Sights

Part of any walk-around inspection of your vehicle should include checking underneath for spots and drips. Get into the habit of doing this regularly, especially after the vehicle has been driven for a while.

Red spots under the transmission area indicate leaking transmission fluid. Try to find out where the leak is coming from. It could be the problem is as simple as an overfilled transmission. The fluid could be foaming out the dipstick tube and running down the case.

Rust spots of water under the front of the vehicle may indicate a leaking radiator; leaking radiator hoses or simply overflows from the radiator or air conditioning condenser.

Dark oil spots under a differential probably indicate that the differential cover bolts are loose and should be tightened. Oil spots under the engine can mean anything from leaking valve cover gaskets (the oil runs down the engine) to a host of more serious problems. Try to find the source of the leak and fix it.