# Oil leak on a car that hasn't been driven in a month

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-leak-on-a-car-that-hasnt-been-driven-in-a-month/121312>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** mustang, ford\
**Created:** [July 19, 2018, 6:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-leak-on-a-car-that-hasnt-been-driven-in-a-month/121312 "2018-07-19T18:46:35Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Rock5173](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@Rock5173](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Rock5173)\
**Post date:** [July 19, 2018, 6:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-leak-on-a-car-that-hasnt-been-driven-in-a-month/121312/1 "2018-07-19T18:46:35Z")

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Car has sat for a month, never had an oil leak before. Woke up this morning to a puddle of oil under the car. What do you think is causing this? 2000 ford mustang 106k miles

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**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\
**Post date:** [July 19, 2018, 6:48pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-leak-on-a-car-that-hasnt-been-driven-in-a-month/121312/2 "2018-07-19T18:48:07Z")

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The first thing to check is the drain plug on the oil pan.

Tester

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**Author:** ![BillRussell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/billrussell/32/3179_2.png) [@BillRussell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/BillRussell)\
**Post date:** [July 19, 2018, 6:48pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-leak-on-a-car-that-hasnt-been-driven-in-a-month/121312/3 "2018-07-19T18:48:57Z")

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We can’t see the car from here, so no idea. Get it towed to a good shop.

Are you sure it’s oil, and not coolant? or transmission fluid?

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**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\
**Post date:** [July 19, 2018, 6:52pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-leak-on-a-car-that-hasnt-been-driven-in-a-month/121312/4 "2018-07-19T18:52:01Z")

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The next thing to do is dip a white paper towel in the oil. Is it brown? - Motor oil Is is red? Transmission fluid Is it kind-of yellow? Brake fluid Is it green? Coolant.

> [@Rock5173](#):
>
> never had an oil leak before

That statement means nothing - you have a leak now. This is an 18 year old car, stuff can just leak.

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**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\
**Post date:** [July 19, 2018, 6:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-leak-on-a-car-that-hasnt-been-driven-in-a-month/121312/5 "2018-07-19T18:56:09Z")

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It does not take much oil to make a large puddle. Check your oil level first. You could have had a leak all along but it just did not show until vehicle sat for a month.

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**Author:** ![BillRussell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/billrussell/32/3179_2.png) [@BillRussell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/BillRussell)\
**Post date:** [July 19, 2018, 7:41pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-leak-on-a-car-that-hasnt-been-driven-in-a-month/121312/6 "2018-07-19T19:41:14Z")

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good point, it could be only a quart low. Check the oil level. But first try to determine what the fluid is.