Sometimes you see a puddle of oil beneath your parked car. It is because your vehicle is leaking oil, which it shouldn’t be. The oil reduces the friction within the engine and prevents it from heating up. If you change your oil regularly and the oil is of high quality, your car’s engine parts will work efficiently and not rust or heat up. But if your vehicle is leaking oil when parked, then the engine may not have proper oil for lubrication, and it can result in something terrible like a fire. It’s best not to drive a car if you see that your car has leaked oil when it is parked. Below have given the most common reasons for car leaking oil when parked to solve them.
#1 Broken Gasket or Seals
There are seals and gaskets which prevent the oil from leaking. When the car has heated up from a drive, the metal component expands and puts pressure on these seals. After some time, these metal parts cool down and contract, which leaves gaps between the metal parts and seals. It doesn’t happen every time. The gaps are created when the gasket and seals wore out with time.
Solution
Take the car to a mechanic to see whether the seals or gasket are faulty. The mechanic will then change the defective parts.
#2 Oil Pan Plug Dislocate
If the oil pan plug is not correctly inserted or has stripped threads, it can get damaged and leak oil.
Solution
One temporary solution is to replace it with a rubber plug, but you need to get the part changed or repaired by going to a mechanic as soon as possible to solve it permanently.
#3 Poor Oil
Poor oil can also be a reason for oil leaks due to faulty air pressure buildup, which can rupture seals or cause gaps.
Solution
Always get good quality oil for your vehicle to avoid such a problem. It may be a few extra bucks at the time, but it can save a lot along the way.
#4 Damaged Oil Filter or Oil Pan
A damaged oil filter can also be a culprit of a car leaking oil when parked. The oil can leak while it runs through the filter into the engine. The vehicle’s oil pan can get dented when you go on low lying portions of the road, and it gets hit by something; this damage to the oil pan can result in a puddle of oil under the car after you have stopped.
Check the air filter and always drive slower on potholes, etc., to avoid any damage. If the problem is with the oil pan or the oil filter, get them repaired or changed by a professional according to the damage’s extent. The majority of the time, the damage is of the seals that wore off with time.
#5 Incorrect Installations
This reason is also a common one. The oil gasket or the valve cover gasket can be improperly installed, or tightness can be unevenly distributed.
Solution
Go to a professional to check if there is improper installation. It’s better to get a professional’s help than to experiment yourself.
#6 Cylinder Head Cracked
This reason for the oil leaking is not that constant but can happen, especially in old cars. If the cylinder head is cracked, oil can leak from the engine, and it can even enter the cooling system.
Solution
Check your oil cap or coolant cap for such a situation and see a mechanic.
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