My Junk Car Is Leaking: What to Do Before Pickup

1. Notice any fuel smell

   A strong gasoline smell is a fire danger. Keep everyone back, do not smoke or use flames or start anything nearby, and don’t try to fix it. If it seems dangerous, call 911.

2. Keep kids and pets away

   Antifreeze is poisonous, and it can attract animals. Keep them clear until it’s cleaned up.

3. Look for where it’s going

   Check the slope. If it’s flowing toward a storm drain, ditch or stream, it’s more urgent. See the table below for who to call.

4. Put something under it

   Slide a drip pan or an old baking tray under the drip without getting beneath the car. Change it before it fills up.

5. Leave the car off

   Starting it can make a leak worse and could be a fire risk.

These are common signs, not a diagnosis. Tell the buyer what you see, and don’t taste or sniff anything closely.

Most of what we found is aimed at businesses, so we’ll say so where that’s the case.

• Used oil. Ecology’s used oil page says used oil includes motor oil, brake fluid, hydraulic oil and power steering fluid. Antifreeze is not used oil. Households can call 1-800-RECYCLE.
• Don’t mix it. Ecology says “Used oil mixed with any solid or dangerous wastes cannot be managed as used oil.” Keep your fluids separate, and ask 1-800-RECYCLE where to take them.
• Antifreeze. WAC 173-303-522 says “Any discharge of spent antifreeze to the environment constitutes disposal” and is subject to full regulation. That rule is written with waste managers in mind, but the message is plain: don’t let it run onto the ground.
• Drip pans. Ecology’s Vehicle Recycling Manual tells recyclers to place drip pans under leaks. It’s guidance for businesses, not a rule for you, but the same idea works at home.

• Wear gloves, and keep fluids off your skin.
• Soak up small amounts with an absorbent such as cat litter.
• Scoop it into a sealed container and label it with what it is.
• Call 1-800-RECYCLE and ask where to take it. Don’t put liquid in the trash. Our guide to old oil and antifreeze goes further.
• Do not hose it down the driveway or into a storm drain.
• Do not pour it on the ground or burn it.
• Put a tarp or cardboard under the drip pan if it could overflow, to protect your driveway.

• Don’t drain the car yourself to “fix” the leak. You would then have gallons of fluid to deal with. Vehicles we buy go to auto steel recyclers, where fluids are drained.
• Don’t drive it to a shop or yard. A brake fluid or fuel leak can make it unsafe.
• Don’t crawl under it to find the source.
• Don’t pay for a repair just to stop a drip on a car you’re selling. A drip pan is cheaper.

Say so when you call: “It’s leaking what looks like oil, from the front, slowly.” The driver can then plan for it. Take your drip pans out of the way when the truck comes, and stand clear during loading. Our pickup checklist covers the rest of the day.

If the leak has raised the urgency, see how same-day pickup works. Call us at (206) 941-0612, or read about non-running car removal.