In all honesty, you shouldn’t see anything coming out of your tailpipe except the condensation that tends to be visible in low outdoor temperatures. If you do see a lot of exhaust smoke coming out of your tailpipe or tailpipes, you might have a problem that should be addressed as soon as possible, and CAR FIX can help if that’s the case. Here are some things you should look for that would tip you off to vehicle trouble if you notice black or another color of smoke coming out of your tailpipe.
Black Smoke Isn’t Okay
Black smoke coming out of your tailpipe isn’t okay. It means that fuel is being burned somewhere in your automobile’s engine. You might see a puff or two of black exhaust if you drive an older diesel-powered vehicle, but you should not see a lot of black smoke – ever. In some cases, if your vehicle’s engine is burning massive amounts of fuel, you might also see flames coming out of the tailpipe. This is very dangerous, so pull over and call for a tow truck right away.
Blue Smoke Isn’t Okay, Either
If the exhaust coming out of the tailpipe(s) looks bluish, then your vehicle is burning oil. This is also very problematic, as it signals an oil leak somewhere in the engine that is bad enough to burn the leaking oil. In most cases, you won’t run into this problem unless your vehicle is very old. If it is, it might be time for a full inspection to make certain there aren’t any cracks, holes, or other age-related damage that would release the oil from its encasement into areas it doesn’t belong.
Neither Is White Smoke
Finally, as mentioned above, steam on a cold morning is okay but white smoke is not. If you see white smoke pouring out of your tailpipe and/or coming out from underneath your vehicle’s hood, chances are you’ve cracked a head gasket and coolant is spraying all over the place. Again, this shouldn’t happen unless your vehicle is very old or has been overheating regularly. If your automobile is running hotter than normal, have that fixed right away to avoid cracking the head gasket.
Call CAR FIX in Oak Ridge, TN, at 865-214-6307. We’d be happy to give your automobile the once-over to make sure it’s in tiptop shape, including investigating excess exhaust if that is a problem you are currently experiencing with your car, truck, CUV, or SUV.
