Q: leak near front driver's side, possibly oil, recently purchased used from car dealer; said no issues with car

asked by on February 09, 2017

just bought CRV used from a dealer stated the car was in great working order. one owner; all things mechanically had been checked out -- replaced brakes, changed oil, new tires. we drove it, all felt good/engine sounded good. drove it home. and next morning oil-like fluid on driveway; appears to be oil, but can't be sure. the person we bought it for says she continues to see the drips on the pavement when she parks the car; no oil light on yet. mechanic at dealer said he would trust this car for his daughter to drive from az to ca; does it sound like something serious? or what could it be?

My car has 126800 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.

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Most older cars have oil leaks. Sealing technology has just not kept up with mechanical improvements to engines so much so that leaks often kill engines rather than mechanical problems. So, it is not unexpected at all to have an, indeed many, oil leaks on a 15 year old car. Oil leaks vary hugely in terms of severity and priority of repair. Oil leaking onto a hot engine manifold is the worst case (the oil can start a fire; at best, you are left breathing oil fumes in the cabin, as the oil burns off of the manifold) while de minimus seepage of oil at the oil drain plug or oil pan gasket, while annoying and messy, if limited enough is not an emergency. Some leaks are easy to repair, while others literally require the engine to be removed just to get physical access to all the leak points. In your circumstance, although the possibility of an oil leak should definitely be evaluated (especially if it turns out to be one of the easier to fix ones), if it is only a couple drops overnight it is not an emergency. But, do get it checked out. If you desire, a certified Mechanic, dispatched by YourMechanic right to your location, can perform an oil leak diagnostic and then let you know of your repair options and costs. If you have further questions or concerns, do not hesitate to re-contact YourMechanic as we are always here to help you.

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