

3. Your Car Leaking Oil After The Oil Change

Many car drivers are asking, ‘why is my car leaking oil after an oil change.’ You may not find evidence for your car leaking oil when parked. But oil leaking after the oil change is a pretty common problem facing car drivers. Oil leakage during the oil change is not a severe issue. The filter mismanagement is the main culprit behind this error.

When the oil filter cap is left, broken, or loses fitting. You are going to find a slight oil strain after you refill your tank or during the oil change. But in general perspective, oil leaks after an oil change is normal. You only have to check your filter cap to solve the issue.

4. Burning Oil Smell From Engine

If you do not give your attention, dig into the reason for the car leaking oil when parked. The next sign which brings your attention is the oil-burning smell from your engine. This oil-burning smell from your engine indicates that car oil is leaking. And oil leaking into the car engine, causing the burning oil smell.

This is the final step which is to give you the guarantee that your car oil is leaking. Hence you find the burning oil smell from your car. So you surely need to pull over your vehicle. And check for the leakages and repair them or take your car to a car mechanic. 

How Long Can You Drive Your Car With An Oil Leak?

When you find your car leaking oil when parked, it is pretty scary to spot those signs of leakage. But when you spot the signs of a leak. First, you have to analyze what types of liquid are leaking by checking the color. Therefore when you find black oil leaking from your engine, take immediate action and repair it.

If you are spotting that your car is losing oil fast for leakage, you must visit your nearest car repairing store. But a minor distance driving is safe with oil leakage. Therefore, more than 10 miles is a serious problem, so when spotting some leakage, make sure that you are only traveling 9 miles by car.

Car Leaking Oil When Parked: Preventions

Prevention is better than cure, and it applies in almost every scenario, even to your car. The best way to prevent this is by changing oil on time. But how often should you change your car’s oil?

Many will suggest taking a look. But as soon as you pour the oil into your car’s engine, it will take a dirty brown color. So, just as they say, looks can be deceiving; it also applies to engine oils.  

So, the best course of action would still be following the manufacturer’s instructions. Try going through your owner’s manual to determine how often you must change the car’s oil. If you have lost it, visit the manufacturer’s website or call their service desk. 

You can also change your car’s oil frequently if you wish. But that might put some unnecessary expenses you may not like. So, it is best to follow the best practice and change the oil when necessary. 

Frequently Asked Questions: 

1. How Much Do You Have To Spend To Fix An Oil Leak?

Every type of car mechanical problem has different kinds of repairing the budget. For example, Oil leaking is a severe malfunction of a car engine. However, you can get your repair done within $93 to $150.

For the mechanic’s cost, you can estimate your budget from $82 to $120. If repairing mechanics tell you that you have to replace some of your engine parts, the car part’s price lies between $11 to $35.

2. Can Your Car Leak Oil Even When Not Running?

The answer is yes. Even when you are not running, there is always a probability of spotting some oil spill. But this is not a natural incident. Your engine seals, gaskets are preventing oil leakages. 

If there is a gap between the metal parts and seals, you find some signs of oil spillage even without a car running. Therefore when your car engine starts to cool down, the gap between the metal parts and seals increases. And the metal parts can not hold the pressure to prevent oil leakages.

Wrapping It Up:

When any car driver is finding a car leaking oil when parked, he/she should be well aware of the potential car problem for better car health and the safety factors you need to do a checkup. Start with identifying the nature of the liquid, then take steps to repair the car.

But usually, the oil stain is getting unnoticed. As a result, they will hand over a long budget bill when you visit a car repair store. So how are you repairing your car oil leakage? Do not forget to share your car driving tips in the comment sections.

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