Why is steam coming from my hood?

Smoke billowing from the hood of your car is an unmistakable sign that something is definitely off. It could be a sign of a simple issue, or something is terribly wrong with your vehicle. It is normal to see a small white puff of smoke coming from your tailpipe after sitting overnight. It's just water vapor. On a rainy day, you may also notice some steam coming from the hood as water comes into contact with the exhaust or the radiator. However, if you are driving and suddenly smoke starts billowing from the engine or tailpipe, you need to stop immediately and take a peek.

Before you panic, it is important first to understand what the color or smell of the smoke implies. Identifying the cause will help you determine whether to keep driving or to reach out to a repair shop for their expertise.

What causes a car to smoke?

When small amounts of motor oil or other fluids spill or leak from a damaged seal or gasket onto the exhaust system or a hot engine, it causes the production of smoke under the hood of your car. Some of the leaking fluids may include power steering, engine coolant, transmission or brake fluid, or even window washer solvent.

What is the significance of different colors of smoke?

White smoke: White smoke could mean that the engine is having some trouble, a cracked cylinder head or engine block, a leaking head gasket, or a coolant is penetrating the combustion chamber. If the smoke smells sweet, then the coolant is very likely the cause of the smoke. If the smoke smells like fuel, then there is something wrong with the fuel system controls.

Blue or gray smoke: Blue or gray smoke accompanied by a bitter, pungent smell is a sign that the engine is burning oil. The most probable oil source could be worn piston rings, leaking valve seals, an overfilled crankcase, a plugged PCV valve, using the wrong type of oil, or failing to change the oil regularly. When a defective transmission vacuum modulator allows transmission fluid to leak into the intake manifold, thick gray smoke is produced.

Black smoke: Black smoke is a sign that your vehicle is burning too much raw fuel. When there is incomplete combustion due to a leaking fuel injector, a failed engine sensor/ ignition component, or a defective fuel pressure regulator, raw unburned fuel makes its way into the exhaust system and out through the tailpipe. This black smoke will smell of gasoline.

Another possible reason for black smoke is an electrical failure due to a short circuit. It will cause interference with other electrical devices and the lights to flicker.

What should you do when your car starts smoking?

You should pull over and determine if it is safe to keep on driving. Check the warning lights and gauges to determine if the engine is overheating. This will determine if you can drive to a repair shop or call a tow. Ensure a qualified technician thoroughly inspects your vehicle to determine the cause of the smoke. Consult our auto repair shop today for any engine repairs.

When smoke is coming from your vehicle one thing is for sure—it’s not good. The tailpipe though is the key to determining the exact cause and how serious the trouble may be. Different colors of smoke can mean that different areas of the vehicle are in distress. Here’s what you need to know if you witness white smoke, black smoke, burning smell coming from your car, or if it is simply steam from a hot engine on a cold day.

Internal combustion engines have many different components that are responsible for helping power the vehicle. The area of the engine where fuel mixes with air, compressed and ignited is known as the combustion chamber. Anytime the combustion chamber has something to burn off, it will be forced out through the tailpipe. Alternately, a small puff of black smoke from diesel-powered vehicles is completely normal because of the air to fuel ratio.

Why Do I Have Steam Coming Out of My Car?

If you see steam-like vapor escaping from the tailpipe, there’s no need to be concerned. Water vapor coming from the tailpipe is completely normal and is a result of condensation building within the exhaust system. Though there may be a slow drip of water from the tailpipe, the steam is quickly dispelled into the air.

Why is steam coming from my hood?
What Does White Smoke Coming From My Car Mean?

White smoke coming from the engine is indicative of trouble within the engine. While there are several different causes, such as coolant entering the combustion chamber, a cracked engine block or cylinder head, or a leaking head gasket, if you notice any smells associated with the smoke, such as a sweet smell, the coolant may be the cause of the smoke. NOTE: If the engine begins to overheat, your vehicle will need immediate attention. Allowing the vehicle to overheat could cause severe and irreversible damage to the engine. However, if you notice a fuel smell associated with the white smoke, there is something amiss with the fuel system controls. It’s important to have a trusted technician perform an inspection to determine whether the fuel injector is faulty, or if the fuel injection and valve timing is off and needs to be readjusted.

Why Is Black Smoke Coming from My Exhaust?

Black smoke indicates that the vehicle is burning too much fuel. Black smoke is often the result of a faulty or leaking fuel injector, broken or damaged fuel pressure regulator, or dysfunctional carburetor. However, it could be something as simple as a clogged air filter or other intake components. Newer vehicles have a check engine light that will come on if the fuel system gets out of the appropriate range. However, it will not illuminate if there is a fuel leak. As a result of the vehicle burning too much fuel, you may notice that your fuel economy decreases significantly. Having this repaired sooner rather than later may save you some money.

Your vehicle’s engine is paramount to moving from point A to B and will require much care to keep it in proper working order. Fortunately, routine maintenance including oil change and regular fluid flushes will ensure your engine continues running smoothly to keep you on the road longer. While vapor or steam coming from the exhaust is completely normal, when smoke is coming from your engine whether it is white, black, grey, or blue and accompanied by a smell or not, it’s troublesome. Be sure to have your vehicle inspected immediately by a trusted technician to determine the cause of the smoke.

Preventative maintenance and repairs are our specialty at Sun Auto Service. You’ll be impressed with the knowledge of our ASE Certified Technicians, our state-of-the-art equipment, and our A+ Rating with the Better Business Bureau. We guarantee all our work in writing and don’t start any work until you’ve authorized it first. You can trust Sun Auto Service for all your auto needs from simple oil changes to complete transmission rebuilds. We’re the dealership alternative in your neighborhood! Give us a call or stop into any of our convenient service centers today!

If you are like most Americans, you probably put quite a few miles on your vehicle each week. In order to keep your car safe to drive, it is important to have basic knowledge of maintenance routines and what to do when something goes wrong. One of the most important parts of your car is its engine.

What the Engine Does

The engine is a vital component that gets your vehicle moving. Internal combustion engines convert gasoline into motion with the help of very small, controlled explosions. These explosions create power that moves your vehicle. The process includes an intake cycle to move pistons down, the compression cycle to push air and gas into a small space, the combustion cycle to ignite and explode the gas and the exhaust cycle, which releases waste created by the explosion. When something in your engine causes one of these cycles to stop working, it prevents your vehicle from moving.

What Causes Steam Rising From the Engine

Sometimes your vehicle’s engine will have steam rising from it, which you can see as it exits the spaces around your hood. It’s important to determine whether that substance is steam or smoke. For example, white steam will sometimes rise from your car exhaust on a cool day as it heats up. This is no cause for concern, however, there are many other reasons your engine could be steaming. Some of them include:

  • A leak in your cooling system
  • Dirty radiator
  • Low coolant levels
  • Malfunctioning thermostat
  • Malfunctioning water pump
  • Bad hose

Why you may notice smoke rising from your engine:

  • Loose fan belt
  • Low oil levels (including engine noise)

If you identify smoke rising from your vehicle, safely pull to the side of the road and seek immediate help. For safety reasons and to avoid further damage to your engine, do not attempt to drive your vehicle.

What to Do If Your Engine Starts Steaming

What are your gauges telling you? If your engine starts to steam, check your temperature gauge. Is your vehicle indicating that the engine is overheating? If so, the first thing you should do is open all the windows and turn on the car’s heater. This helps to pull some of the heat away from your engine until you can find a safe place to pull over. Once you find a safe place, pull over and turn off your engine.

In many cases, a coolant leak is the problem, but do not try to check it until the car and engine are completely cool. Once you’ve checked the coolant and topped it off, you should still have a mechanic check your vehicle in case there are underlying causes or one of the other issues is also occurring.

Sun Devil Auto provides full-service engine checks and repair. If you suspect your engine is overheating, one of our professional and certified technicians can help you get to the root of the problem.