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So you noticed something as the weather gets hotter: water dripping from beneath the front of your car. If it’s truly just water, it’s probably not a problem at all. In fact your car is designed to drip water in hot weather. But if it’s another liquid, you may be in trouble.

So why does your car drip water in hot weather? Condensation is a byproduct of your air conditioning. Picture setting a cold bottle of water on a table. On a hot day, the outside will soon be covered in droplets of condensation. In a similar way, as your A/C system cools air on a hot day, water will condense out of the humid air nearby. Your A/C system is designed to catch this water in something called an evaporator and drain it out a tube beneath your car.

This tube often emerges on the passenger side of your vehicle, directly under the dashboard and windshield. So if you find clear water dripping from there after you park, your car is probably alright. Note that some longer SUVs and vans have a second evaporator near the rear of the vehicle.

So what about water dripping out of your car’s exhaust pipe? Hot exhaust gas can also cause condensation, especially on cool days. When you start your car on a cold morning you may see some of last night’s water pushed out, and you may even see the engine creating some new water until the coolant has circulated and it levels out to its normal temperature. So a bit of water coming out of your tailpipe on startup is nothing to worry about.

If you do see a bunch of liquid that’s not water draining from your car, you’ll want to get it checked out before driving it. A big puddle of motor oil coming from the front of the car or gasoline coming from the back are good reasons to not start it up. If you see something similar to water leaking from the front, but its green colored and smells sweet, that’s the antifreeze engine coolant. That’s also a problem you’ll want a professional to diagnose and fix before driving.

Next, read about how much to drop your tire PSI for hot weather, or see how to diagnose various leaks under your car in the video below:

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Staff Writer

Henry Cesari

Henry Cesari joined MotorBiscuit in 2021 and brings his deep interest in vintage cars, trucks, and motorcycles to the site. Having restored his first classic car at just 16 years old, Henry has wrenched on everything from overland campers to Japanese motorcycles and even pre-war Bugattis. Henry is also an avid attendee at local car shows and genuinely enjoys connecting with fellow auto enthusiasts.

Henry earned a Bachelor’s in Anthropology and English from the University of Vermont. He has since incorporated his love of the written word with his admiration of classic cars. While Henry is interested in vintage cars, he believes the golden age of cars is yet to come. He is confident journalists will play an important role in this revolution by exposing the industry as it is now and envisioning its possible future.