# Received two different diagnoses **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [October 9, 2018, 10:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/received-two-different-diagnoses/126462 "2018-10-09T22:51:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cathy44](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cathy44](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cathy44)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2018, 10:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/received-two-different-diagnoses/126462/1 "2018-10-09T22:51:24Z")
I have a 2013 Nissan Sentra, 58,000 miles. I noticed an occasional leak from front of car, with orange colored liquid when I dab at stain on ground, which is usually 2-3 inches in size. A Nissan dealership says the leak is an overflow leak from the window washing liquid reservoir. I got a second opinion from an auto mechanic who says it needs a new gasket in oil pan (or something of that nature). Since those opinions are so vastly different, I am puzzled and wonder if I should get a third opinion? ---
**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:** [October 9, 2018, 10:58pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/received-two-different-diagnoses/126462/2 "2018-10-09T22:58:15Z")
Washer fluid will evaporate quickly. Oil doesn’t evaporate at all. If the liquid evaporates, it’s probably washer fluid. Tester ---
**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2018, 11:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/received-two-different-diagnoses/126462/3 "2018-10-09T23:05:01Z")
… And if your oil is _orange_, you have other problems. ---
**Author:** ![Scrapyard-John](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f6c823/32.png) [@Scrapyard-John](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Scrapyard-John)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2018, 11:09pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/received-two-different-diagnoses/126462/4 "2018-10-09T23:09:50Z")
I vote third opinion. What color is the coolant in your Nissan? What color windshield wash are you using? If the puddle is orange, it would have to be engine coolant or windshield washer fluid. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2018, 11:13pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/received-two-different-diagnoses/126462/5 "2018-10-09T23:13:54Z")
> [@Cathy44](#): > > orange colored liquid Do you use either Rain-X or Prestone WW fluid? Those two brands are yellow/orange in color. ---
**Author:** ![Cathy44](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cathy44](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cathy44)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2018, 11:29pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/received-two-different-diagnoses/126462/6 "2018-10-09T23:29:42Z")
That’s why I was a bit puzzled when the auto mechanic said it might be an oil leak. It is orange in color and the stain is gone the next day, as if evaporated. ---
**Author:** ![Cathy44](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cathy44](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cathy44)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2018, 11:30pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/received-two-different-diagnoses/126462/7 "2018-10-09T23:30:43Z")
I just bought the car a few months ago, so I don’t know what brand was put in there. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2018, 11:33pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/received-two-different-diagnoses/126462/8 "2018-10-09T23:33:48Z")
Check the color of the fluid in the windshield washer fluid reservoir and the coolant reservoir. Dip a paper towel in each. (Hold tight) ---
**Author:** ![Cathy44](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cathy44](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cathy44)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2018, 11:35pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/received-two-different-diagnoses/126462/9 "2018-10-09T23:35:26Z")
I think I will get a third opinion from a different Nissan dealer. I am leaning toward either a coolant leak or windshield wiper leak since the liquid is orange and disappears the next day. ---
**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:** [October 9, 2018, 11:36pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/received-two-different-diagnoses/126462/10 "2018-10-09T23:36:26Z")
> [@Cathy44](#): > > It is orange in color and the stain is gone the next day, as if evaporated. A coolant leak doesn’t evaporate in one day. Tester ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2018, 11:43pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/received-two-different-diagnoses/126462/11 "2018-10-09T23:43:49Z")
Use the windshield washer, then have a look at the color of the fluid running off the windshield. ---
**Author:** ![Cathy44](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cathy44](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cathy44)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2018, 11:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/received-two-different-diagnoses/126462/12 "2018-10-09T23:56:38Z")
Would you say it probably is window washing fluid then? ---
**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:** [October 9, 2018, 11:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/received-two-different-diagnoses/126462/14 "2018-10-09T23:59:01Z")
Yes. It’s the only thing it can be, if it’s orange in color and evaporates quickly. Tester ---
**Author:** ![Cathy44](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cathy44](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cathy44)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2018, 12:03am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/received-two-different-diagnoses/126462/15 "2018-10-10T00:03:00Z")
Good idea. I will do that. From all the comments here, I do believe it might be the window washing fluid. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2018, 1:04am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/received-two-different-diagnoses/126462/16 "2018-10-10T01:04:58Z")
> [@Cathy44](#): > > I just bought the car a few months ago Did you get hard copies of the car’s maintenance over the past 5 years? ---
**Author:** ![Cathy44](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cathy44](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cathy44)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2018, 3:16am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/received-two-different-diagnoses/126462/17 "2018-10-10T03:16:19Z")
Actually I only got a Carfax report. I was moving into my apartment when my car died, so I only had a 2-day window to get another car. ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2018, 3:28am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/received-two-different-diagnoses/126462/18 "2018-10-10T03:28:46Z")
When buying a used car from a dealer Carfax and the dealers national service history (if any exists) are the main source of vehicle history. Due to the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act to protect consumers nonpublic information the documents like the previous owners invoices are destroyed. You will should see the previous owner’s hard copies of the invoices when buying from a dealer. ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2018, 3:47am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/received-two-different-diagnoses/126462/19 "2018-10-10T03:47:58Z")
Empty the WW bottle and see if the leak stops after a day or two. If it doesn’t, next up is to check for a coolant leak. The easiest way to check for that is to check the level of the coolant, both in the coolant bottle and in the radiator (if the latter option is possible an a Sentra, not possible to do that on some cars). The cooling system is very well sealed and usually won’t lose more than a cup of coolant every 5000 miles. ---
**Author:** ![Cathy44](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cathy44](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cathy44)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2018, 5:21pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/received-two-different-diagnoses/126462/20 "2018-10-19T17:21:27Z")
Great idea.