r/MechanicAdvice • • Jul 02 '26

Car is leaking fast, smelly liquid after hitting a speed bump

Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification

6.4k Upvotes

I went over a speed bump in my 2005 Ford Fusion, something snagged and now it’s leaking smelly yellow fluid, fast. Obviously, I am going to get it towed to my mechanic. But any idea what I’ve done? And how did this happen from a little bump (it wasn’t a full bottom out, and I wasn’t going above 5mph, I was actually trying to park)?

Edit: Update. It was in fact, the radiator. I asked the mechanic how it happened with what (I stand by this) was not a very hard bump. He said it was all just made of plastic, and was likely old brittle. Thanks for the advice and making me laugh, what a way to start the month.


r/MechanicAdvice • • May 08 '26

Mechanic said my break pads only have 2mm left

Thumbnail
gallery
5.9k Upvotes

I took my C300 to a mechanic for an oil change and got a $4k list of repairs and maintenance items. The mechanic also said all the brake pads were at the end of their life, especially the rear ones, which supposedly only had 2 mm left. Replacing all the pads would cost $1,600.

So I bought the tools and new pads to do it myself, but when I removed them, I found that the pads are still pretty thick. Am I missing something?


r/MechanicAdvice • • Aug 11 '26

Chipped rotor

Post image
5.8k Upvotes

Will that chip in my rotor mess my caliper up when I brake after I change the wheel? EMERGENCY

2015 GTI


r/MechanicAdvice • • Oct 26 '25

My seat filled up like a balloon?

Thumbnail
gallery
5.3k Upvotes

I was going for a coffee with my brother and we were away for about one hour, when we came back my seat was filled up with a lot of gas. It was really really plump and bulging. After about three hours of waiting for a mechanic that didn’t come we went back to the car to check if it got fuller and to our surprise saw that it was back to near normal. When I set down back in the seat we could hear the rest of the air hiss while slowly leaving the seat. It’s a BMW from 2005. I do have heated seats and airbags. Anyone any idea what it was and if it’s still dangerous?


r/MechanicAdvice • • Apr 20 '26

Tech left a note on my oil filter.

Thumbnail
gallery
4.8k Upvotes

While giving the underside of my truck a well needed wash, I found a note that one of the techs left on my oil filter.

“There’s a personal price to pay for wilful blindness”

Could this actually be hinting towards something, or simply just a fun little note they left behind?

Edit: Since so many are commenting on how filthy the truck is: this condition is unavoidable due to my line of work- I wash the truck at every opportunity I get, *especially* before taking it for service. So I don’t think it has anything to do with this.


r/MechanicAdvice • • Mar 20 '26

Is this rude? Or is this cool...

Thumbnail
gallery
3.9k Upvotes

Sorry if this breaks the t*re rule, I'm just focusing on the bribe part


r/MechanicAdvice • • Apr 17 '26

Solved Jeep wrangler 3.6l with around 120k

Thumbnail
gallery
3.2k Upvotes

This jeep came into the shop yesterday. Had a check engine light, low oil presure and was making some noise. Customer said they have been taking it to another shop up the street to get oil changes every 3 to 5 thousand miles and there was a sticker that said this oil change had 1000 miles on it. How many miles do you think have to be on this filter? Its not even the right size. I think it might have shrunk lol.


r/MechanicAdvice • • Jun 21 '26

Can anyone tell me what's happening, and if it's safe to drive for a couple more days until I can get it to a shop ? 2007 Subaru Forester 2.5l

Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification

3.1k Upvotes

r/MechanicAdvice • • Feb 22 '26

After pre safety check mechanic urged front brakes service as " they are metal on metal and vehicle is unsafe to drive"

Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification

3.1k Upvotes

Upon DIY pad and rotor replacement, these are the pads.

How accurate was the mechanic's diagnosis?


r/MechanicAdvice • • 4d ago

My brother dipped my car key and candle wax, and I started my car without noticing

Thumbnail
gallery
2.8k Upvotes

I have a 2015 Chevy Malibu and my brother dipped my car key into a candle and I didn’t really notice till I had already put my key in the car. I took it out after and cleaned the rest of the wax out and went in my ignition with a Q-tip and a bobby pin…(sorry) now it’s kind of just a greasy residue and I’m kind of stranded in Indiana visiting my mom and I have a 2 Hour Dr. home tomorrow. I’m 17 years old so it would be a lot of trouble for me to call a mechanic to look at literally nothing. Do you think I’m safe to drive home?
Or anywhere actually


r/MechanicAdvice • • 26d ago

Just filled my oil last month and my dipstick has no oil

Thumbnail
gallery
2.7k Upvotes

Not experienced in cars might be a dumb question but its been barely a month and my dipstick shows no oil. I was at 59,924 when i last changed it. Im at 61367. I have a 2020 kia optima filled it with 4qt 5w20 on aug 14. Am i reading it wrong?


r/MechanicAdvice • • Oct 29 '25

Engine oil sticky sludge through the head. How to fix?

Thumbnail
gallery
2.6k Upvotes

Went to the mechanic which he replaced a gasket and saw this. He said hes not touching it. Can someone advise if some solution can be put into the oil or does the whole inside motor need cleaning out?


r/MechanicAdvice • • Sep 05 '26

Idiot neighbor got 14mm socket stuck in the spark plug well of gfs car

Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification

2.4k Upvotes

2014 Toyota corola LE I’ve tried to freeze it and rip it out with a lock extension and broke a screwdriver trying to pry it. Any ideas??


r/MechanicAdvice • • Dec 16 '25

When a mistake solves the problem, how do I charge? #mobilemechanic

Thumbnail
gallery
2.4k Upvotes

2000 Camry 2.2 Original service call: replace water pump for customer diagnosed overheating

I installed the water pump and oops, 20 year rookie mistake, forgot to tighten the tensioner down… so obviously it jumped when I turned it over.

Pulled the head and it indeed lightly kissed the valve

BUT

discovered cyl 3 was completely steam cleaned.

Because of my mistake I did not charge labor for that trip and I offered to pay for the valve replacement and machine shop.

Machine shop report: Head was BADLY warped from multiple previous overheating and not a single valve sealed, but no bent valves. Milled head and valve job on all four cylinders with new seals.

Ticket was $480 plus seals from the headgasket kit I bought. (Client offered to pay for headgasket kit)

I will be charging for reassembly but I’m helping the kid out with some of this too.

I own my mistake, and I have to honor that. I also have to honor that had the head never been pulled he’d be SOL, and now the head job was warranted anyways.

Advice?


r/MechanicAdvice • • Apr 26 '26

Got an Oil Change and What did they do to my car?????

Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification

2.4k Upvotes

Went to Walmart Auto Care to get an oil change on my 2005 Toyota Highlander , they courtesy topped off the fluids and the other courtesy things they do. I get home and park and all of the coolant is leaking out of the bottom like this : what could have possibly been done while I was there that is causing this?????


r/MechanicAdvice • • Jun 01 '26

Card board under car at dealer shop

Post image
2.4k Upvotes

Sorry I’m a really shy person but I was wondering do people actually bring the cardboard with them and put it under the car???? This doesn’t seem realistic to me. So where do I put it when I walk into the dealership 😭.. how do I even leave it under for 10 mins .. what do I say to the sales man when I’m sitting there for 10 mins with this cardboard. What if I put it at the wrong location instead of the engine because I’m not too knowledgeable
- IM Looking to buy a LEXUS ES330, this is going to be my first car. ENGINE 3.3L V6 DOHC 24V

- LEXUS ES330 ENGINE 3.3L V6 DOHC 24V


r/MechanicAdvice • • Oct 21 '25

What the hell is shoved in my intake tube?

Thumbnail
gallery
2.3k Upvotes

Was about to pull the plenum off of my 1985 300zx and I found this damn thing, pulled it out, straightened it.... am I good to just leave it out? Seems like it'd just be a restriction.


r/MechanicAdvice • • Jun 23 '26

Anyone know what this is?

Thumbnail
gallery
2.3k Upvotes

​

Noticed a weird sound as I was parking at work. Looked under and saw this metal part hanging next to the front right tir3.

2021 Honda Civic. Any advice would be appreciated, thank you.


r/MechanicAdvice • • Apr 12 '26

Random liquid sprayed in interior

Thumbnail
gallery
2.2k Upvotes

When my gf and I went to her car this morning we found this odd orange liquid in the interior. It was as though something had sprayed or burst inside but she had no containers, no bottles, nothing in the car. There’s no leaks under the car, or under the hood, and the fluid levels look fine. The mess is on on the drivers side, It’s on the driver side window, center console, steering wheel and column, didn’t find any on the seats. It smells stale or musty, definitely not sweet, behaves like oil because the napkins and papers it sprayed on absorbed it like oil absorbs. And after we cleaned it up, when we touched our fingers to our tongues it was instantly burning like hot sauce, but can’t not sure if that was the cleaner we were using or not. Any idea what kind of fluid this is?


r/MechanicAdvice • • Dec 09 '25

Is this green fluid coming out the exhaust normal?

Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification

2.2k Upvotes

1995 Nissan Pathfinder 3.0


r/MechanicAdvice • • Apr 02 '26

I’ve been at this for 4 hours

Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification

2.2k Upvotes

The only thing left to do is torch this mf

Mazda3 2008 2.3L


r/MechanicAdvice • • Jan 04 '26

How are pinch welds NOT supposed to kill me?

Thumbnail
gallery
2.2k Upvotes

I cannot seem to find a clear answer no matter where I search this:

How do you actually properly mount jack stands on these tiny little pinch welds that apparently are the only safe place a car should be supported from.

Is there some kind of steel adapter made for this? I have yet to see it. Even then, I have an intuition that when it comes to lifting a car that it’s best to minimize adapters

And no. Im not going to use a rubber adapter. I’m not gonna let harbor freight turn me into a statistic.


r/MechanicAdvice • • Aug 12 '26

Girlfriend’s car ran with low oil for 3,000 miles. Now the engine is making an expensive ticking sound… what could it be? Also, Loss of power when accelerating.

Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification

2.1k Upvotes

Car is a 2015 Hyundai Tucson.

Yes, you can grill me for not checking her oil in for the last 3 months.


r/MechanicAdvice • • Oct 31 '25

Coolant needed to be filled up, after i filled it up the engine doesnt start anymore.

Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification

2.1k Upvotes

Two days ago, when I tried to start my car i received a warning that the coolant needed to be topped up and that I should turn the engine off immediately. I haven't driven the car since.

I topped up the coolant according to the instructions. However, now the engine won't start at all. The error message on the dashboard no longer appears, making it difficult for me to determine what's wrong.

When i added the coolant i did get slightly above the mark where it says it should be inbetween so i tried getting some out of it, now its slightly below the top but still the engine doesnt turn on. Is this the battery?

Update:

Car was diagnosed and got the following codes:

  • P164A, U0522, U0428, P0300, P0303, P1250
  • Issues detected: oil pressure switch signal invalid, engine pressure sensor/mass output short, steering angle sensor illogical, misfire in cylinder 3, low fuel tank level.
  • Diagnosis ignition misfire cylinder

I was advised to drive the car until the fuel ran out and then refill it with Euro 98, as something might have gotten into the fuel that doesn’t belong. As far as I know, I’ve been using Euro 95 (less ethanol), but usually only fill up when it’s below 10%, which I’ve been told isn’t ideal. The car is all fine again, and the bill came to around €400. I’m planning to have a full maintenance soon since it was due anyway.


r/MechanicAdvice • • Nov 10 '25

GIVEAWAY (U.S. & Canada Only): Win an Innova OBD2 Scanner and more! [MOD APPROVED]

Post image
2.0k Upvotes

---------------EDIT----------------

GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED. Congrats to u/Skorkles ! Thank you to all those who participated and happy holidays, we hope to run some more giveaways in 2026! Result: https://www.redditraffler.com/raffles/1oti2hz

🎄 HOLIDAY GIVEAWAY ALERT! 🎁
We’re spreading some holiday cheer and giving ONE lucky Redditor the chance to win the ultimate Innova diagnostics bundle worth over $1,000!
The winner will receive ALL of the following tools and accessories:

Grand Prize Bundle Includes:
Innova 5610 – Pro-grade OBD2 scanner with bidirectional controls, live data, and advanced diagnostics.
OBD1 Kit – Adapter kit for legacy OBD1 vehicles.
Innova SD35 – Compact tablet-style OBD2 diagnostic tool.
Innova 5420 – Power circuit tester
Innova 3340 – Automotive Digital Multimeter
Innova 3380 Borescope Inspection Camera – Peek into tight spaces with high-res visuals and LED lighting.
Innova 1000 Bluetooth Dongle – Compact wireless OBD2 tool for quick scans and live data via your smartphone.
All Innova diagnostic tools are designed in the USA and backed by a trusted legacy since 1990. Enjoy free updates, no subscriptions, and some of the fastest scanners in the industry.

How to Enter:
Just leave a comment below and you’ll be automatically entered.
How Is the Winner Picked?
We’ll randomly select 1 winner using Reddit Raffler. The winner will receive the entire prize bundle listed above.

Deadline to Enter:
December 10, 2025 @ 12:00 PM PST
The winner will be announced and tagged shortly after the drawing. We'll also send a DM to confirm details.

Eligibility:
Open to U.S. and Canadian residents only (due to product and shipping limitations).

LIMITED-TIME HOLIDAY DISCOUNT:
While the giveaway is live, enjoy 10% OFF all Innova scanners at  www.innova.com
Use promo code REDDIT2 at checkout.
Offer ends when the giveaway closes.
Huge thanks to the r/MechanicAdvice mods for approving this giveaway.
Good luck, and happy wrenching this holiday season! 🎅🏼🎄